Things Are Looking Up

A couple of folks have been kind enough to send me E-mail references in The Washington Post, etc.

While out of town recently my E-mail backed up to about six figures, I think. And that's alright as I receive some truly funny ones as well as some that pull at the old heart strings.

One of those E-mails included a reference to a column by Cal Thomas, who I usually find amusing in his weekly debate column in the USA Today. Cal can be a little churlish - and looks the part.

His column suggested making Congress a part-time job. He quotes Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal who recommended that they should also never be allowed to become lobbyists, reasoning that "when they have to live under the same rules and laws they pass for the rest of us, maybe you'd see some more common sense coming out of Washington."

Obviously, this is not a new song sung by some members of the media. However it , along with a lot of other opinions being published, suggest that maybe - just maybe - the politicians are starting to get the message. If so, some of our prayers may be answered.

Some interesting observations: Jindal, a former congressman, said, "Once elected, too many lawmakers become entrenched in Washington and are transformed into the very people they campaigned against.(my very concern about the recent Tea-Party victors).

Thomas points out that several states have part-time legislatures that meet every two years to consider a budget as well as other truly important matters. One assumes that does not include "posturing themselves" on C-Span.

It is true that there does not appear to be a movement afoot asking Congress to pass any more laws. Under this premise Congress - like the part-time legislature - would be on call "should anything momentous occur."

Is this a viable idea? Let me just say that if this blog was more widely circulated there would be more dissents than the number of blogs I've written - and, that's saying something.

Like a drivers licence is advertised as a privilege rather than a right, Thomas argues that serving in Congress should be seen as just that: service as opposed to self-service. He pleads that serving should be as originally intended - a privilege - but, never a profession.

I've often felt there are two films that should be required to be shown in all school systems. The first is "Inherit The Wind" an examination of "The Scopes Monkey Trial." The second is the musical play turned into a movie, "1776".

A viewing of the latter enables one to understand the dissent and compromise inherent in the founding of our country as well as the events leading up to the signing of The Declaration of Independence."

Perhaps it should be required viewing by Congress. However, the sight of Mitch McConnell in a fright wig portraying John Adams while singing something by Eminen, kind of discourages a re-enactment.

Still, Thomas uses some historical data to advance his cause for more stay at home politicians. He speaks of the concern The Founders had over a Congress " divorced from the realities of the rest of the country."

He quotes one of the leaders, Connecticut's Roger Sherman, during the Constitutional Convention in 1787: "Representatives ought to return home and mix with the people. By remaining at the seat of government, they would acquire the habits of the place, which might differ from those of their constituents."

One of my pet peeves about Congress is addressed much more eloquently by Thomas.

He states "Returning home shouldn't mean flying home for long weekends and then coming back to Washington." He supports the alternative where members of Congress return to a 'real job', where the member cannot raise his own pay, receive top medical care at reduced or no cost, print and spend other people's money - or count on others to pay his retirement fund."

He ends his essay by quoting former Missouri Republican Sen. John Danforth: " I have never seen more Senators express discontent with their jobs. I think the major cause is that, deep down in our hearts, we have been accomplices to doing something terrible and unforgivable to this wonderful country.. We know that we have bankrupted America and that we have given our children a legacy of bankruptcy . . . .We have defrauded our country to get ourselves elected."

Most people admire people who espouse our own beliefs, and in some case, written opinions.

This humble blogger is no exception. If this is the beginning of a common theme to promote healing and common sense, then definitely, 'Things are looking up."