Possibly because we live in a mostly rural part of the state, away from the mega-centers, it’s more difficult for us to grasp the mindsets and decisions made by our elected state officials, most of whom hail from or reside in or near one of the mega-centers. When many of us look out of our residence or vehicle’s windows we see hills and trees. Conversely, those in political power look out and usually see towering buildings and traffic congestion. Small wonder that we “rural folks” have trouble grasping the attitudes and decisions of many of our politicians.

A leisurely drive for us takes us out into vistas of woods and fields. One taken by most of our “empowered leaders” takes them into traffic jams, honking horns, sirens, and sidewalks and cross walks filled with pedestrians, all with a backdrop of concrete and steel. Other than pigeons, they probably won’t see wildlife until they’re many miles outside the city limits. About the only times they are actually in our environment is short-lived, either attending political functions or vacationing.