President Carter called it malaise and became a one-termer when Ronald Reagan promised the people the dawning of a morning in America instead, but I think its the right word for the mood of the populace today, malaise meaning a vague sense of mental or moral ill-being.
And while the Iraqi war is at the top of the list of frustrations, it isnt the only problem.
The following letter from Richard E. Ryan of Port Angeles is typical of the mail Ive been receiving.
Rep. Jim McDermott has lost again. This time in the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. So far, he owes just over $700,000. If he wants to go to the U.S. Supreme Court, he could, if he loses again, be close to a million. Could he or should he be recalled? I believe he is too arrogant to leave on his own.
The school system and the teachers union, I believe, have no clue as to what they are doing. If what they should be doing is educating children, they are far from that mark. It should not be a surprise why the Gates withdrew their funds from Seattle. The delay of testing subjects is sad to even read about. For myself, the school system in the state of Washington has a standard of being inept.
The illegal immigration situation is almost beyond control. The federal government, that is, all elected officials for the last 30 years, have forgotten why they were elected, who they work for and their oath of office. There is an analogy I like to use, which is close to what is happening in this country. You go on a two weeks vacation. On returning home, you find that a family of five from a foreign country has moved into your spare bedroom. When telling them to leave or you will call the police, they hand you some papers. One is a bill for public services. Hospital care as the mother has had a child. The other children have been enrolled in the local school so that is now your expense. Welfare expense. You are informed that if you call the police, that may be against their civil rights. A local ordinance forbids contacting federal officials.
There is a book that has been written that needs to be re-titled, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. It should be changed to The Decline and Fall of the Republic. It is with sadness I even write such a thing. Our country is being pulled apart. We are sadly in need of leadership. Someone to bring this country back together and heal its wounds. I love this country and it is so sad where it is going.
So there it is. Disgust and disillusionment in our public officials and our education system which we depend on to help prepare our children to be the next wave of leaders, and the near total breakdown of any effort to restrict the welcoming of new citizens to those who enter by the front door instead of sneaking in the back.
I wish I could say there was hope on any of these but I cant. Jim McDermott cant be recalled for being a cheat and a liar and his constituents seem perfectly content with that kind of representation in Congress. Our kids are pawns in a game played by a legislature and governor willing to keep moving the goal posts to accommodate an inept education workforce. Democrats and Republicans alike are reluctant to close the gates to America to any who enter because each believes the illegals will be their votes, not the other party.
But have hope. Believe.
It was Ronald Reagan who said, Dont let anyone tell you that Americas best days are behind her that the American spirit has been vanquished. Weve seen it triumph too often in our lives to stop believing in it now.

Adele Ferguson can be reached at P.O. Box 69, Hansville, WA, 98340.