Seems we don’t have problems anymore. We have issues. A New Yorker cartoon some time back showed a couple entering the front door of a house where a party was already in progress. “Sorry we’re late,” they said to the hostess, “but we had traffic issues.”

The other day, I was listening to a radio talk show. The guest was responsible for keeping the streets in certain parts of our nation’s capital in good shape. The conversation was informative, both people bright and articulate.

When I became aware that I’d heard issue several times in the space of a very few minutes, I began counting. In about eleven minutes, the word was used eight times—mostly by the guest. When he used problem twice, I was relieved and ready to give him credit.

Then I realized that—consciously or not—he’d been selective in his choice. All the less-than-desirable conditions that his department might be considered responsible for were issues . Those that were not—including acts of God like really heavy rain—were problems .

What can we do about this rampant overuse of issue ? Probably nothing. And although I notice it, and try not to be a party to it, the word doesn’t really bother me. I have no issue with it.