Pick a scandal

Would someone please explain to me how anyone still in possession of even the smallest portion of their original compliment of marbles could believe that the economy of the State of Arkansas, along with the financial resources of the state government, will grow by 4.6 percent next year?
Yet that is what our 2003 state budget is to be based upon.
A quick check of the financial outlook in all of the states bordering Arkansas reveals that the only state with projected increases of as much as 2 percent, is up to its riverbanks in casinos. And nothing is more likely than hard times to make people willing to invest what little money they have in a foolish effort to get rich quick It has happened before, gentle readers. Read a little history about the Great Depression. Illegal gambling flourished in this country at that time.
At least one of our neighbor states is projecting a loss in revenues next year as the nation takes its own sweet time about crawling out of the worst economic slump in 30 years. Blame Enron and Worldcom if you want to. Heck, you might even join our esteemed governor in blaming everything from the sinking of the Titanic to the evaporation of the teachers’ pay raises on the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, if that would make you feel better. All of those things had detrimental effects.
But the fact is, our national and state economies began heading down the tubes back in 1999 when the private sector exhausted its ability to create large numbers of entry level jobs. At that time, though, everybody was so interested in Bill Clinton’s extramarital love life (like that made any difference in the long term scheme of things) that nobody noticed that the economy was in delicate shape.
So when it became impossible to ignore the economic situation, all the wheelers and dealers, movers and shakers who are supposed to keep an eye on such things, began frantically looking for someone or something to blame for the fact that they had dropped the ball with a resounding thud. Always remember that, in politics, it is more important to fix the blame than to fix the problem.
As is customary, it will be more difficult and costly to rectify matters now than it would have been to keep things from going south three years ago. So far, all we’ve heard, from any level of government, are pie-in-the-sky predictions of the economy “turning around.”
Our two U.S. senators, Blanche Lincoln and Tim Hutchinson, were among the first to jump on the bandwagon of those calling for strict reforms to keep debacles like Enron and worldcom from happening again in the future.
That’s real nice, but what about the folks who are hurt right now - the folks who saw their retirement savings and investments disappear?
I can tell you “what about them.” nothing, that’s what.
We can deficit spend ourselves into oblivion to prosecute a “war on terrorism” in which the majority of people would immediately lose interest if somebody should crawl up out of a cave with Ossama Bin Laden’s head on a plate. But not one dime will be extended to those who either invested in those rotten companies in good faith or who were given no choice because they worked for those firms and had their retirement funds invested in Enron or Worldcom stock without having any say in the matter. Now, these people have neither a job nor any investments. I’m sure these folks would like to say a big “thanks a bunch” to the Securities and Exchange Commission for being on the ball and making their lives so interesting.
I agree that steps should be taken to prevent future economic catastrophes, just like they should have been taken in 1999 when it was more tantalizing to worry about who stained Monica Lewinsky’s dress with what.
But it seems we will now be distracted once again by paying attention to President Bush and Vice President Chaney’s financial shenanigans in private life. I really don’t care if the Democrats find conclusive proof that George and Dick were scoundrels and charlatans in their business affairs, the same way I don’t care what or who Clinton did in his private life. I mean, let’s get serious, the rest of us pretty much expected all of these guys to be less than savory characters or they would hold honest jobs and wouldn’t be interested in being “powerful leaders of the free world.”
I’ve got a news flash for you, gentle readers. Bill, George and Dick all did some really naughty stuff, but none of it had anything to do with running the country. This time, let’s stay focused on what’s important, shall we?
And I want to apologize to Governor Mike Huckabee. A few months ago, after he had his wife, Secretary of State-candidate Janet Huckabee, interpret a speech in sign language to an audience of blind people, I suggested that our one and only governor might be goofy. He’s not goofy. If he really thinks Arkansas can expect 4.6 percent more revenue next year, he has gone way beyond goofy. For that matter, he’s gone on beyond Pluto.