10 March 2004

Cherry Blossoms

The National Weather Service has issued its most urgent agricultural pronouncement of the year. The spokesman for the Service cleared her throat and predicted that the Cherry Blossoms will be in full bloom in the last week of the month.

"Pay no attention to the frost warning for tonight. Rebirth is at hand. The delicate pastel pink explosion will occur as we have scheduled." There was a sigh of relief from listeners across the District. The rhythm of the season is confirmed.

It is up on the Hill, too. The budget hearings have begun, our elected officials summoning bureaucrats like me in front of them to justify their parts of the President's Budget, and it is a mess this year, what with the War and the recovery and the deficit. And the election, of course. Which seems to be going straight to bitter negativity, but we all expect that. Still, it is always a little loony this time of year in Washington

Everyone up on the Hill is preparing their version of how to balance the federal budget and he or she may talk for hours. Or weeks. We who work here shudder at that, but that is our version of democracy and that is just the way it is.

Sen. Pat Roberts, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, had my old Bosses in front of him. The Senator is not without a sense of humor. He noted that 14 inquiries or investigations have examined intelligence failures over the past two years. He is concerned all the questioning will damage the effectiveness and morale of the intelligence community.

"Is there anybody left down at Langley doing their job?" Roberts asked. "I think the only thing lacking is an independent commission to investigate all the independent commissions and investigations."

There is a survey out from the Washington Times that says the troops are getting a little stressed out. 60% of the Army is deployed. The Times says they "have turned more to drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes and praying to God to cope with stress in the ongoing war on terrorism." I thought it was perceptive.

It has worked for me for years.