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Uh oh. That is usually the sound we utter when something
has gone wrong - or when we expect something is about to
head south. Maybe it is part of the built in warning system
running full time in our heads.
For the past several weeks, the 'Uh
oh' system has been working every time we turn on the
Tv, or the radio. Seems you just can't escape the problems
from Washington, D.C. - all which
appear to be caused by a lack of morals and ethics.
Rather than further beat that mess into
ever smaller bits, it occurs to me there is a way to
prevent the problem in the future.
No one should be elected to serve in
the Congress, the Cabinet, or the Presidency who is not
an avid, dedicated fly fisher.
I'm serious! Think about it.
It has long been my belief fly fishers are
the finest people in the world. That said, it follows those fly
fishers have some outstanding qualities enabling them to solve
problems, follow through, pay attention to large and small details,
have the forethought to plan, are able to remember what works
and what doesn't, have the courage to buck the trends and try
something new, have a sense of history and tradition, know
instinctively they are part of something larger than themselves,
have their priorities straight, care about their fellow fly anglers,
are willing to share information and techniques, are very willing
to learn, conserve the fish, and are rather proprietary about the
waters they fish.
Sounds like proper campaign strategy
to me. More than that - it is an attitude. One sadly
lacking in the political world.
To be fair, there have been some U.S.
Presidents who have indeed been fly fishermen. Teddy Roosevelt,
Ike and Carter come to mind. I'm sure there were more. But at least
those three did not embarrass the country, and make us the laughing
stock of the world. And by the way, all three believed in a strong
military to defend this country.
Maybe instead of asking what political party
a political hopeful belongs to, or what his stand on any of a
thousand programs is, we should be asking if he fly fishes? How is
his casting? How long has he been a fly fisherman? Does he tie his
own flies? Where is his home water?
We could learn more about the man than
any of the silly campaign slogans and canned speeches provide.
And you know what? Once elected, he would
probably do the right thing.
~ Deanna Birkholm
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