Wilson’s stroke,

FDR’s legs,

Kennedy’s back,

Reagan’s gunshots

and then

his dementia,

Bader-GInsberg’s cancer,

Trump’s COVID,

Feinstein’s capacity,

Biden’s capacity,

Fetterman’s stroke,

Kean’s depression,

McConnell’s…..?

Would it 

kill us

to know

about 

each illness

that no

one

wants to

admit?

Bit by bit

details will

flow

until we know

what was.

Because

health

equals stealth

with maximum

security,

privacy

will always

be first.

But the thirst

to know

if those 

elected

will show

up 

for work

tomorrow

or in 

a week

or so,

is so elemental

and the work

consequential,

that the obfuscation

and/or lies

flies

in the face

of acceptability.

Of course,

the probability

of opposition

is why such

a position

of denial

or just silence

is the preference

for the powerful.

Just 

status quo,

even though

we all know

something

is very wrong.

And then

the news

of a senator’s

passing

unexpectedly,

at least

it seemed

to be

when I read

that Lindsey

Graham

died suddenly

from “a brief

illness”.

The less

revealed,

the more

concealed,

the greater

the concern.

We always

learn

that

transparency

is best,

but continue

to test

the wisdom

when power

is at stake.

Maybe we

make 

the mistake

of wanting

politicians’

admissions,

when decisions

are made

to evade

which arouse

suspicions

about what

omissions

are kept

from the public.

When an official

gets sick

or dies

suddenly,

more than

curiosity

seems

to be

appropriate.

A brief illness

is less

than 

an unknown;

it indicates

knowledge

of cause.

And if the pause

in information

is because 

of national

security,

it seems 

to me,

that’s understandable.

Investigating

cause of death

indicates 

a question,

while 

“a sudden, brief

illness”

is an intentional

non-mention;

yet another

suspension

of truth.

We have a

nondisclosure 

disagreement

in government,

when 

an appointment,

however

temporary,

should be

federal protocol.

We may not

know all,

but some

would be 

welcome

before 

more damage

is done.

We claim

to be

an open

and free

society.

That is the 

country

that Lindsey

Graham

served

and that 

served

him.

We can’t let

that die

with him.