Hello everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by the National Corn Growers Association, CropLife America, and Renewable Fuels Association. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary –
Our midterm election was held this week. Both parties worked so hard to win. We still don’t have all the answers yet on winners in every race. Expectations and polls suggested the Republican Party would take control of the House. Going into the election the Senate was evenly divided – 50 Republicans and 50 Democrats. As I prepare this program, we still don’t know the outcome.
Congress – the House and Senate are responsible for writing the laws. They vote to spend money or cut taxes. President Biden can be expected to make Executive Orders and issue regulations to execute the laws passed by Congress. But the Congress holds the purse strings. If our two parties cannot pass a new budget or pass an extension of current spending into next year, we could face a shutdown of government.
The old challenges that our Congress has faced have not gone away. Inflation, debt, border problems, crime, and a war in Ukraine. We need a budget and should write a new farm bill. Good luck.
Now another subject – This Friday will be Veterans Day. We need to thank and celebrate our military. I think about the millions that have given their lives to protect and secure our nation. First, we fought the British to gain our independence. President Lincoln led us through our own Civil War. We made it through World War I and then World War II. The Korean War, Vietnam War, and more. In the spring I always take a bike ride past the many memorial monuments on the grounds in Washington, DC.
I have memories of World War II when I was in grade school. My mother’s cousin was killed in that war. One of my dad’s hired men fought and died. Something that really weighs heavily on my mind is a West Point classmate killed in Vietnam. When we were at the Military Academy, he taught me how to play the guitar. We played and sang songs. When I tour the Vietnam memorial with 58,000 names chiseled into its stone face his name is there. Let’s bow our heads and say Thank You to our Veterans.
Until next week, this is John Block reporting from Washington, D.C. If you would like to review my radio shows going back more than 20 years, just go on-line to www.johnblockreports.com.
