BRACK: While I breathe, I wish and I hope

By Andy Brack, editor and publisher  |   I wish there were ways to scare the living daylights drivers riding on my tail without them causing problems for or harm to other drivers.

I wish one could gain the benefits of exercise without actually having to exercise.

I wish it were possible to eat a lot of chocolate without ingesting any calories, fat or sugar.

I wish state and federal lawmakers could focus on real issues and get work done instead of punting, kernoodling, obfuscating, delaying and generally fiddling around.

I wish we had a president who respected and honored the U.S. Constitution.

I wish male legislators would stop making decisions impacting women’s bodies.

I wish there were a way to send a big electronic raspberry to anyone in tech support.

In fact, I wish there were a way to send a bigger electronic raspberry to anyone who is a cause of dysfunctional government.

I wish regular people and our leaders understood how taxes aren’t inherently evil and can fuel long-term investments that can do great good for a lot of people.

I wish I would win the lottery — just a small one on the first day after a big winner won hundreds of millions of dollars.

I wish I could talk with my grandparents again and learn about how they made it through the Depression.

I wish today’s Americans would emulate the country’s Greatest Generation and set aside the greed that has infected the nation’s soul.

I wish today’s Americans would respect the common good and shared sacrifice to make a better society.

I wish our presidential candidates would lead and plan for a future that includes economic opportunity for all and real health care that’s affordable and accessible for all.

I wish America could move beyond its continuing, divisive obsession with race and honor fellow citizens of all creeds and colors.

I wish Americans would remember we’re all immigrants, one way or another, and stop vilifying dreamers who want to live here.

I wish the American League didn’t have the designated hitter rule in baseball.

I wish people would remember that mobile phones are actually phones, not devices only for texting.

I wish all Americans eligible to vote actually went to the polls and participated more fully in our democracy.

I wish for a world without cul-de-sacs and more alleyways.

I wish climate change Luddites would wake up and understand how humans are ruining the earth.

I wish more people would read, smell the roses and listen to early morning calls of birds.

And I hope …

I hope rural South Carolina won’t be forgotten.  It’s the soul of our state.

I hope my children and their children have a decent world in which to live.

I hope more people start dreaming big.

I hope more people will conserve precious resources, such as South Carolina’s special places, oceans, air and quality of life

I hope the U.S. House resists the trap of impeachment and that Americans vote out Donald Trump in 2020.

I hope that once he’s gone, he’ll be quiet like other past presidents.  (I don’t, however, count on it.)

I hope Democrats can start listening to Republicans and that Republicans can do the same for Democrats.  Bridging the partisan divide and discouraging tribalism are the only real ways for the country to grow.

I hope our intelligence and technology communities will be able to break the backs of Russian and Chinese interference in our elections and economy.

I hope South Carolina legislators can really start fixing on priorities such as eradicating generational poverty, reforming education so people can get better jobs, broadening access to health care, making communities safer and growing economic opportunity.  I’m tired of our leaders kicking the can on continually persistent issues.

I wish somebody would grant my wishes and hope South Carolina will open her eyes to our possibilities.

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