The mural runs the length of the room, a full 14 feet long and fills the west wall from the floor to the ceiling. The scene, although original looking, is straight from Disney’s Lion King. In the far left corner, the King of the jungle and his progeny survey over a vast, lush kingdom. The characters of the well loved story, large and small, seen to beckon from within the vast mural to join them in a walk into this vibrant, colorful enchanted land.

Although the room is now empty, the indentations in the carpet indicate where a small single bed previously stood. Since the rest of the room is blue, I can imagine the young master of this space - teeth brushed, tucked in, night light on. The evening shadows must have played with the images of the animals, the vast land beyond and the distance that his imagination took him into the scene as he drifted off to sleep.

But the invitation to linger and enjoy the mural, a scene rendered with obvious love and the promise of possibility, that moment is interrupted by the lonely, bone chilling cold of the empty, unheated house. For this house is no longer some family’s home, but an empty, bank owned foreclosure. And the mural, left behind by those that loved it, is a cruel tribute to shattered dreams and interrupted lives.

With great fanfare the federal government announces programs to help homeowners. The big banks take out full page newspaper ads crediting themselves with innovative programs, but the reality is that four years into a housing crises of staggering proportions, nothing of substance has been accomplished. Millions of foreclosures still in the pipeline further threaten the streets of American communities, the welfare of American households, and the value of American housing stock.

Maybe it’s the arrival of February that has me antsy knowing the rent check stretches the shortest span and winter still wants to deliver a one-two punch. Something has got me thinking politics.

No matter what your politics, I thought Governor Mitch Daniels did Indiana proud in his reply to President Obama’s State of the Union speech. He conveyed an “agree to disagree” message that was both respectful and no-nonsense. And Daniels is not all talk. When you compare the fiscal health of Indiana to neighboring Illinois, you get an idea of the steady hand the Governor has exercised during his tenure in office.

Through ineptitude and unchecked corruption, Illinois has dug a financial hole projected to clock in at $37 billion dollars in four to five years. Somebody is going to have to pay that bill. Indiana looks like a safe financial haven compared to its neighbor to the west and low profile Daniels deserves a lot of credit.

Money always gets attention and Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney’s vast wealth certainly has gotten its share. But I never hear much discussion of how downright dangerous politicians can be who have no money. The Clintons are master politicians, both of them. They have the skill and fortitude that politics require. But they were poor as church mice back when they occupied the Governor’s mansion in Little Rock. Those were the days of Hillary’s $100 grand winning commodities bet and their Whitewater land deal. Poor politicians have only their influence to pedal if money is the problem.

I don’t talk politics much. It tends to get the blood pressure going and not much seems to change. I heard a caller on talk radio complain that she has to always phone her retired parents before 11 a.m. if she wants to speak with them. “After 11 a.m. they’ve listened to too much politics on the radio and they’re mad, mad, mad.”

Sometimes I wonder if it’s the snake oil commercials that play on talk radio that’s part of the problem.

Well enough of this politics stuff. February offers other things to consider than a short month and the threat of cold weather. There are all those 1099s and receipts to start sorting in preparation for.... well, there’s always Valentines Day to anticipate.