Charles Kramer, The Levison Group
Sometimes it seems,
we don’t know what they mean
but the words still linger on.
At times it feels
like we all must kneel,
to have the angle to see the dawn.
A conversation took place in the courthouse cafeteria yesterday, between Darlene Montgomery and David Hackus. Darlene and David are both 56-year-old lawyers. They went to law school together, and both intend to practice for the indefinite future — David, due to his love of the law and Darlene due to her string of bad investments. When I chanced upon them, Darlene was speaking:
“I don’t understand why the legislature spends so much time debating new laws, adding tag-ons, appending clauses, and other nonsense, instead of simply leaving well enough alone,“ she said.
“What are you talking about, Darlene? That’s the legislative process. It’s the heart of the American way.”
“It just drives me crazy, David. It seems like every legislator is looking for something to change, just to get their name in the paper, and the governor, and even the president, are going out of their way to be ‘different’ rather than effective.”
“Well, Darlene, I don’t really agree with you, and in any event, you shouldn’t let it bring you down. People are just trying to dismantle the relics from the past that don’t really matter or apply anymore. The system has to move forward and that’s what they are trying to do.”
“It’s just all a heart-wrenching endeavor of disaster,” said Darlene. “The whole thing just really depresses me.”
“If the process bothers you, then you may want to track down one of our younger Congressmen for coffee or something. If you listen to them talk, you’ll see their good intentions, and understand the need to refine our laws and our entire system to cope with the modern day realities. You really will feel better about the whole process.”
“I don’t know, David. It seems like the people who may have the answers ‘in hand,’ so to speak, don’t know how to get them implemented. I don’t really have much hope. It’s like the blind leading the unenlightened. And you know what they say about the blind truth-seer…”
“What’s that?”
“They are apt to get hit by a truck.”
“That’s funny, Darlene. But what are you talking about?”
“The only way to solve our problems is for our leaders to walk, or more accurately run, down the middle of the road, and away from the far left or far right. But, that never happens because, people who are in the middle of the road, tend to get plowed over by the fast moving vehicles that don’t seem to see them or care.”
“You don’t think a middle of the road approach can get things done?”
“Exactly, and the inevitable hit-and-run is even more likely to happen to the problem-solver who is blind to the political realities around him or her. If you don’t see anything coming, you are more apt to be run down. Hence the plight of the blind truth-seer.”
“I don’t know, Darlene. I think people with new ideas can effect change, and you need to find a way to see that to be happy. Perhaps the new legislator is not the answer. Perhaps you need to find someone of our generation who has seen the value of change, and is working with younger politicians and lawmakers, regardless of party. You’ll see then, I promise.”
“Well, David, you’ve always been young at heart, I’ll give you that.”
“Perhaps, Darlene. But I’m not so sure. I still listen to vinyl records.”
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©2017 Under Analysis Distribution, LLC. Under analysis is a syndicated column of the Levison Group. Charles Kramer is a principal of the St Louis-based law firm, Riezman Berger, P.C. Comments or criticisms about this column can be sent to the Levison Group in care of this paper or to comments@levisongroup.com. Don’t Let it Bring You Down, was released by Neil Young forty-seven years ago, in 1970 and is 2:58 in length.
