This week, Shelley and I are doing something we rarely do. Taking a vacation. Since we spend so much time at our place on the Potomac River, we feel like that is all the vacation we normally need. But who can resist a trip to Florida with kids and grandkids? After all, grandkids are the dessert of life, so enjoy. Right? The short answer is, “yes.”
So here are my initial observations about the trip.
Gas Prices: Thanks to our current Federal administration, we have seen a rise in gas prices of about 40% in the last eight months. Why? Because we have decided that being energy independent is a bad idea. Why have enough energy to meet your domestic needs AND also be able to export to other nations? That’s what Saudi Arabia does, right? Not here in America where we think the path to success is to kill energy jobs—like the Keystone Pipeline—because woke politicians insist on it and our obeisant President eagerly agrees, coming to heel to woke demands. In Virginia, gas was $2.99 per gallon in Manassas. In South Carolina, it was $2.77. That’s in part due to two consecutive gas tax hikes by the Virginia General Assembly—woke-controlled, mind you—in back-to-back years. So with a job-killing Federal administration and woke state legislators as friends, who needs enemies? Saudi Arabia sends their compliments.
Traffic: Traffic along I-95 wasn’t too bad on a Wednesday. Particularly in morning hours. Through North Carolina it moved efficiently later in the day. There was lots of construction in South Carolina, and it slowed things down. The drivers, however, never fail to amaze me. I am not a “left-lane” traveler. I believe that if you’re moving at speed, move to the right (makes for good politics too) and allow the rest of the world to proceed. The people who camp out in the left lane—well below the posted speed limit—are truly passive aggressive. “I paid my taxes for this road and so enjoy your spot behind me.” These are the same folks who take their sweet time in the grocery line or at the ATM machine. But alas, it’s a free country.
North Carolina Barbeque: I’ve been on a diet lately, but I couldn’t resist. I stopped at a restaurant named “Smithfield” near Durham, North Carolina and had a BBQ sandwich with Coleslaw. No fries. Trying to maintain some vacation discipline. I’ve lived around the world. I’ve enjoyed superb cuisine. Nothing touches BBQ. Sorry France…
Help Wanted: Next to the word “Exit”—that recurs frequently on trips like this—the words “Help Wanted” dominated the landscape. The gormless economic policies around COVID devastated the restaurant industry and other labor-intensive job sectors. To make matters worse, the Federal government is now paying people to stay at home. Is it any wonder we have 8 to 10 million unfilled jobs? I was struck with how many times I saw a “Help Wanted” sign from the interstate! We’re experiencing what can only be termed “circumambient buffoonery” when it comes to economic policy in America. It is as true as it is trite that when you incentivize something, you get more of it. Incentive laziness and guess what. Yep, lots of unfilled jobs. Put another way, life is hard, but when you’re stupid, it’s really hard. Wake up Washington. Stop paying people with our tax money who don’t have an income from which they too must pay taxes. Honestly, it’s time for a tax revolt.
Hotels: We have really nice hotels in America. Think about it. You can travel just about any place you want and find a safe, clean, and pleasant place to lay your head. That was not always the case in the past when travelers in the 19th century might find that they had to share a cot with a perfect stranger. Taverns might have offered a nice libation to help you unwind from a bumpy day’s journey, but sharing a bed with a perfect stranger—to say nothing of the tiny critters that might be lurking in it—well, needless to say, we are blessed today.
America: I love the place. We have much beauty here and you can take that in even when your car is zipping—hopefully not in the left lane—down the interstate. And despite the problems we face, we are not an evil nation. We are not a racist nation. We are a nation of good people. When we slow down long enough to think about it, I think most folks will agree with me. But don’t slow down to a crawl in the left lane!
Next stop: Florida with grandkids, ice cream, pools, and bedtime stories.
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