'Run...the voters are after us!!!'

A Nation of Fools by Peary Perry

(sign up for new columns at www.pearyperry.com)

‘Run…the voters are after us!!!!!’

I suppose I’m just naïve or something, but I always thought being a member of the United States Congress was an honorable position and one we should all look up to for guidance and inspiration.

Having said that, I’m of the opinion that those who run away from adversity and challenges are often called by less than inspirational names….such as cowards or ‘yellow’ or shirkers or (and I love this old word)…a poltroon.

So as in the course of any major military battle, since recorded history began, the commanding force that ran from the challenge at hand was deemed to be cowardly due to their actions. Thus we can safely attach that same label to any and all who shirk from their respective responsibilities, can’t we?

Obviously, there is a point to all of this bit of explanation… and that is to illustrate the actions of our current federal congress that recently fled the nation’s capital leaving a multitude of tasks unfinished. Several members advised that the session had … ‘just ran out of time’… before the fall break. Small wonder that they didn’t have time to convene on really important national items, but did manage to allocate forty minutes of their time towards considering whether or not to recognize the Washington Stealth Lacrosse team for its winning season. Nothing against a winning team, but I do think we have larger fish to fry, don’t you?

So, the Congress packed up its bags and quietly slunk out of town and back home for the remaining few weeks before the 2010 mid term elections. Or perhaps hop on another taxpayer funder junket to Paris (for info on the Islamic world), Dublin (Information on US/Russian relations) or Punta de Mita Resort in Mexico (for conference on South American policies). Oh and be sure and invite your spouse, since they come in handy at the embassy parties given in your honor. At taxpayer expense, naturally.

What a wonderful life they have. Great benefits, excellent retirement options, good travel, better than average pay, lengthy vacations and multiple opportunities for private enterprise all at someone else’s expense. All you have to do is make big promises and get yourself elected, then make more promises to get reelected…..do this a number of times and you are on easy street for the remainder of your life.

Of course every once in awhile some of those nasty old voters may want to bring you to task for running away from the very things they elected you to do for them.

Such as you did this past week, when you left town before you:

1. Told anyone how you would vote on the upcoming decision to extend or deny the Bush tax credits (due to expire on December 31st)
2. Enacted and passed a budget for the forthcoming year. Choosing instead to just vote on a stopgap measure for the next two months.
3. Failed to consider ethics charges against two house members who are up for re-election as the outcome of their trial might endanger their reelection chances. (You think?)

These items as well as slew of others just as important were left hanging until after the mid term elections. So none of us in this country actually know what our budget is going to be or what our tax rates will be until after we elect or not elect those who were sworn to represent us.

A fine kettle of fish this is.

The entire country is basically frozen in place, afraid to jump in any direction because no one knows what the Congress is going to do….and they won’t tell us. No sane business man or woman wants to lay their lives and fortunes on the line by building a new plant or facility and hiring more workers without being able to calculate their overhead costs.

Who can tell me right now what any healthcare plan for any of my current employees or future employees will be or might be? No one, that’s who.

Who can tell me what my taxes will be in the coming year? No one, that’s who.

Who can tell me if the person I vote for will even be my representative (if mine is one of those currently involved in the ethics investigation) after their ethics trials are held? No one, that’s who.

Run, run away and keep on going…..then perhaps we can elect honest and responsible people to look after our affairs after you are long gone. Good riddance and don’t come back.

We don’t need cowards, we need real Americans.

Comments go to www.pearyperry.com