Barrel of Snakes

In 1948, the year that this writer graduated from high school, George Orwell wrote his famous book Nineteen Eighty-Four. In the book, Orwell describes how a government (and people) can have a virus of insanity: “up” means “down”, “black” means “white”.

It was after the Korean conflict, I was in the nation's capital, having been honored by the Army. Since I had lost most of my vision, a Congressional assistant walked me into the Senate chamber, thinking he might introduce me to at least one of my Senators, from the Senate gallery he said, “on the floor right now is Senator Kerr Scott, your former Governor, that man could fall through a barrel of fish hooks and never get scratched. Washington knows him for being that crooked, that slimy.” Of course, I remembered from when he was governor, the famous paper bags of $20 bills that were taken into his office and left there, if you expected any attention from him. I remembered his son, later governor, Bob Scott, and the same tales. His daughter (Commissioner of Agriculture) did not get by with the “crookedness” of her father and grandfather, she went to jail.

It is so easy to get attached to the treasure/idols of this world. You can be sure that someone will try to rob you. This very day, the latest scam, men calling, trying to speak English, attempting to get information about your banking or securities account. In the background of the boiler room, you can hear many voices on phones attempting to get the information required to hack your account. Hacking has become the most popular and profitable activity in the world's economy and news gathering operations. Wikileaks led the way, now everyone is involved for profit and promotion. Billionaire Rupert Murdoch and his son James are testifying before the British parliament, so scarce was the security that Murdoch's Chinese wife Wendi Deng had to protect him. One whistle-blower found murdered in England, but it seems to be of no significance to the police. Another, a woman, was found hanging naked from a balcony with her hands tied behind her back, two days after her son's death. The clueless police thought that it was suicide. According to Orwell's book, the clock is striking thirteen. The halls of our nations capital are filled with stock brokers dealing with politicians.

Democrats have had a gain of 750% in their stock portfolios, Republicans a gain of 168%. President Obama's net worth was $300,000 in 2004, $9 million in 2009. Tom Harkin, Senator from Iowa, was worth $2 million in 2004, $16 million in 2009. Nancy Pelosi's net worth has increased from $13 million to $124 million, she is now ranked 6^th in the House by net worth. Go to http://governmentgonewild.org/thelist and http://www.opensecrets.org/ to read more of our Congressional leaders' financial gains. Senators and congress people who make a salary of $174,000 a year, cannot wear $3,000 suits...their constituents wear suits bought from thrift stores. Politicians, like their fellow heathen idol worshipers, adhere to things that are sticky and shiny. As worthless as it is, fiat money really sticks to the hands of wrongdoers. It is so much easier to polish the apple, shine your charisma, than put in the hard work which God has always required of His disciples. 59% of the American people depend on incentives, retirement checks, subsidies of some sort.

The chief of police in West Point, New York retired and moved to this town into a house next to mine. Of course, I learned long ago that no one cares that I lost my eyesight serving in the military for this country. He said to me, and I will never forget the words, “you are such a fool, spending all that time in school, going to war for a country which despises you and will never do anything for you. I started out as a rookie policeman, writing tickets, kissing ass, and retired as chief. I get over $200,000 a year in retirement, you have already told me that you get practically nothing, still work everyday, and I see you stumbling around all the time. Every police officer, every civil service worker is retired at the height of their pay, taking into consideration sick leave, vacations, and bonuses. I am retired with better healthcare, better everything than you fools who thought you were serving your country.”

America has produced a defective crop of citizens, something for nothing. One woman was working for me, who had many problems at home, bills to pay, a child to raise. She said, “I need $500. I want this money from you, and if you do not give me the money I am going to accuse you of molesting me.” This has happened twice. When I laughed and told the two women to get out my house, one of them, Sandy Scott, picked up a book, threw it at me, hit me on the head and ran out. I called the police, and right after that call, one of my friends called me (Joe Pascal), evidently he had a premonition of something and he called the police also. In this town, even with murder, the police do nothing. In cases such as this, in cases of thievery (and I have many of those), in case of break-ins, the police do nothing except draw their nice paychecks and ride back and forth to their homes in cars for which our taxes pay.

Most of us work continuously/contagiously, like slaves in order to pay exorbitant taxes. At one Army hospital where I was on the staff, about once a year, the pharmacy cleansed its stock. As the pharmacy officer told me, “we throw away millions of dollars in drugs and other pharmacy products which could certainly be used.” He said, “one day the world will know what our blessed Lord was talking about when he called the deceiving Pharisees, who thought they were so religious and patriotic, snakes and vipers.” Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? (Matthew 23:33)