Have we Become Uncomfortably Complacent and Numb?

By Robert Catanese

The midterm elections are a week away, and if you have been following the races, the biggest attainment garnering headlines is the Republicans need to take the Senate.  

From my home state of Florida, hotly contested by Gov. Rick Scott and Charlie Crist, to other contested states like Kentucky, whom the Democrat, Grimes could not or WOULD NOT say whom she voted for in 2012.

To Arkansas, North Carolina and on and on and on...Politics in this current day and age has revolved around seemingly a power grab by the individuals running, rather than the interests of their constituents, and the country as a whole.  Is there a white noise coming from ALL politicians and their platforms?  Have we as a nation become numb?  Almost uncomfortably numb!

Our national debt is 17 trillion and counting,  Government fraud and abuse is at an all time high.  Sen. Tom Coburn's "Wastebook 2014" is out, here's a little taste....

Examples of wasteful spending highlighted in “Wastebook 2014” include:

·         Coast guard party patrols – $100,000

·         Watching grass grow – $10,000

·         State department tweets @ terrorists – $3 million

·         Swedish massages for rabbits – $387,000

·         Paid vacations for bureaucrats gone wild – $20 million

·         Mountain lions on a treadmill – $856,000

·         Synchronized swimming for sea monkeys – $50,000

·         Pentagon to destroy $16 billion in unused ammunition -- $1 billion

·         Scientists hope monkey gambling unlocks secrets of free will –$171,000

·         Rich and famous rent out their luxury pads tax free – $10 million

·         Studying “hangry” spouses stabbing voodoo dolls – $331,000

·         Promoting U.S. culture around the globe with nose flutists – $90 million

Have we become uncomfortably numb?

Have we become uncomfortably numb, when reports of our border and immigration situation spawn stories like this, 2 California police officers gunned down, by someone who was deported, and made his way back thru our "secure borders"!


When the President assures the American people that we as a nation are prepared for the Ebola outbreak and says this: 

Yet we have a doctor in New York, who felt going bowling and self monitoring was sufficient, and came down with the disease.  Then we have a nurse, Kaci Hickox:

Who threatens to sue Gov. Chris Christie over quarantine containment after treating people in Sierra Leone!  Only to be deemed free of the disease by the CDC after her threat.

What about thinking of the bigger picture and realizing that if you treat these people and come back to the U.S. there is a moral and ethical obligation to NOT endanger the lives of innocent people!

Friends I am fearful that we as a nation have become numb to the numerous challenges and dangers we as a Union face day in and day out, only to be let down by feckless leadership and an electorate that is motivated by self gain!  My hope is that we are proactive in our fight to take back this country as patriots and that we not just remain uncomfortably numb!