My friend Bruce Baraw is retiring this week after thirty-something years in distinguished service of the United States Government. To become hopeful again whenever I feel myself tempted to think government is the problem and not the solution to local, state, and national problems, I think of Bruce (and some other civil servants I have known). I am convinced once again that without good people in government our country would be in a heap of trouble. At lunch today with Bruce and some of his colleagues, I was reassured that American government is good because it is based in a good constitution and built on a good system… managed by good people.  I came away from Bruce’s retirement party feeling proud of him and glad to be an American.