Distance again

With the frightening scenario of someone once again trying to enter the White House with seemingly ill-intent and in this case, an alarmingly close-to-successful result, a solution is needed.  The solution is unfortunately, to further distance the public from powers that be.  While security for leadership is of great importance, the unintended consequence of the proposed solution is to further distance leadership from the public.  This is a significant part of the problem with America.  

"Have you seen the price of arugula?" the president once complained, about food prices, intending to connect with those who are eating bread or rice as a mainstay of their diet.  Man of the people, or so he would have you believe.  The distance is between leaders and citizens is not only physical but as it has become more evident, the physical distance is a symptom of the times.  And by the times, I do not mean people - I mean the self-imposed distancing that results from the thinking of government leaders.  Pope John Paul was shot, Reagan was shot, Lincoln was shot.  The danger to leadership has not changed, the attitude of leadership has changed.  The secret service mentality is likewise a symptom of the distancing not the cause of it.

The crazy guy breaking into the White House was not there to tell the president what a fantastic job he has been doing.  The real solution to reducing the likelihood of these sorts of events is not distance, but rather a successful economy, prosperity that affects all levels of the population.  Good jobs, and perhaps a return to a moral compass that actually matters, will solve a lot.  Granted, not everything and security is necessary, but the solution that looks to be put in place here, will do greater long-term harm than good.  To borrow a progressive phrase, there's got to be a better way.