When I first started writing this monthly perspective, I worried that I would not have enough to write about. I was wrong. Bad news tends to evoke more commentary than good. And with a 24-hour cycle of predominantly bad news, it may well be that commentators like myself, pundits and journalists are the only people who should have nothing to complain about.

To most of us, news of the loss of 30 brave Americans in Afghanistan, the stock market in full panic and the raising of the debt ceiling (again) with no plan to reduce it is just plain depressing. Also depressing is the ensuing drop in our credit rating, which would have been utterly inconceivable to our parents’ generation and the fact that all of this is caught up in the political rhetoric of the next election cycle.

Usually, I take it in stride, perhaps because as a self-described news junkie, I have told myself that I thrive on it. But I think I reached my tipping point two weeks ago during the height of the debt ceiling debate.

It happened at my favorite breakfast/lunch/gossip joint, Simones’ Hot Dog Stand in Lewiston, where I had popped in for some scrambled eggs and gossip. It was the day after President Obama said, in a televised address, that he was not sure we could “honor our commitment to our seniors” — which some folks, unfortunately, translated as “I cannot say that you will get your Social Security check.”

While at the counter waiting for my eggs, a senior citizen came up to the register next to me, started counting change and began to cry. She sobbed to one of the waitresses, “The president said that I won’t get my Social Security check this month.”

I attempted to reassure the distraught woman that the country is bringing in tax dollars every day and that we really do have enough to keep our promises to our seniors, military members and those truly in need. I hope I helped. I think I did. As she left, she seemed if not happy, at least calm.

But, I haven’t been the same since. It dawned on me that for every lunch counter patron sobbing publicly, there are possibly thousands of others all over Maine feeling the same way privately.

We as a state, and probably a nation, have hit emotional rock bottom.

When people hit rock bottom, how can they work at their jobs effectively, deal with family stresses, pay bills, hire people, go out to eat and shop at local businesses, and, in general, move this state and nation forward?

We are in a downward spiral of doom and gloom. We need to snap out of it as soon as possible. I think we all have a little political motion sickness, and there isn’t a magic pill that will cure us.

Here are my suggestions for all of us for the next 30 days while Congress is (thankfully) on August break:

First, limit yourself to 45 minutes of news a day. Try reading the local newspaper in the morning and that’s all. Finish by reading the classifieds. Nothing bad ever happens in the classifieds.

Second, call your congressional delegates and beg them not to return to Washington early. We ALL need a break in August.

Third, try taking a walk outdoors for a few minutes a week. Birds don’t spout political rhetoric or threaten your grandmother’s Social Security check.

Fourth, call your local state representatives and thank them for keeping the debate civil this year and getting a lot done that will benefit Maine. Congress should take a few lessons.

Fifth, make up for missing the Redneck Olympics and attend the Greek Festival in Lewiston this September. They might not have a wife-carrying competition, but they do grill some wicked good meat. … Opa!

And lastly, clean your garage. Well, OK, maybe just look at it for awhile and imagine what it would look like if it were clean, and then go take a nap.

The bottom line, as I see it, is that the only way we as Americans will get through this extremely dark time in our history is through hard work, keeping our chin up and not getting caught up on everything that is bad.

Government is not the answer, but rather a distraction from the real work of this country, which is the right of all Americans to “pursue happiness.” Friends, we are all in this together regardless of political affiliation, income, race or gender. We either all suffer or prosper as a group.

Keep your heads up and let’s win because, frankly, we are Americans and that is what we do best.

Jason Levesque is a former Army drill sergeant turned CEO and founder of Argo Marketing Group, a marketing logistics company. He is married with three children and resides in Auburn. You may reach him at [email protected].