A poem, to take the edge off, and then a challenge

The Lemon Seed

I know the lemon seed must be
'else there'd be no lemon tree.
And lacking tree there'd be no fruit,
which, when you get right to it,
is all I really need, I think,
to make my tasty lemon drink.

So I seek to squeeze the pulp
and anticipate that first big gulp
that satisfies my thirst, you see,
with the nectar of the lemon tree,
leaving out what I do not need;
swallowing another lemon seed.

Joe the Public has some changes to make, too

    Okay, the anger of the public has been noted. Now someone has to tell the public the truth: People have some work to do, just as they have told politicians they need to clean up the act.
     Who will say it?  Okay, I will.
     All those who think Joe the Plumber is a hero, I have to tell you, Joe is a big part of the problem. Not THE Joe the Plumber, but the icon of Joe the Average Guy and Gal. Everyperson.
     The job is to get informed. Having an opinion is not good enough. If you really want to be taken seriously by anyone who is elected to public office, be it Republican, Democrat, Tea-Party person or Constitutionalists or Libertarian --- you'll have to learn to incorporate a certain level of trust and even civility when you challenge the leadership.
     The reason for that is already showing up in the wake of the big turnover in Congress. The Republicans and so-called tea party candidates,  who exploited
public anger very well, now are in the position where they will have to deliver. And the repeal of the "Obamacare" health plan will be less of a repeal than the kind of fine tuning and collaborative work with those across the aisle that should have been going on in the first place.
     Your job, Joe Public, is to understand that that you must demand more transparent processes, reject the spin and posturing, and accept the fact that the first ideas put on the table are just starting points for discussion on any issue worth taking to a vote for policy change. Express your thoughts, temper the anger, and listen more.
     And until the politicians learn that you are more patient, more informed, less exploitable and sincere in your desire to know what they're doing, and WHY, you must show that you are going to listen to both sides in any issue, and support good ideas, and reject bad ones, from any part of the political spectrum.  If you show that you are listening before you fly off the handle, they won't be able to spin facts to stir irrational rhetoric, and maybe, just maybe, they'll work together for YOU, and not for their party, or their faction, or their pals in the lobby.
     It's something to think about.