We now have government by slogan. Mission Accomplished, Stand Down when they Stand Up, Cut and Run, and Stay the Course are ones we've heard often the past few years. Now an effort is being made to paint the man who does little more than repeat those slogans, a man with no imagination and even less interest—hence, no alternative strategy—as a determined leader who sticks with his word no matter what the cost. It would be funny if it weren't so crushingly tragic. That cost, by the way, is borne by our youth in the Armed Services and their families. The rest of us have not been asked to make any sacrifice, financial or physical. The war is being paid for by Chinese lenders and is set to be repaid by the generation fighting the war, and by their children and grandchildren, provided we haven't declared bankruptcy by then. That's what would happen to us as individuals if we drastically reduced our income and increased our spending beyond reason. We can only hope that the Social Security System remains solvent, because the soldiers' grandchildren will be using their allotments to repay the Chinese.

The House of Representatives has passed a revision of the Inheritance Tax so that only three tenths of one percent of our nation's heirs will pay anything, and that will be about seventeen per cent of their inheritance. The Republicans call it the Death Tax and the Democrats call it more appropriately the Paris Hilton Giveaway. A majority of the public seems to be in favor of doing away with this tax since, I guess, they picture themselves striking it rich. For the great majority of us, it is tantamount to a libidinous ant ogling an elephant cow and murmuring, " Acres and acres." The Republicans' line is that present law is stealing the family farm, but they've never been able to come up with an example. It does sound convincing, though. The simple truth is that those with enough money to be affected by the inheritance tax also have lobbyists arranging loopholes, and the best accountants to make use of them.

This same House refused to increase the minimum wage above $5.15 on the basis that it would harm the economy and would put small businessmen out of business. It is almost a decade since the minimum wage was increased. During that time, legislators' salaries increased by $30,000. That increase didn't put government out of business, but it does seem like government stopped doing much of the people's business.

Recently, the Republican leaders in the Legislature wasted several days debating proposals designed to make the Democrats look weak on defense. Rather than run away from the votes, the Democrats should remember Harry Truman's message about the "do-nothing Congress." I'm sure they will stress the lack of an exit strategy, but they should also stress the government by slogan approach this sad lot has adopted. They should list the names of those who died as the result of our invasion of a sovereign nation. They should emphasize that our fighting men and women have been turned into sitting ducks for insurgents. If the casualties in this war do not count as victims of terrorists, then who or what does? Say, that has the makings of a slogan we might adopt.

Posted by Wes Randolph   |   Friday, June 23, 2006