The federal government has never enjoyed the full trust of its citizens. But — even given the “hi, I’m from the government and I’m here to help you” jokes — there were a couple of especially troublesome moments at Saturday’s legislative coffee in Wilson.

The first came when Mike Olson of Ellsworth’s Kirkham Michael asked U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran about a grant the FAA had approved and then downsized by reducing the length of the runway planned by the city. The action followed federal approval several years ago of Ellsworth’s airport plan.

This one is actually simple. The FAA recently made a commitment to fund 100 percent of the cost of Ellsworth’s new runway under the original plan. The agency should live up to its commitment and not change the rules in the middle of the game.

The second example is more complicated. Moran showed up Saturday at Grandma’s Soda Shop on crutches after injuring his ankle in Arizona. He planned to visit the United States-Mexico border to see conditions there himself.

Moran said a personal inspection was the only way for him to determine the truth because the information he received from colleagues was contradictory.

His search for the truth tells us something.

Skepticism of our government and the politicians we elect to represent us is healthy. But outright distrust can be dangerous.

How do we plan ahead when our government approves a project with the potential to carry a community into the future, only to pull back on the design mid-project? Which colleague do you believe when one says one thing and the other one says something else?

The late senator, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, said, “You are entitled to your opinion. But you aren’t entitled to your own facts.”

We have become a country where everyone has their own facts. As a result, we retreat into our own pods, ever more distrustful of government and anyone who doesn’t think as we do. It’s a vicious cycle, one we fear is being passed on to future generations. Unfortunately, the more distrustful we become, the less we participate in a system that depends on interaction with its citizens for survival.

“Everything can’t be a battle if this country is going to work,” Moran said Saturday.

Fifty years ago, this country accomplished an amazing feat when Apollo 11 and its crew landed on the moon. Anything was possible then.

That no longer seems to the case. All we want to do now is hide behind a wall.

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On another note — Moran talked briefly about his Arizona accident, giving credit for his recovery to Dr. Brian Vopat. This is from a University of Kansas Health System profile on Dr. Vopat:

“Like many sports medicine professionals, Bryan Vopat developed an interest in orthopedics while recovering from an athletic injury in high school. Once a football player in the small town of Wilson, he was drawn to the idea of helping athletes get back to their desired performance level after tearing his ACL.

“I was first exposed to sports medicine after I injured my ACL. I learned how the care these doctors provide allows patients to get back to their active lives,” Vopat said.“I realized I wanted to help my patients fulfill their potential when returning from an injury.”