Never a big fan of Robert Heinlein, but the idea in Starship Trooper that voting should be limited to those who served in the military may have some merit. Amazing that at 90 this old sailor has to answer the call again on something simple...the duty of the House is to legislate. So, work at it.
I find the shutdown absurd, the inability of the House to follow regular order absurd, the failure to pass a CR after 9 months of refusing conference on the budget absurd and the threatening of the good faith and credit of the United States for no reason at all absurd. And, a lot of this is treacherous absurdity. Most of soldiers I know are pretty good at negotiating, although we'd never call it that. Most of us would not think of damaging the United States for our own political benefit or financial benefit or anything else. Congresscritters, as Molly Ivins used to call them at times, are obviously more malleable than that.
There's a moment in Bolt's A Man for All Seasons that kind of sums it up. Thomas More's protege Richard Rich has just testified, falsely, as to a conversation they had had that would lead to conviction and condemnation of More for treason. More is stunned -- didn't see it coming, this betrayal--and then when he gets a chance to question the witness, he asks " I see you are wearing a chain of office that I do not recognize. Would you enlighten me as to what honor that represents?" Rich, both pompously and a bit sheepishly says something to the effect that it represents his appointment as Chancellor of Wales. More smiles, chuckles and says, " Richard, it says in the bible what does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his soul? But, Richard, Wales?"
You know, John Boehner was a PO2 in the Navy and went to college on the GI Bill. Sad commentary...I think he's probably feeling a lot like Rich, realizing that his office as Speaker is really like being the Chancellor of Wales...not anywhere near what it cost him...
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