Posted by
Patrick Henry on Thursday, May 20, 2010 2:10:22 PM
America is gut sick of lying, self-serving politicans. It's becoming more obvious
by the day. But if history teaches anything, it teaches that our revulsion doesn't
mean we'll seriously do anything about it. No, instead we just cluck our tongues
and say, "Well, politicians just lie, that's how it is," and keep on re-electing these
reprobates to exercise more corruption, make more bad laws and bicker over
policies that won't work.
But it may just be that America stands on the cusp of it's last and best chance
to sweep the garbage right out of Washington. And in the same way that the
first American revolution began in the original colonies by the Atlantic, it looks
like America's new deal could begin with Connecticut.
When it became obvious that corrupt and disgraced Senator Chris Dodd could
not win re-election, he announced his "retirement." In a heavily Democratic state,
first in line to step up and claim his seat was Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.
It seemed that Blumenthal was the new king just awaiting coronation, until a New
York Times article pointed out that (a) he repeatedly referred in public speeches
to the time that he "served in Viet Nam," (b) except that he never served in Viet Nam
and (c) went well out of his way to secure a series of deferments, finally joining
an elite Marine reserve unit that had no chance of going to Viet Nam. Oops!
Since the NYT article more instances have been reported of Blumenthal making
the same specious claim. His bristling defense? "I misspoke." Now, it's entirely possible
for one to misspeak about a lot of things. In fact, misspeaking seems to be one of
the chief characteristics of the current Democratic administration. But claiming one
fought in a war he studiously sought to avoid and that was being waged some 6,000
miles from where he was located is not s slip of the tongue. It is a lie, and Richard
Blumenthal told it!
Now Connecticut has an interesting choice. Do they vote for this lying Democrat,
or do they put a Republican (heaven forbid) with a history as a wrestling mogul in
the senate? I don't live in Connecticut, and it's not my business to tell them what to
do. But it is clear that Connecticut has a real chance here to lead America, to stand
up and be party-blind and shout, NO MORE LIES!" And if Connecticut has the
character and the fortitude to do that, they may well trigger a tsunami that will
sweep all the liars, the grifters, the philanderers and the career politicians whose
only true value is getting re-elected right out of Washington with the rest of the
garbage.
There is a biblical parable attributed to Jesus about a man whose house was
plagued by demons. Once the house was cleansed, the man resumed business as
usual. But since he put nothing pure and wholesome in their place, the demons
soon returned bringing all their friends. America's last best chance at re-claiming
its dream, of becoming that shining beacon on a hill, is to get rid of the same old
same old in Washington, and then replace it with tough honesty, consistent
courage and genuinely participatory democracy.
In the days when I taught in college, we used to sit around at the summer faculty
retreat and laughingly talk about what a placid year it could be if the students just
didn't come back in the fall. Think about Washington as it is now, and then think
about what it could be if this congress just didn't come back next term. Unless
places like Connecticut stand up and put a premium on honesty, we'll never know.