Yesterday morning the news showed us black smoke billowing from the Sistine Chapel's roof signaling that the Conclave had not yet chosen a new Pope. This prompted me to ask: What if we--here in the US--could institute similar smoke-signaling of success or failure of votes or decisions by our elected officials? Our Government in Washington DC debates and decides daily issues equally as important, for our nation, as the papal selection is for Catholicism.
As the black smoke in Rome indicates, so in Washington such smoke would mean no compromise, no budget, no other critically important decision or agreement has been reached. Our Conclave would then also continue its deliberations, with a firm deadline, perhaps, until a particular decision was reached. Then white smoke would mean success. The decision, including the vote count and any actions or steps to be taken, would then be made public.
The result of such "forced and improved" decision-making would create cheer, optimism, perhaps even some dancing in the streets by some in the public. This would surely be better for the country than the current deep cynicism pervasive among people. Resignation and apathy seem to be growing. A knowledge that our governing bodies are truly broken and beyond fixing has become the depressing, new reality.
Of course, on the other hand, with such prompt signaling practice, citizens in DC might have to put up with darker and environmentally unhealthy conditions; perhaps even worse than those experienced by face-mask-wearing Chinese we are being shown on TV in the streets of Beijing.
Still, our elected representatives may then be more inclined to engage in some serious, thoughtful, and honest negotiating. Currently endless grandstanding and blather seems to be the norm. It depresses me to tune in to C-SPAN and observe the members of both houses at work on the floor and listen to speechifying that often addresses an empty chamber.
Thinking about this, I find that I'd much prefer smoke signals, even the occasional black kind, to continuously blowing hot air.
