The hits just keep on coming. The Eastern Seaboard breathed a sigh of relief as Hurricane Maria arced to the northeast, sparing us the wind and rain. Unfortunately, Maria has linked up with Hurricane Lee and is intensifying again. Great Britain may be directly in its path. The power of nature is a poignant reminder of the insignificance of human kind. In the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as many as 3.6 American citizens may be contemplating a mass evacuation, which will strain resources in New York and southern Florida, their likely destinations.

And let’s not forget the US Virgin Islands, still reeling from the destruction of Irma.

Here in town, we are getting our party attire and hats organized for New Year’s Day this weekend. We are possibly the only place where the change of the Fiscal Year at midnight on September 30th is celebrated with such wild abandon- though we will probably wait until the first “working” day of the new year. Even the normally staid Office of Management and Budget has a Beach Party in the office on October 1st- pot luck, of course, no catering, and some say there may even be alcohol stowed away in a desk drawer.

And the war of words between the President and the madcap Dictator of the People’s Republic of North Korea continues, possibly best summed up in this cartoon by Nate Beeler of the Columbus Dispatch:

If the unclassified accounts of the Norks having as many as 50-60 atomic weapons are true, though, it gives an old Cold Warrior pause. In response to the last provocation, USAF B-1 Lancer bombers flew as far north off the coast of the Peninsula as they ever have, and were escorted by upgraded F-15 fighters. Continuing the tit-for-tat, the DPRK Foreign Minister announced that he reserved the right to shoot down aircraft anywhere, even outside their airspace.

Color me a bit anxious with the cumulative crises in progress.

Anyway, it appears that Health Care reform is dead for now, even as the Affordable Care Act continues to collapse. On to Tax Reform, and more fun and games in the Swamp. Here’s the postcard:

Copyright 2017 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com