It is February 2026. Welcome to the future. It looks exactly like the past, but dumber. If you look at the news today, you will see two stories. They seem different. One is about the government shutting down. The other is about athletes forgetting how to do their jobs at the Winter Olympics in Italy. But they are actually the same story. They are both about people who have one job and refuse to do it.

Let’s start with the big joke in Washington. The Department of Homeland Security is in a partial shutdown. That sounds scary. It sounds like the gates are open and the lights are out. But that is not really what it means. It just means the money stopped flowing for a bit because the people we vote for are useless.

Congress is currently on "recess." Think about that word. Recess. That is what third graders do after they learn math. They go outside and play tag. Our elected leaders, the people who claim to hold the weight of the world on their shoulders, decided they needed a break. They did not pass the budget. They did not fix the funding. They just packed their bags and went home.

This is the perfect example of why the system is a joke. It does not matter if you vote for the team on the Left or the team on the Right. They are all the same. They are actors. They pretend to fight. They pretend to care about your safety. They scream about borders and security and threats. But the moment the clock hits five on a Friday, they are out the door. They leave town while the department that is supposed to protect the country runs out of gas money.

The Democrats will blame the Republicans. The Republicans will blame the Democrats. They will go on TV and cry crocodile tears. But look at their feet. They are not in Washington working late. They are on vacation. They are laughing at you. They get paid either way. The workers at the DHS? They might miss a paycheck. But the Senator? He is fine. He is probably sipping something expensive right now, far away from the mess he made.

Now, let’s flip the channel. Go over to Italy. The Winter Olympics are happening. This is supposed to be the peak of human ability. These people train for four years to slide down a hill on frozen water. We treat them like heroes. We put them on cereal boxes.

But something funny is happening. The superstars are getting the "yips." If you don't know what that is, it is a nice way of saying they are choking. It means they suddenly forgot how to do the thing they have done every day since they were children. Their brains just turn off. They freeze. They panic.

It is hilarious to watch. We pay thousands of dollars for tickets. We buy big TVs to watch them. Companies pay them millions to wear a specific shoe. And then, when the red light turns on, they crumble. They can’t handle the pressure. They are mentally weak.

And this is why these two stories are the same. We are living in a world of soft, useless people.

Look at the politicians. They have the "yips." They are too scared to make a decision. They are too scared to make a deal. So they freeze. They shut down the government because they are terrified of their own voters. They are paralyzed by their own incompetence. Just like the athlete shaking at the top of the ski jump, the politician is shaking in the Capitol. Neither of them can perform.

It makes you wonder why we bother with any of them. Why do we worship these people? The politician demands your respect and your taxes. The athlete demands your applause and your money. But when it is time to deliver, what happens? The government turns off. The athlete falls down.

Nobody does their job anymore. Competence is dead. We have replaced doing work with talking about work. The Congressman talks about legislation, but passes nothing. The Olympian talks about gold, but wins nothing. It is a society of talkers and quitters.

So, the DHS is partially closed. Maybe that is a good thing. Maybe we should see what happens when the government takes a nap. Maybe we realize we don't need them as much as they say we do. And maybe, just maybe, we stop treating people who play games or give speeches like they are gods. They are just people. And right now, in February 2026, they are not very impressive people.

Enjoy the shutdown. Enjoy the failing athletes. It is the only show in town.