I heard a story about it when I was little, from a cousin in Louisiana. I have certainly never done it myself, nor have I actually seen it done. I can only imagine how terrible it would be to watch. What I am talking about is the tying of two cat’s tails together and throwing them over a line used for hanging laundry.
It is hard to visualize the horrible sight of two cats clawing and biting at each other in a futile attempt to get out of the predicament they find themselves in. In the stories I was told, the cats always died. I feel safe in assuming that every person that imagines such an event probably gets an uneasy feeling in their stomach. I get a similar feeling when I think about what is going on in this Country. What is going on in this Country, especially among our elected leadership, is not much different then watching two cats fight for their lives. Both cats know something has gone very wrong, but neither are able to see any reason for their problems besides the other cat. The only possible way out of the predicament for the cats is to quit fighting each other and work together to get off the line.
As I write this column, we are in the throws of another government “shut down” stand off. This time we are dealing money to pay for FEMA related funds to cover the expenses of the declared emergency in the northeast after the hurricane. We all know the money is going to get paid, but the divided leadership of this country is primed to take us back to the precipice in order make political hay. This is very similar to the stand off a mere month ago when we were pretending we might not increase our debt limit so that we can pay our bills. Everyone knew we were going to pay the bills, but the way our elected officials were acting it was hard to be sure. Ultimately, the credit market took us at our word and lowered our credit rating.
As we enter into the beginning stages of the 2012 election, I wonder if there is anything that can happen that will bring harmony to the leadership of this country. I wonder if there is any way to get this so called harmony without a clear majority of the electorate agreeing on how things should be? Basically, as a country, we are split 50/50 with a + or - of 5 percent. It is hard to foresee any real improvement in the mood of the country politically short of someone that is able to transcend the divisiveness in this country and put us on the same page. Does such a leader exist and can such a leader rise up to power without the background of a great national emergency such as war?
If that is what is needed to bring this country back together and get us off the laundry line, is it worth it? How many people would have to die before we would start to elect people that can work together in a manner that is best for the country and put aside petty differences that clog up the passages that can lead us to our full potential? I hope that, by the time this column runs, that the latest “shut down” crisis is over. I further hope that somehow we have turned toward dealing with our problems in a mature and responsible manner. While I recognize that hope doesn't always make it so, the lack of hope is akin to giving up. Giving up is as un-American as throwing cats over a line for sport. Besides, giving up is a sure way to lose. No one likes to lose, even those of us way up in the CHEAP SEATS!