Perhaps This is Why The Country is Such a Mess

The country finds itself in the midst of a financial crisis that harkens back to the days of the Great Depression. So what do our esteemed Members of Congress do? Some of them hold out their votes until the Powers That Be lard on the pork. Now, all of the sudden the Congressmen who were vehemently against the so-called bail out are all for it. Nice.

What kind of pork?

The New York Post reports this morning that the special provisions include tax breaks for:

* Manufacturers of kids' wooden arrows - $6 million.

* Puerto Rican and Virgin Islands rum producers - $192 million.

* Wool research.

* Auto-racing tracks - $128 million.

* Corporations operating in American Samoa - $33 million.

* Small-to-medium budget film and television productions - $10 million.

Also, according to the Post, another measure inserted into the bill appears to be a bid aimed at winning the support of Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), who voted against the original version when it went down in flames in the House on Monday.

That provision - a $223 million package of tax benefits for fishermen and others whose livelihoods suffered as a result of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill - has been the subject of fervent lobbying by Alaska's congressional delegation.

Unfortunately for the country our elected officials are often measured by how much "government support" they bring home to their respective districts. This best explains why Washington has turned into a bottomless ATM where just about everybody has the PIN. It also explains why the government is running up scary debts, debts that future generations of Americans are going to have to pay.

Kudos to our local Congressional representatives for doing the right thing - voting for the bailout without holding the country for ransom. It's incumbent on the rest of us, however, to start making a stink about the pork that is going to choke this country.

Just Empty The Damn Dishwasher Already

The drama unfolding in our nation's capitol yesterday reminded me of watching my two teenage sons argue over whose turn it was to empty the dishwasher. Each boy presents passionate explanations and defenses as to why he should not have to sully his hands with such a menial task as lifting dishes, glasses and silverware from the appliance under the counter to the cabinet and drawer above the counter.

As you listen to the arguments made individually you might even find yourself siding with one boy over the other. But you don't because you're the parent and you just want the damn dishwasher emptied and you don't see what the big deal is, seeing as both boys live rent free and eat rather well. If the world made sense, if it were fair and just, the boys would be fighting over who would show their parents just how grateful they are for the largesse of living under someone else's roof.

If the world were fair and just and made sense our elected officials would welcome the opportunity to do the right thing for the country. Instead we get "This is all his fault" and "I'm not going to vote for this if she's going to take that attitude."

The only way to settle the dishwasher debate is for the parent to step in and say, "Enough! You both live here, you both have to empty the dishwasher. Figure it out and get it done." Then you walk away and come back a few minutes later to make sure the deed is done.

That's what we as voters need to do. Call our representatives in Congress and say, "Enough already. Get it done." To their credit, all five Congressional representatives from Long Island - Peter King, Steve Israel, Tim Bishop, Carolyn McCarthy and Gary Ackerman - voted for the bailout. They need to convince their Congressional brethren, however, of the gravity of the situation, that this is not the federal government bailing out the "fat cats" of Wall Street but rather the government doing what it is supposed to do - step in where needed to ensure that the country can function.

The longer we wait, the deeper the hole. Get it done already.