Jan 2010

Craig Mongeau - January 2010

Another year over, and another year older — maybe even a year wiser, but we’ll see how 2010 goes.

Making New Year’s resolutions is just another way to make wishes, things that we’d like to see ourselves doing, stop doing or other people doing or not doing. Here are some things I’d like to see done differently in 2010:

• Tone down the political discourse. We’ve become angry. If we don’t agree with people, we call someone a name or belittle their ideas. No one ever listens when their ideas or feelings are attacked. In fact, most people will do something just to spite someone who has mocked them. Politically, this has gotten out of control. Disagreements are natural, but we still need to respect each other.

• On that subject, let’s try term limits. Yes, I know probably not going to happen at the federal level, but if it did, we would see far fewer legislative shenanigans. When people get elected to Congress or the White House they immediately begin campaigning for the next election. That takes money and with money comes influence buying. It’d be nice if elected officials could just vote on what they think rather than what they think will get them more campaign money.

• The national media discusses infrastructure at least every now and then. Infrastructure is national security and it translates to jobs. If the media talked as much about deteriorating roads and bridges as often as they do about Tiger Woods or the Jon Gosselin mess, people would rally for appropriate funding.

• I stop smoking and all of you who still do it also should stop. Insidious habit. Six dollars a pack just to kill yourself with it is insane, but all of you who smoke know how awful of a time it is to quit. Maybe this year we can do it.

• We’ll all have a happy, safe and healthy New Year and that we and our families are all here to celebrate 2011.

Have a great year everybody.