I will be taking a few days off from political commentary.
I am frustrated with politics on both sides of the aisle, and right now, my filter is working overtime. It deserves a lunch break before it files a formal complaint.
There are things I could say. Quite a few things, actually.
Whether saying them publicly would accomplish anything useful is another question.
Frustration Has a Long Shelf Life on the Internet
An irritated comment can outlive the mood that produced it.
Something written in frustration today can become a screenshot tomorrow, then resurface months later when someone decides it is a convenient reason to dismiss your work.
The context may disappear. The frustration may pass. The screenshot apparently qualifies for eternal life.
I have put too much into my advocacy to casually hand someone a distraction from the issues I am trying to address.
And at the moment, I could probably hurt feelings on both sides with remarkable efficiency.
That does not mean publishing those thoughts would serve the people who depend on this work.
My Opinions Come With Responsibilities
I have personal political opinions. Working across the aisle does not require me to stop having them.
It does require me to think about what happens when I express them publicly.
Will my words help explain a problem? Will they move a conversation forward? Can I stand behind both the substance and the delivery after I have had time to cool down?
Right now, I am not confident that everything I want to say would meet that standard.
The veterans, service members, families, caregivers, and survivors whose issues I work on deserve thoughtful advocacy. I need to consider whether a moment of personal satisfaction could make a future conversation on their behalf more difficult.
That is a responsibility I take seriously, even when I would very much enjoy giving everyone a piece of my mind.
I Am Allowed to Step Away
I do not owe the internet an immediate reaction to every political development.
I can read something, have an opinion, and leave that opinion unpublished. I can close an app. I can let a conversation continue without contributing to it.
There are already plenty of people keeping the comment sections occupied. I trust they will manage during my absence.
For a few days, I need some distance from the arguments and enough quiet to sort through my thoughts before turning them into public statements.
I would rather give myself that time than spend next week explaining what I meant while the actual issues wait for attention.
The Work Still Matters
My priorities remain. So do the problems that need to be addressed and the people who need answers.
I intend to keep doing that work with officials from both parties. To do it effectively, I need to return to those conversations with a clear head and a useful purpose.
So I am taking a few days.
Some thoughts can stay in the drafts folder until I decide whether they deserve a larger audience.
For now, the filter is off duty, and I am keeping it away from the publish button.
