By James W. Dolan
Special to the Reporter

“The Republicans want to cut spending to reduce the budget deficit,” says Michael, “but they refuse to consider tax increases.”

“You can be sure the reductions will affect the likes of us,” says Rory, “they’ll be going after Medicare, Social Security, public works projects, research, and education.”

“It’s a mess. Four years ago I took the family back to the old country to ride the Celtic Tiger; figuring we’d be better off there. Then the tiger turned into a mouse that roared; the bottom fell out and here we are back in the USA. Try to figure.”
“Well, Rory, at least we’ve got the old Eire, where a man can share a pint and a story or two with friends.”

“I suppose so, Mike, but it’s damned discouraging. There was so much promise – so much to look forward to – when we first came over. Then things changed and back to Ireland I go to watch that economy crash and now I’m back where I started.”

“Do you think Obama will be able to pull us out of this mess? It seems pretty obvious we’ve got to cut spending and raise taxes. There seem to be a lot of rich people in this country who can afford to pay more.”

“Yeah, but the Republicans say when the rich spend, the benefits trickle down to the likes of us.”

“Well, Mike, my trickle has become a few drops. If that’s trickle down, I’m ready for a gusher.”

“You’re right, Rory. I can’t understand how if the rich get richer, it benefits the rest of us. Why not try a little trickle up? If those in the middle are doing better, we’ll save some for the rich.”

“The parties here seem to be engaging in the equivalent of political civil war; neither side is willing to make those concessions necessary to reach an agreement. It’s the IRA and UDA all over again, without the weapons.”

“Whatever happened to good old backroom politics? At least we were able to get things done. With the internet, tweets, twitters, Facebook and the like, we may be too connected. Politicians are afraid to offend their supporters even when it’s the right thing to do.”

“Ya know, Mike, progress isn’t all good. We may be suffocating in a world of just too much information; some of it wrong and much of it worthless. In one sense it may connect us, but in another it drives us apart.”

“Just as highways were designed to bring us closer together, they also separated us by making travel easier and splitting families apart. Now we’re all electronically connected — with no more of value to discuss than before.”

“The value of communication is being diluted in the flood of information we seem compelled to share. Remember when TV was in its infancy. There may have only been four channels, but there were good programs. Now there’s 100 channels and it’s hard to find anything worthwhile.”

“Progress may be the death of us, Mike. We may progress ourselves right out of existence.”

“We seem so enthralled with it that we can’t see its downside. There are a lot of Pandora’s boxes out there.”

Seeing you’re still able to say ‘enthralled,’ I’ll buy you another drink. Then I’ve got to be heading home, Rory. The missus doesn’t know a tweet from a twister, but she has a simple and direct way of communicating her displeasure when I’m late. You see I married an old fashioned girl – God bless her.

James W. Dolan is a retired Dorchester District Court judge who now practices law.