Too little, too late? Let’s hope not!

Another week, another month is winding down. Monday will be August 1, Lughnasadh. Local farmers already have small grain harvests underway. Several fields of alfalfa looked like they had already had a second cutting. One day soon, I need to use the bagging mower and get after the sand burs along the road, before the dogs start picking them up in their paws.

Earlier, a Minnesota DFL Senator Tweeted a slightly unsenatorial message: 

“Holy shit. Stunned, but in a good way. $370B for climate and energy and 40% emissions reduction by 2030.

BFD.” 

Much as I usually admire the Senator’s position(s) on most issues, I’m tempted to send her a link to The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again. Senator Manchin always reminds me of the story of the scorpion and the turtle

One lazy afternoon day a turtle was swimming happily along a lake. As the turtle was nearing land he heard a scorpion hail it from the muddy shore. A scorpion, being a very poor swimmer, asked the turtle if he would carry him on his back across the lake. The turtle thought it was the craziest thing he ever heard, “Why would I carry you on my back?” he boomed, ‘You’ll sting me while I’m swimming and I’ll drown.” 

“My dear turtle friend,” laughed the scorpion, “if I were to sting you, you would drown and I would go down with you and drown as well. Now where is the logic in that?”

The turtle pondered this for a moment, and eventually saw the logic in the scorpion’s statement. “You’re right!” said the turtle with a smile. “Hop on!” So the scorpion climbed aboard and the turtle paddled his big fins in the water. Halfway across the lake the scorpion gave the turtle a big sting, and he started to drown. As they both sank into the water the turtle turned to the scorpion with a tear in his eye. “My dear scorpion friend, why did you sting me? Now we are both going to drown…” the turtle was gasping for air. “Where is the… logic in that?” 

“It has nothing to do with logic” the scorpion sadly replied, “it’s just my nature.”

turtle sunning on a St. Croix river rock

Photo by J. Harrington

I’m not in the least suggesting our Senator Smith is a turtle, but I did send a reply she should withhold tweets on the legislation until the votes are actually counted. Senator Manchin has made his nature obvious, time and time again.

It would be nice to see legislation enacted that actually does something about climate change. I am frustrated enough by the Democratic failures to take initiative on some of the critical issues that I continue to follow the tactic of funding candidates, not the party. If the party can legitimately claim several significant accomplishments over the next month or so, I may revise my approach.

Winter Morning

By James Crews

When I can no longer say thank you

for this new day and the waking into it,

for the cold scrape of the kitchen chair

and the ticking of the space heater glowing

orange as it warms the floor near my feet,

I know it’s because I’ve been fooled again

by the selfish, unruly man who lives in me

and believes he deserves only safety

and comfort. But if I pause as I do now,

and watch the streetlights outside flashing

off one by one like old men blinking their

cloudy eyes, if I listen to my tired neighbors

slamming car doors hard against the morning

and see the steaming coffee in their mugs

kissing chapped lips as they sip and

exhale each of their worries white into

the icy air around their faces—then I can

remember this one life is a gift each of us

was handed and told to open: Untie the bow

and tear off the paper, look inside

and be grateful for whatever you find

even if it is only the scent of a tangerine

that lingers on the fingers long after

you’ve finished peeling it.