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The Word's Eye View is a newspaper column written by
"Of Mice and Congress??" Some people do not appreciate walking the chiropractor’s treadmill of treatment longer than necessary or the dentist’s insistence that a $900 crown is imperative when a $200 filling will do the job. The plumber who urges a massive makeover for the dripping faucet, or the heating contractor who recommends a new furnace when a cleaning of the existing one will do, is certainly resented when discovered. Not all professionals and tradesmen are predatory but enough are that most individuals have personal stories which relate to these scenarios. The con artists of society are typically excellent sales persons possessing an ability to persuade the public that the more expensive route is the one to be traveled. The highway of common sense is frequented by signs that instruct the pilgrim to slow down, stop or watch for incoming traffic, but these warnings are often ignored due to a certain human instinct to trust the professionals. The obvious motive for such chicanery is personal gain that will contribute toward a new swimming pool or an extra junket to Las Vegas. When a bond of trust is violated, it is difficult to restore, and usually impossible, without an admission of guilt and a willingness to accept responsibility for the wrong doing. Salt is rubbed into the wound when the perpetrators grin widely and assure us it’s for our own benefit while a gnawing in the pit of our stomachs continues to tell us we were hijacked. Most Americans want to have confidence in their elected officials but realize profound disappointment when they feel victimized by a high level shell game. Congress has been moving the BB under the walnut faster than the constituents can see. The so called stimulus bill moved with such slight of hand that not one representative had time to read all 1100 pages before it was voted on. Sen. Harry Reid, Senate majority leader from Nevada, moved the shells with the dexterity of a cat and voila, a commuter train from Los Angeles to Las Vegas is included in the package. In John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men,” Lenny and George are friends in search of farm employment during the Depression. Lenny is a gentle giant who is mentally challenged and, consequently, has difficulty comprehending the full scope of reality. George keeps him in motion by promising things that have little, if any, possibilities of coming to pass. Lenny, operating in the fog, has a penchant for animals, particularly mice, even dead ones. Magically, $30 million was allocated for the protection of the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse in the wetlands restoration program in the San Francisco Bay area. House Speaker, “Lenny” Pelosi represents that district. There is an obvious detachment from simple logic if the good speaker really believes mice are more important that people. After all, it’s the people who the liberals profess to care for. Perhaps a better use for that $30 million might be to provide $10,000 to 3000 families in danger of losing their homes. Evidently mouse houses are more important that human residences. The shell continues to move ---- speed is critical if the observer is to be fooled. Scrutiny is revealing a truck load of programs that have little promise of creating jobs or relieving the housing crisis. It is becoming increasingly evident that this fear mongering (not hope) is for the primary purpose of fulfilling a liberal wish list. Not only does the word integrity imply a code of moral conduct, but it also suggests an unimpaired condition as in the integrity of a building. Cracks in the foundation will jeopardize the entire structure. Daschle, Geithner, Killefer, and Solis did not disclose their tax liabilities until they were nominated to high office and scrutinized by the press. Rep. Charles Rangel’s lawyer recently admitted that Charlie baby didn’t report some $75,000 in income. The professional observes this behavior and finds twisted justification in skimming more off the top. The contractor considers cooking the books as he watches the news. The school teacher struggles with the very concept of discipline as Washington acts like a class of kindergartners with a washtub full of candy void of immediate consequences. The teenager descends into the slime pit of total self-involvement because his elders have put a stamp of approval on “doing your own thing.” Why should the real estate broker be concerned about his “word” when there is little hint of that in our Capitol? The preacher continues to ding the troops for extra offerings because crisis management has been so effective in the hallowed halls. Since its inception this nation has had one real moral code --- the Bible. For years insidious forces have been at work to remove it from all avenues of public life. We are living with the results which speak for themselves. The further we move away from the epoxy of Scripture, the more the structure crumbles. Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men” was inspired by Robert Burn’s poem “To a Mouse”which includes the line….“The best laid schemes of mice and men go awry.” Methinks God has a better plan.
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