Humility

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.”  Proverbs 11:2

It is an interesting time as those who shape public opinion and the news fall like dominoes -- disgraced by their own transgressions.  It begs the question, will this current sense of outrage continue until we achieve a new equality where all are held accountable for their actions, or will we soon tire of these public beheadings, and the powerful will again possess the weak?

Call me a cynic, but I can’t imagine the celebrities of politics, entertainment, and the news now reaching deep within themselves for introspective and returning to a time when they held themselves to the same standard as the rest of us, or reported the news without a political and moral bias. It seems more likely they are now looking over their shoulders with the fear of what may fall out of their own personal closets. Perhaps, it never was fashionable to accurately report the news, or hold a moderate position, and I was just naive when I thought it was. 

It is almost cliché when we talk about the corrupting nature of power, but the original quote is attributed to John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton, (AKA Lord Acton), who wrote in 1887, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.  Great men are almost always bad men.”  

As long as those who report on the politicians enable them to hide their “open secrets,” we value celebrity above honor, and believe entertainers opinions are worth listening to I expect we will soon return to life as normal; or at least something that approximates the previous normal.

Perhaps, and this is just my speculation, if the feminist movement was really about empowering all women and not just furthering the cause of some women, there would be a chance we could achieve a more balanced relationship between the powerful and the powerless.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to This Blog

It is so funny when Congressmen and citizens become outraged over the abuse of Government funds, or the debauchery of people like the Secret Service when they are away from home.  While it is sad this happens and the poor Secret Service agents, and GSA senior leadership may lose their jobs is it really their fault?  How can we hold these people accountable, when we as a society have come to believe we are victims?  If we are a nation of victims surely these poor souls must be victims as well.

When Congress passes outlandish budgets and provides funds that no one wants or needs, and the system says don’t give any back or you will get less next year, isn’t it the job of the GSA to make sure every red cent of Congressionally appropriated, including all the earmarks, funds get spent, no matter what it takes to do so?  If they have to rent lavish suites, and throw massive party’s training sessions where everyone is forced to take home IPads and other expensive swag purchased with tax dollars how can we blame the poor civil servants doing this important work?  Heck they didn’t even have a fancy patch like the Air Force team did that said in Latin “Doing God’s Work With Other Peoples Money.” 

After 10 years of war, with Congress authorizing trillions of dollars and the President asking for even more, it is next to impossible to spend it fast enough, so how is it when the GSA comes up with solutions they are penalized by the very people who force the money on them?   Like Congressman never waste money on their paid flights home every weekend, or the junkets around the world in the name of research.

And as for the Secret Service, when you are on the B-team you’ve got to find a way to keep up the old morale.  As one agent attempted to save taxpayers the $47.00 extra one hooker wanted he gets thrown out of the country.  Now what kind of treatment is that?  He or She is clearly a victim of those nasty Colombian cartels.  The fact the US Government has signed the UN resolution on Trafficking in Humans, and every government employee is required to take annual training on avoiding those industries that traffic in humans, like brothels and prostitution rings, does not mean they should actually comply with the law, for Pete’s sake they are the Secret Service and the military advance team that sets up for the Presidents visit.  These are important victims and deserve all the love and support the liberal community can provide them.  These men and woman have struggled for years with the burden of not being able to tell anyone what goes on during these trips.  They are innocent, well not so innocent really, victims of a Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy no one ever talks about.