Trust in government? We don't have any

Part of the problem with the current health care debate is the fact that few Americans trust the government to solve anything, let alone such a seemingly complicated issue such as health care. And you don't have to look very hard to find examples.
Most recently we have the Muslim Army psychologist who went nuts at Fort Hood and whose disposition was widely known among colleagues and even among Homeland Security types. Why wasn't he intercepted before going berserk at Fort Hood?
Why didn't the government work like it should have and stopped this kook?
A couple of weeks ago "60 Minutes" documented Medicare fraud that goes on unchecked because there are insufficient resources in the bureaucracy to investigate such matters. And we spend $1 trillion a year in that program.
So, we have a lot of skeptical Americans out there and many of them are covered by employee-sponsored health care insurance policies that work just fine. If it ain't broke, why fix it, they conclude.
While the debate rages on, keep in mind that there are many in Congress, such as Zack Space, who have our best interests in mind. They are not communists or socialists or Pelosi wannabees.
It's OK to disagree with them, but to resort to childish name calling, like the kind of stuff I see on a lot of Web sites, is just plain wrong.
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There were a lot of good reasons to vote against the casino issue in last week's election. Many of my friends voted against it because of the fact that it altered the constitution, which is a legitimate concern.
But I take exception to those who voted against it only because they don't like casinos as an entertainment venue.
(I'm also skeptical of people who are against casinos on moral grounds but then invest all of their 401K in company stock, but that's another issue...)
Let me go on record here.
I like visiting casinos periodically (though not lately -- you know, recession and all that).
I like Las Vegas -- the lights, the people, the excitement. Sometimes I lose. Sometimes I win. I know going in that the casinos were built on losers' dimes.
That said, I have tried over the years to become interested in NASCAR races. But try as I may, it just doesn't click for me.
Now, if NASCAR wanted to build a track in one of Ohio's major cities for a premiere race event, I'd be all for it even though I probably wouldn't attend. The economic benefit, hopefully, would be worth it.
Different strokes.
Know what I mean?
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Say a prayer for my neighbor, Ann Skocaj (pronounced SKO-CHI), who is ill. You might have run into the spry 85-year-old at the YMCA, or Hospice Browse-and-Buy, or Buehler's.
She also is my favorite mother-in-law.
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See you next time...