Customs Sunday morning coming off the USS National Review resembled the nightmare scenarios some of us have for the future of U.S. health care. As best I can estimate, I was in line with hundreds of fellow cruisers (the wise ones opted for the “expedited” line at 7 a.m., but I’m under the impression they encountered complications as well) for two hours. Rob Long, who can make Purell hand sanitizer and vacuum cleaning funny, couldn’t make light of this material, instead reminding us this could be the emergency room, and you could drop dead before you get to show your I.D.
Or would be asking for identification there be racist?
And surely Jonah noted the Canadians getting to skip the long line.
It’s good to be back (and that has nothing to do with the fact that the president coincidentally just left the country).
It is, of course, a bit of a self-selected group on the cruise, but there are also a bit of a mix: some young people who saved up for the vacation, some interested parties who are not exactly addicted Corner readers yet . . . alongside some of the loyal reader base that has made the gatherings as much a part of their lives as they have been able to since they first began. What they all had in common was an optimism about the future. And not because they think Marco Rubio can save the day but because they know that good stewardship and building the future is not only a political act but every-day ones regarding family and civil society, continued hard work, and commitment. Things will get harder. But we can continue to try to make it better.