We traded Harry Truman for Hary Houdini: Great LTTE

[katinmn]

St. Cloud Times Letter: Government reflects tricks of criminals
Ric Studer, St. Cloud

When I was younger, petty criminals would fleece drunken revelers in the alley behind my favorite drinking hole after closing. The classic "which cup is the ball under" trick depends on a magician's sleight of hand and diversion. It is a scam as old as time itself.

Another timeless ploy of the grifter is the "bait and switch," where the attractive advertised item is switched for one of far less value after the seller has the buyer's money.

Little did I think that these kinds of tactics would come to symbolize how our government is run.

So much of today's public policy seems to originate less in the tradition of Harry Truman and more in that of Harry Houdini.

For example, our governor promises no new taxes, yet raises revenue by passing on education's operational costs to local levies, creating higher property taxes.

Pawlenty gleefully forces local governments to raise fees on everything except possibly membership in MCCL.

Luckily we are savvy citizens and can see through this kind of passing the buck — as Tim Pawlenty will find out in November 2006.

We are sold fiscal prudence and take home a brightly wrapped box of cuts in essential services.

We are shown ads for protecting the family and when we get the package home all that is inside is denial of a minority's civil rights.

We were able to convince the New York Times that Texas Hold'em Tournaments are a more important issue for Central Minnesotans than schools, roads, jobs or health care.

Isn't it time we started electing statesmen rather than magicians, and men and women who communicate from their hearts instead of professional election winners who would rather win without convictions than lose with them?

[madmom]

1. professional election winners...

I like it,mind if I use it in my ltte's for the midterms?

[katinmn]

5. Here's the link:

http://miva.sctimes.com/miva/cgi-bin/miva?Web/page.mv+1+opinion+189987

You might also check out the comments. There's something like 150.

[liberal N proud]

2. Great Letter,,,

One question, if you pardon my ignorance here what is MCCL?

Thanks

[kliljedahl]

4. After a quick Google search I'm guessing

Since this is in the Minnesota Forum that it's the:


website: http://www.mccl.org/


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[katinmn]

6. That would be it!

[liberal N proud]

7. Thanks, I guess I was just lazy this AM

[blogbear]

3. Of course then it might be nice to stick 'em in a black box, shove

swords in it, and see how they make out..

[SupormomFreeAtLast]

8. I like the way you think!

I nominate Timmy No Tool to be first in the box!

[blogbear]

9. motion carried..

[Demrock6]

10. Awsome! nt