0694 - PoliticoSex

Nothing amuses more than catching a hypocrite committing a sin he loudly denounces. Luckily, in Washington, DC the hypocrisy supply never fails. The latest hypo is an Assistant Secretary of State in charge of fighting AIDS, who fought distribution of condoms (could encourage sex!) and who advocated abstinence. Happily, a Washington lady appropriately named Palfrey kept a list of those who called her .. er ... "Escort Service" and had girls sent to them. [Note: a Palfrey is "a saddle horse particularly suitable for a woman". Cute, but you knew that.] The hapless Ass't Sec. said he was only calling for a massage (sure he was) but he resigned. Previously we had that Congressman who hit on the Pages, and then there was that guy heading a big group of evangelicals, who called a man for what he said was... surprise! ... just a massage. And before that the extra-plump Republican now on CNN, who turned out to be a multi-million dollar gambler when he wasn't preaching and writing about morality. The list goes on. At least Bill Clinton, not forgiven by our Staff for his Monica escapade, never lectured about sex.

Frankly, except for the hitting on underage Pages, we have been more concerned with the hypocritical votes of politicians than with their sex lives, however shabby. Take the Republicans, who bleated about Government waste for ages, but when in office hastened to add pork to appropriations, including the famous quarter-billion "Bridge to Nowhere" in a bill duly signed by Pres. Bush. The Dems, who had made much about that bridge, hastened to add a bit of salty pork to their own just-vetoed military emergency appropriation, including spinach and dairy subsidies. Shame!

You have to admit there isn't much difference in the hypocrisy level of the American parties. Since we reside on Anguilla, and you never get to know much about what the Government here is doing (or not doing), we will not make any comparisons. But, with the 2008 U.S. Presidential campaign well under way, couldn't there be talk about substance and couldn't anybody do something substantial? Of course, that will take thought and some hard bargaining from fixed positions, but can't they get on with it? The Iraq fiasco is one, as everybody knows, but it will be shutting down before November 2008, God willing. There is other work to be done in the U.S.: the immigration situation, a perfect example of hypocrisy, must be dealt with. The Social Security and even more the Medicare expense must be covered.

In Anguilla, right in the middle of a building boom and crime wave, there is also much to be done. Our Revered Investment Guru is much worried about a real estate boom and bust. How many villas costing in the millions and multi-millions will the Anguilla market take? What will the overbuilt Anguilla look like? We worry a lot about changes on this peaceful island, where it turns out you cannot get a license for a Taser, while young hoods have no trouble tapping the inexhaustible supply of handguns. Do not send us any e-mails about the virtues of everybody owning guns. You are wrong.

Finally, we wish to call your attention to the treatment of the present U.S. Administration in the magazines. We take many here, and friends give us more. We note that The Economist , no Commie sheet, continually says the Bush Administration is at an all-time level of incompetency. The standard American news mags, Time and Newsweek, say the same (the GOPs call them "the Liberal press"). But then we got a copy of Vanity Fair, full of Bush-bashing instead of fashion, and last, we have the current Scientific American Mind. An article about decision making (by reflection or reaction) pillories Bush for not thinking. Have the intellectuals all turned Democratic? Does that mean a smart guy will be elected?

Next time: TheII [OO #695]

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