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the “Text the Times” feature on Tuesday, Nov 16 a writer discussed the money coming from the Biden administrations infrastructure bill. Our elected of_cials are charged with protecting our interests and carrying out the wishes of the electorate. ‘We The People” voted in our Washington contingent so let’s not be hypocrites about taking the federal funds. All “Red States” whose reps voted against the package should send the money back. Of course a better choice would be to elect people who cared for the State and not those who are currently slavish to a Republican party with an amorphous policy of governing. [Editor’s Note: “Slave to the Party” is exactly what we are seeing today in American politics, and it is exactly what our _rst President, George Washington himself warned us against when he gave his farewell address.

That was in 1799, and of course, in the Election of 1800, we had our _rst two-party election. Now, 220 years later, the parties have changed but it’s still the same old game. There’s nothing, not one word in the U.S. Constitution about having political parties, much less a two-party mandate. But when the only way it seems you can get elected is to be bound to party loyalty, that’s what we get] When I had a lengthy after work meeting about organizing the meeting schedule so that more people could attend more of the current meetings I knew it was time to leave teaching. I could have had a glass or two of wine that night to settle down, but I still had a few hours of correction and red wine stains on test papers are not appreciated. I loved teaching, when I just taught. No wonder so many teachers are quitting as part of the Great Resignation! [Editor’s Note: As a former school teacher myself, I can assure you that the idea most people have about how teachers “only work till 3:00” and how they’re off “all summer long” is a bunch of baloney. So, I see what you’re saying but if you “just taught” when you were teaching, you probably weren’t doing a great job. Teachers have always been more than simply people who stood in front of a classroom and dispensed wisdom. Teachers play a number of roles, and unfortunately these days, some of those roles have become lion tamer, referee, police of_cer and marble stacker. It’s a tougher job than it has ever been in an environment that is more like a mine _eld than a classroom. For some, that means it’s time to get out, for their own pursuit of happiness and so that their disillusionment doesn’t get projected onto the kids] Do we have anyone in mind to run for Mayor of Marion? I know the current one has said he is not running again and it’s time for some new leadership! [Editor’s Note: Are we sure we’re sure that Fogleman isn’t running for re-election. I could swear he has said that before only to run again. If he runs again, I have no doubt he will get elected again. It will be interesting to see who throws his (or her) hat in the ring in 2022 if the seat is open. I recall Kelly O’Neal running against Fogleman a couple of times, and he’s no longer on the city council, so maybe he’ll give it another go? I have not heard any speci_c names yet]