On ignoring the small stuff.

Maybe we Americans don't solve problems any more. We just live with 'em. Take the 40-some million of us that live in poverty. Or the about 50 million of us that live without health insurance. Or the fact that we live with a fast-deteriorating infrastucture. And consider the ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor. And what about the 10 percent of Americans without jobs? And the nation's record debt? And yes, all this at the very time that we are waging a useless and immoral and costly war in Afghanistan. And back home, we've got Republicans and Democrats acting like they hate each other. With Congress about ready to go into gridlock. But hey, I'm learning how to ignore the small stuff. Because I'm in love and about to spend the winter in Italy, on an island in the Mediterranean Sea. --Jim Broede