COLUMBUS: Does anyone understand what’s going on in Washington? A week ago I thought common horse sense would prevail. But common horse sense done rode out of town.
The “negotiations” began with President Obama announcing that he would not negotiate. He said, “You want to cut expenses and make changes to the Obamacare law, but there will be no changes to that law, except the dozen I made myself.”
It reminds me of a person wanting to sell an old car for $100. A man, let’s call him John, offers $90. The owner, we’ll call him Harry, says, “No way.” After reassessing his financial situation, John raises his offer to $95. Harry says “No.” Days pass. John calls, “Ok, $99.” Harry remains adamant, “$100!” More days go by. Finally, John offers $99.50. Harry replies, “It’s $102 or no deal.” Well, that’s Washington today.
Did you hear this? The Washington Redskins are to change their name, due to the negative associations. From now on, they will be known as the Maryland Redskins. (Thanks to Ron Culberson for sending me that line, written by Dan Stewart.)
Our veterans gathered in Washington today. These guys don’t like the federal government telling them to stay out of their war memorials. They took barriers away from the memorials and hauled them up the street to surround the White House instead. That’s a start. Next they should haul another batch up Capitol Hill and corral all 535 Senators and Congressmen.
The Defense Dept. announced the shutdown prevented them from paying death benefits to the families of five who died in Afghanistan. Terrible decision. I’m sure the official in charge wanted to pay ‘em, but he asked a lawyer to interpret the law. Big mistake. Here’s something I wrote in 1935. “Every time a lawyer writes something, he is not writing for posterity, he is writing so that endless others of his craft can make a living out of trying to figure out what he said… One level-headed smart man could interpret every law there is.”
Did you hear about the disastrous blizzard that hit western South Dakota last week? A cold rain followed by three feet of snow and 70 mph wind resulted in the horrible death of thousands of cattle (and sheep). If you didn’t know, it’s because big newspapers and television practically ignored it. Imagine the difference if somehow 50,000 cats and dogs had died in a natural disaster; it would have been on the news constantly for days.
Historic quote by Will Rogers:
“What makes it hard for (Congress) is every time a bill comes up they have a million things to decide that have nothing to do with the merit of the bill… The principal thing is of course: What will this do for me personally back home? Politics, and self-preservation, must come first, never mind the majority of the people of the U.S.” WA #78, June 8, 1924