Tough Choices—Those Who Make Them and Those Who Receive

“Well folks, I guess we’re gonna have to make some tough choices.”

You hear that a lot these days and usually it’s coming from the mouth of a politician who’s never had to make a tough choice in his life. Never sweated a payroll or met a bank-loan due date, had a mortgage in danger of foreclosure or a kid swamped in college debt with no job. For sure never lived in a cardboard box.

Tough choices always have one thing in common

Two things, actually. First, they are never going to affect the aging white man making the choice, while sadly shaking his head and looking sorrowfully down from whatever elevated platform he speaks. It might be a Senate committee or a suburban school-board meeting. The axe is about to fall on someone, but it ain’t going to be him. Second, whoever feels that sharp cut is going to be a step or two, maybe a whole flight of stairs below the speakers personal position at the time the statement is made. That’s axiomatic. The boss fires, and then gives himself a raise …