Seeing the Round Corners
January 7, 2019
MORAL EXTORTION REVISITED
What follows these opening remarks is a column that appeared in 2013 on another page of this website. As the shutdown of government continues, readers are encouraged to take note of how nothing has changed since 2013.
As citizens of this country grow wearier or maybe more fed up with the “Washington crowd inside the beltway.” readers are also encouraged to take note of just how shallow the Washington Crowd – both Congress and the various cabinet members – are and can be. The conduct pales to what’s going on today in Washington.
The Democrats now in charge of the House have softened their obsession with impeachment of President Trump with even the most vocal – Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff – admitting it is not so likely. Those running on the promise of pursuing impeachment may just run into a bit of a problem when they confront constituents. Can it be the information regarding the Mueller report is not so damning as “hoped” for?
The Democratic focus is now on refusing to agree to funding the wall along the border with Mexico. Perhaps a better description of the Democratic tactic would be moral extortion to try and force President Trump to agree to “Dreamer” legislation.
The first version of such legislation (referred to as the DREAM Act) was introduced in 2001 – yes ladies and gentlemen, 2001, which would allow a pathway to legal status for undocumented youth who came to this country as minors. The latest version was introduced in July of 2017. Various other pieces of legislation have been introduced over the years, all somewhat similar but with the same purpose as the original DREAM Act of 2001. (DREAM is an acronym for Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors.)
The July, 2017 Senate version of the DREAM Act provides for a three-step pathway to U. S. citizenship through college, work or the armed services. The provisions apply to current, former and future undocumented high-school graduates and GED recipients. The three-step pathway: 1) Conditional Permanent Residence; 2) Lawful Permanent Residence; and 3) Naturalization. Applicants must meet various requirements in each step.
The re-run of the 2013 column on Moral Extortion is meant to emphasize how those in charge of our country and us ordinary Americans change once they get to Washington – one political party fights the other, refusing to put the country’s best interest above political differences. Once in Congress, the obsession to oppose the other side of the aisle takes control and the purpose of Congress becomes self aggrandizing and personal agendas.
Few in Congress recognize putting political party affiliation aside benefits all Americans, and the world for that matter. The defeat of Hillary Clinton was one of the best things that could have happened to this country, but Democrats reacted to losing the election as a call to war. The Clintons would have finished destroying this country with their slimy selfish tactics that benefited themselves and their cronies.
Former President Barack Obama attempted to change this country with his veiled efforts to turn it into a nation of Muslims, even though America was never such. Remember, the goal of Islam is to control the world which by the way, America is a huge part. It certainly is refreshing to have a President whose every speech does not defer to Islam/Muslims, but does put America and its hardworking citizens above all else.
April 15, 2013
MORAL EXTORTION UPDATE
This writer has written more than a column or two about moral extortion, usually that committed by various and sundry politicians as a way of furthering their own agenda. This time, it is more of a joint effort by what is fondly referred to as the “Washington crowd inside the beltway.”
Sequestration is the new whipping boy in use now by both sides of the aisle in Congress to scare the American public. Remember when the subject first reared its ugly head? The point of sequestration was to make cuts with only certain areas exempt: welfare, food stamps, Social Security and veterans programs. All else, even the sacred cow of defense programs were to be cut. But was that what’s been done?
Keep in mind as you read, the particular cuts now being threatened, but give careful thought to what items are left out of all the rhetoric, with only a few included in this edition.
Perhaps the most arrogant moral extortion effort was perpetuated by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. His threat: proposed cuts would force closure of all U. S. meat production for at least 11 days. Reportedly not even the meat lobby, or of all people, the inspectors’ union, believed Vilsack’s threat, but of course, being at his Department’s mercy, fell lock, stock and barrel in behind with their support.
The payoff was big -- $55 million which amounted to restoration of nearly all that would have been cut as a result of sequestration!
Now, as all reading this probably recognize, once the big and bad back down (i.e., our government), the pack is just laying in wait for that first one to stick their neck out (Vilsack), then the rush begins.
But did sequestration cut aid to Egypt! No, $250 million is the latest amount. Long lines at major airports were “promised” by Homeland Security as a consequence of furloughs, yet the Department saw the need to spend $50 million at the end of February on new uniforms, some being made in Mexico no less. At least those on furlough will be well-clothed.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson who has left, or awaits her replacement, was immortalized with a $40,000.00 portrait; Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley’s portrait cost taxpayers $41,200.00; the portrait of Secretary Vilsack (of the meat production extortion), came in at only $22,500.00.
As written about in last week’s edition of Eye on Gilpin County, many Colorado County sheriffs vehemently oppose gun-control legislation – so strongly as to state they will not enforce the laws. Legislators were expected to introduce a bill to increase the pay for county sheriffs. Now charges are flying back and forth under the gold dome that the bill’s introduction is being “delayed” because the Democratic leadership wanted the sheriff’s association to drop its opposition to the gun-control legislation. Oops! (Note: Any such bill would be considered a “late bill” as the legislature is less than a month away from adjournment day.)
Make what you will of all the rhetoric, but our government sets a fine example for its citizens in just how the extortion game works – “do as I say, not as I do.”
Sequestration ranks up there with the fiscal cliff back at the end of the year (the impending end of life as we knew it, remember?) Sequestration applies only to those who don’t have the guts to hack the system as Agriculture Secretary Vilsack demonstrated to the whole world, and of course, as we know from the Jack Abrams saga, those who have the most powerful lobbyist need not worry.
The mission of Seeing the Round Corners is to evoke a thought process and interest in becoming better informed and to be skeptical of the headline-grabbing purveyors of information. The writer is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
The reader's comments or questions are always welcome. E-mail me at doris@dorisbeaver.com.