In one old-time comedy, Oliver Hardy turns to Stan Laurel and complains “Well, that’s another fine fix you got me into!” The election is near and given our choices, I share Oliver’s frustration.
On the Republican side is Frank Guinta. Frank raised his right hand and swore to “support and defend” the Constitution. Later on, he voted for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA.)
The NDAA has a provision trashing Article six of the Bill of Rights. Yes sir... right into the shredder! Guess Frank figures it should have been named The Bill of Privileges.
Voting for this bill is a strange way of supporting and defending the Constitution. Maybe he didn’t read the bill. I know they’re busy down there “supporting and defending.’ They don’t have time to read all the things they vote for. So many laws... so little time!
Oh, you say, “it’s intended to fight terrorists.” If you haven’t done anything wrong, you’ve got nothing to worry about.” Yeah...right... and I’ve got a bridge for sale.
You need only to be accused... not convicted, and off you go to the crossbar hotel. No public trial, no impartial jury, no lawyer, no due process. You just never come back from work. Nobody knows what happened to you. You disappear. Just like a South American banana republic.
Frank voted for that? Gee, Frank, what other Amendments are you willing to shred in the name of supporting and defending the Constitution?
Democrats offer us Carol Shea-Porter. Remember Carol? She thinks the federal government is a giant ATM machine. She can’t wait to get her hands on that credit card again. She wants to resume creating and expanding all those swell Federal programs and giveaways she didn’t get to during her first term.
The federal credit card is the next best thing to a TV clicker to the taxpayer’s wallet and it’s second only to mugging as a lucrative vocation. It’s not nearly as risky either. It’s the law! At least a mugger has the common decency to buy a ski mask and a gun before robbing you.
These are the choices from the “major” political parties. Either you get robbed blind or you have the Constitution dismantled by your own representative. This is a choice?
In Kingston, Josiah Bartlett, signer of the Declaration of Independence, lies in our local cemetery. Sometimes when it’s real quiet at night, you can hear a spinning sound.
If this is the best the major parties can do, then I’d have to agree with Oliver; it’s another fine fix they got us into.
Paul Pinette
Kingston
