Some things I just don’t get

Reasonable people can disagree, that’s a popular given. The operative word, of course, is “reasonable.”

But some of the most passionate arguments in our world today have less to do with reason than with conflicting religious beliefs – that, I get. Others are territorial but also understandable; even when the observer thinks resolution is obvious it may not be so to those who are passionately engaged. Forest, trees, that sort of thing.

The more complicated quarrels involve both religion and territory, like the array of struggles throughout the Middle East, not to mention between India and Pakistan, China and Tibet, and in Ireland, just to name a few.

I get those.

And I get petty theft, tax cheating, failure to pay parking tickets, and all the other small-time stuff that is part of life.

But I don’t get Rod Blagojevich, now former governor of Illinois, who became so by impeachment. Here is a guy that everyone agrees is a pretty smart fellow, who became stupid after he was elected and turned corruption into a circus.

Why would he do that? Did his reason become disengaged along the way?

I just don’t get corruption; it doesn’t make sense.

And how about Bernie Madoff, who carried off what may have been the greatest swindle in financial history. Now he’s locked up in his penthouse without any apparent remorse about the havoc he has wreaked. I get wanting to be fabulously wealthy, but if you're that smart, why not get rich the old-fashioned way?

But I still don’t get rich folks so desperately wanting more.

Meanwhile, back in Congress, we have the matter of the President’s proposed stimulus legislation being held up by a smattering of obdurate Republicans who survived the November 4th decision by a majority of Americans to turn the business of governing our country over to the Democrats.

Remarkably, Rep. Darrell Issa asserted, in a recent interview, that his constituents in Southern California wanted to “return to Republican values.” Maybe so, but there weren’t enough of them to make that happen. That’s democracy for you.

I don’t get the Republicans this time around, though I have in the past. I heard one Congressman say that the best plan for resolving the crisis we face is “the Bush system.” I would suggest that has been tried, but doesn’t seem to have worked.

What is that definition of insanity? To keep doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result?

Do the Republicans, like Rush Limbaugh, want the President to fail? What does that say about what they want for our country?

Alternatively, do they really think they have a better plan? Tax cuts? Who has any income left to tax, anyway?

Seems to me the best plan for the Republicans would be to go along with the Administration’s plan, for if it fails, it fails, and they can blame it on Obama anyway. But if it succeeds they would get a huge part of the credit.

As it stands, they are taking a terrific chance, for if it succeeds without them, then Obama and his people will get all the credit and the Democrats will be stronger than ever.

By the way, I don’t get the Republican claim that putting money into the hands of the taxpayers would not stimulate the economy.

Granted, some folks are now living so close to the edge that it's likely the money would simply go for food, rent and utility bills. But others may spend the money to replace a broken washing machine (with a new one purchased from a dealer who will need to order another from the manufacturer, whose employees will be happy to keep doing their jobs) or for car repairs (making it possible to continue looking for work, not to mention providing work for a mechanic who use what he earns to buy new shoes for his kids) or for a babysitter (making it possible to take the job offer while providing the sitter with money to spend).

I’d call that a stimulus, wouldn’t you?

This is not a matter of reasonable people disagreeing. Republican steam about the proposed stimulus package simply is not reasonable. They have everything to gain by supporting the plan, from good will to future votes – not to mention a shot at fixing our broken economy. I don’t see what they have to lose.

I suspect, as they probably do, that the bill will be passed with or without them because of the urgency of the times.

So c’mon, guys. Enough with the posturing. Time’s a-wastin’!