Folks in Washington get pretty good at not practicing what they preach.
Case in point. A Republican fundraising letter complains about the “pure pork spending” perpetrated by those evil big-spending Democrats. One item mentioned was a sewer repair project in Salt Lake City. Except that the Republicans backed this pork project, not the Democrats. Republican Senator Robert Bennett of Utah was a big backer of the sewer bailout. So was the rest of Utah’s GOP congressional delegation.
Oops! Suddenly the Republicans have egg on their faces, to go with the pork they’re dishing out. What to do? Well, how about admitting that Republicans are as guilty of pork-barrel spending as Democrats? And that our entire current system of infinite incumbency is deeply flawed? That the desire for power at any price is polluting the principles of both parties? How about a little frankness, honesty, and rededication to purpose?
Not our heroes. A spokesman for Senator Bennett said, “Looks like another direct mail mistake.” “A typical direct mail snafu,” echoed a spokesman for the Republican National Committee.
Get the picture? Just a typo, really. Don’t worry about it. Go back to your TV show. The next time you hear about another Washington scandal, don’t blame the politicians or the bureaucrats. Blame the dimwitted proofreaders who allowed inconvenient facts to reach the ears of citizens like you and me.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.