Room to Fail

“…becoming insolvent or bankrupt” is a definition of failure per Dictionary.com.  Our two party political system has failed.  We are in the tail end of a presidential campaign between two candidates with the highest unfavorables in history.  The resulting negative campaign has been a horror to watch.  I read the news as if driving by a car accident – sure I’ll find terror, but unable to turn away.

When I fail it is in a safe place – on a computer where lives are not lost. Where failure breeds success… after some hand wringing and a few drafts.  When systems fail, everyone loses.  Regardless of who our next president is, many in this country will remain venal, convinced that the president elect is the harbinger of doom.  Might we be able to salvage this failure? This increasing fissure between parties where compromise, the engine of governmental action and achievement, is a sure ticket out of office? I fear not – the fissure maybe too broad; each party hugs the extremes of its base tighter every time a campaign donation is received.

There are oft told stories of how Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan used to sit together with good scotch and work out agreements that both were unhappy with but that were tolerable to each. They, two divergent larger-than-life politicians managed to legislate. Together. Should we send some good booze to The Hill? Would it be a waste imbibed only by groups of like-minded staffers? Failure is not an option for this great country of ours. I’ll drink to that but fear I might only with those who agree with me.

As an exercise in ‘room to fail’, I’m going to hit ‘send’ without the nail biting, thesaurus hunting and my usual trepidations, the rounds o editing. Etc., etc., etc.  Because I have room to fail – and so do all of us.