There's an old story about a guy who had a flat tire, and was stuck on the side of the road, cursing the mechanic who over-torqued the lug nuts. A Preacher Man pulled over to help, and heard the man unleash his final frustration.
Turning around - with the air still crackling blue with his heart-felt epithets - he saw the Preacher. "Sorry, Reverend," he began, "but the damn mechanic tightened the nuts to where they won't come off."
"I understand the frustration, son," said the Preacher. "But could you perhaps try prayer? It might not help, but it certainly won't imperil your immortal soul."
And so they both knelt. "Heavenly Father," prayed the Preacher, "grant us in your infinite mercy to lighten our loads, and deliver us from our travails."
And the lug nuts spun and popped off the wheel. The Preacher Man stared, stunned, and let slip "Well I'll be damned."
The House passed the "Cut, Cap, and Balance" bill. Well I'll be damned. The Constitution worked precisely as the founders intended. Precisely.
You see, the Senate was designed to be insulated from public passions. They're taking a very "Washington Establishment" approach that protects the bloated departments and raises a lot of taxes now for some promised cuts maybe, some time, perhaps. The Senate is, well, the soul of the establishment. By intent.
The House was yoked to the will of the People, and the People are in a decidedly foul mood, wondering what they get for their ever increasing tax dollars and demanding cuts. Now. Or else. The House just bent to that Will.
Like observing the workings of a fine Swiss watch in operation, there is an astonishment that such an action could have been conceived in the mind of man, so very long ago.
Bad sound there, but this is the most famous clock in the world, the one that found the Longitude. Harrison's H1 Chronometer, now in the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, UK.
5 comments:
Well done, BP! Nicely summarized approval of the process. We're often quick to blast government for not doing its job; it takes brains and guts to point out when it does succeed.
Actually I thought the Senate was supposed to look after the rights of the states until they amended the Constitution and they became popularly elected.
As an aside, what's most amazing about that chronometer is the juxtaposition with the ones immediately to the right of it's museum display -- they very quickly get very small.
If you're ever in London, be sure to visit the Greenwich observatory.
Agreed with Jason -- it would be working better if that pesky 17th Amendment could be repealed.
The combination of the 16th and 17th truly emasculated the ability of the state legislatures to reign in the federal government.
And it's a great tour if you ever get over there, even though the PM has moved...
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