Government Truths

            When Congress voted to exempt itself from laws prohibiting insider trading, it confirmed once again the truth of Mark Twain's  famous characterization of Washington legislators, when he said, "There is no distinctly Native American criminal class...save Congress."

            Is it any wonder that popularity ratings of Congress cannot get out of the low teens? It gives itself free medical, free travel, and all sorts of perks, while the rest of us pay taxes to fund their extravagance. It even awards full pensions to members who have been forced out of office because of sex scandals and ethics violations. Aesop, the Greek fabulist who lived in the 6th century BCE, had it right even back then when he observed, "We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office."

            Is it any wonder that President Obama treats Congress with contempt, as he did when making recess appointments to avoid congressional review required by the Constitution? And that includes the appointment of one individual previously rejected by Congress.

            Is it any wonder we cannot reduce our $15 trillion debt, when Congress passes an omnibus bill larded with pork after sanctimoniously vowing to end earmarks? Taxpayers have been looking to Congress to reduce spending, yet our government will spend more in 2012 than it did in 2011, a year in which we added more than a trillion dollars to our national debt. As Ronald Reagan said, "The government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other."

            Here are more truths that apply to our government: 

            "Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys." __P.J. O'Rourke

            "In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress." __ John Adams

            "Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But then I repeat myself." __ Mark Twain

            "A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have." __ Thomas Jefferson

            ""What this country needs are more unemployed politicians." __ Edward Langley

            Amen.