Money vs. Morals

"The mere presense of large sums of money pushes people past their moral limits, making them more likely to lie, cheat and steal." This comes from a study in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes as reported in the December 2009 issue of Psychology Today ("The Green Monster" p. 17).

It is always interesting when science demonstrates what scripture already tells us. "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1 TImothy 6:10)

This scientific finding is especially interesting in the current political climate wherein Utah Mormon Republicans are worshipping corporations and pushing so-called "market solutions" to every problem. At least we now know what the market solutions are: lie, cheat, and steal.

Senator Bennett: Blind or Co-opted?

Republican senator Bob Bennett from Utah has started the TV ads for his 2010 campaign already. Why not? As a member of the Banking, Appropriations, and Rules Committees, he has plenty of corporate money to start his campaign early. Besides, he is terrified about the crazies in his party that don't think he is "conservative enough." (These are the same people that brought us Congressman "Fence out the Mexicans!" Chafetz).

Predictably, the 76 year old "Junior Senator" from Utah began his campaign by using his TV dollars to stir up fear about "ObamaCare." The line from the commercial that is the most revealing is when he says, "Health care reform should be based on free market principles not government bureaucracy!"

How can he (and most of the Republicans in Washington) have possibly missed the fact that it is their sacred "free market principles" that have created the problem in the first place??? Either the Senator is completely blind to the actual workings of the market, or he is actively working to protect the cruel, selfish, corrupt system we have now.

This morning on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" Democratic National Committee Chair Tim Kane said that the reason the Republicans are universally opposed to health care reform is because they are "shills for the insurance industry." It seems to me that Governor Kane has accurately described Sen. Bennett with this description.

Time for the Republicans to "Go Home"?

With number of lies being told about health care, followed this past week by the ridiculous fear-mongering about the President's proposed address to America's school children, even some prominent Republicans are growing disgusted at the Republicans.

Former Congressman Joe Scarborough (R-Fla.) who is now the conservative host of the MSNBC show "Morning Joe" recently posted the following series of Twitter messages. They were published on the web by the Washington Independent.

"Dear GOP, argue the issues and avoid the insults...or just shut up. Enough with the conspiracy theories. Shouldn't our beliefs be enough?

GOP leaders in my home state are accusing the POTUS of trying to "indoctrinate America’s children to his socialist agenda." Seriously?

WHERE ARE THE NATIONAL GOP LEADERS SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THIS KIND OF HYSTERIA?

Indoctrination of socialism? The president as a racist? Death panels? Seriously? That's all you've got? If so, it's time for you to go home

I'm just naive enough to believe that a party that shows restraint at home, restraint abroad and respect for the Constitution wins elections

Perhaps that party just doesn't exist."