There’s good news in Rock County and the surrounding areas this election season, but it has very little to do with the people on the ballot this fall. This fall’s election is all about politicians. State and Federal candidates will all promise to make your world better, only to get reshaped by the hyper-partisanship that exists at that level. “But, Bill,” you say, “you told us there was good news.” There is. But to see it, we might have to look beyond partisan politics and personal feelings. Locally, the data center debate has stirred strong emotional responses between those for and against such projects. But something else has also happened. The people rediscovered that local government officials are elected to serve them!

Let freedom ring!! As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday we would do ourselves well to consider the freedoms the founders of our nation envisioned and whether that vision is still clear. I was reminded recently of how easy it can be to let the constant social-political noise of (social) media cloud our thoughts and feelings. That sentiment was further backed up by a few recent reports I’ve read as the world comes to America for the World Cup. Many visitors are simply fascinated by our way of life, our opportunities and our culture. What would our viewpoints be if we encountered our country for the first time over this holiday from somewhere far off?

Are you in a box? Many of us are these days, and do not even realize it. I’m not talking about a physical box. The box I refer to is much more dangerous because it is often invisible. It’s the technology box. Many of my readers are too young to remember the 1960s. In fact, I myself was born then. But that timing gave me the luxury of seeing the ‘box’ built as it happened. Younger folks, born in the 2000s, were born into a world where their invisible box was pretty much finished with them inside it from birth, and my generation failed to point it out. In fact, my generation slowly stepped into the box as well, initially out of fascination and convenience. The box encourages self-isolation and self-indoctrination. It keeps us listening to echo-chambers regarding societal and political issues.