May 8, 2003

COLUMBUS: The Supreme Court took a stand this week on honesty. They ruled that from now on these folks that call you asking for money have to tell the truth. Telemarketers cannot make “false statements with the intent to mislead the listener.” That’s good, as far as it goes, but if those old Justices really want to satisfy America they should apply the same rule to used car salesmen, Wall Streeters and politicians.

Ohio came up with a solution to their budget problem. It’s the same one used down through the ages, they passed a tax. The legislature put on a one-cent sales tax to start in July. They say it is a temporary tax, but one senator already wants to make it permanent. This may be the first time in history a temporary tax becomes permanent even before it has a chance to be temporary.

The legislature went one step farther. In November they’ll let everyone vote on whether they prefer to keep the one-cent sales tax, or install slot machines at the horse tracks. These legislators are shrewd… they give you a choice between a tax, and a tax. There’s no place on the ballot for “none of the above”. Of course, one tax is on people with money who spend it; the other is on people without money, who spend it anyway.

There’s a man over in Springfield that’s been working for the same company, building trucks, since 1937. Then last month he got laid off. Times may be tough, but seniority ought to be worth something. Think how insecure that makes the fellows feel who have only been there 50 or 60 years.

Unemployment is up to 6 percent, and it looks a lot worse to Democrats than it does to Republicans. Candidates are howling about the economy. But you know, it kinda skews the picture when you’ve got 9 of them going after one job. For at least 8 of them it’ll look even worse after the election.

Historic quotes from Will Rogers:

“We cuss the lawmakers. No matter whether it’s state or national legislature, we cuss ’em. But I notice we’re always perfectly willin’ to share in any of the sums of money that they might distribute. You know what I mean. We cuss ’em for distributing it, but we’re always there when it’s handed out.” Radio broadcast, April 7, 1935