Welcome to the future

The entire country, every citizen, has been forced to confront national politics. This issue’s front-page government shutdown counter has flipped to 26 from last week’s 19. The paper is prepared to place day 33 on next week’s front page. That is not our choice. It is reporting the facts.

Next week an article will look at the shutdown’s effects on the school district, the Swinomish Tribe and Skagit County, and local institutions with federal contacts.

Maybe you have flown recently or plan to. Maybe you will file federal taxes. Maybe you want to ski, hike, camp or otherwise explore a national park. Maybe you are embarrassed that you live in the greatest country in the world and have a president that refuses to negotiate at the most fundamental level.

It is good to know our state government is populated by grownups. The legislature has 105 days to pass a budget. Governor Jay Inslee has challenged his own Democratic Party, which firmly controls both chambers, to have the courage to prepare Washington for the uncertain future we face by enacting programs that put billions more into education, mental health and environmental protection – including orca survival – and funding them through additional taxes.

Our challenge as citizens is to learn, understand and decide on the choices before us. Since our legislators represent us, it is best that we pay attention to what they are debating and inform them of the future we want them to lead us into.

A high priority in La Conner that residents need to champion to our representatives in Olympia is additional funding for a new library. Mayor Ramon Hayes has his eyes on that prize. We can thank him and add our voices to his.

This newspaper will continue to highlight issues that affect every citizen and address those issues’ effects on this community as no other media source will.