Caught by surprise in November, 2016, I withdrew into stunned silence; afraid and ashamed and angry.

The anger faded. It will do no me no good. I will resist every unfair, greedy, and unwise effort I can identify, but I have always done that – it’s a reflexive urge taught to me by my Southern Baptist Sunday School childhood – nothing’s changed as far as that’s concerned.

I was afraid of what the election results’ results would be.

I was ashamed of my own surprise and fear of my neighbors’ choice.

Why didn’t I know? What have I missed? What should I have done?

I can do better. I can listen harder. I can seek a better and more useful understanding.

I can act on what I learn.

I will…because I want to be a good neighbor.

But, (isn’t there always a “but”?) …so must others.

I have no answers, but I have glimmers of a suggestion.

If I have lost connection with my neighbors, so have my political representatives…and how could they have not? They must solicit campaign funds 24/7/365. They must run campaigns to retain their offices for six to twenty-four months. They serve in legislative sessions for months at a time every year. Senators and representatives who were elected by and theoretically answer to constituents all over the U.S. maintain homes in Washington. Some Kentucky state legislators who were elected by and theoretically answer to constituents all over the state have regular living quarters in Frankfort.

These are full-time lawmakers elsewhere…

… far away from me…

…all while they’re supposed to be representing me and Janie on Providence Road.

That was not what was intended by our founding fathers.

George Washington was president, but he also went home to run his farm. He had to listen to and represent his neighbors. The same was essentially true for all elective officials.

I would suggest considering a move back toward those conditions.

Rather than point fingers at how little time the Senate and the House of Representatives spend in session in Washington, perhaps we should reduce the length of campaigns and legislative sessions (and the participants’ pay accordingly).

Send them home to local concerns.

Perhaps we should rescind the expansion of the Kentucky legislature from bi-yearly sessions to yearly sessions. Have we really been improved by having the legislature meet every year?

Send them home to local concerns.

Make all of them part-time lawmakers and full-time neighbors.

Just a thought…