Letter to the Editor The Miami Herald

October 28, 2009

Letter to the Editor
The Miami Herald
One Herald Plaza
Miami, Florida 33132-1693

RE: Is this a job for ACORN?

Sirs,

I know that constructing a universal from a particular, for that matter constructing any universal from any number of particulars, is offensive to Logic. What lessons can we learn from the enclosed photocopy of an envelope addressed to you with the same address as is listed above?

#1 – You’re in good company – I had a letter returned to me as “Undeliverable – No such address”. It was addressed to the Secretary of Defense, The Pentagon, Alexandria, Virginia 22314. It’s a big building. Maybe it was the carrier’s first day on the job. Maybe the Secretary was out of town.

#2 – “Punctuality is the courtesy of kings” - No further proof is required that we really are over the King thing. Couple the following sequence with the recent deaths of Michael and Teddy and nobody will be “wrapping his ass in purple” in this country. The letter was postmarked October 13 in Fort Lauderdale. It took 10 days to get to Miami and back to Fort Lauderdale. It spent 4 days “in the undiscovered country from which no letter ever returns” to get back to my house. That’s 14 days, two weeks, a fortnight for a round trip of less than 40 miles. Dare I say “Close enough for government work”?

#3 – At least it’s not the DMV – There is supposed to be a sign that says “Welcome to Arkansas – Mississippi is worse”. Maybe it’s the opposite. Maybe both states have them. We do know that whenever the roll is called for the best [or worst] paradigmatic templates of customer dissatisfaction these two worthies – the Post Office and the DMV - are always neck and neck. The race for the much sought after laurel is almost always decided in overtime.

#4 – What can we learn from this? – Taking a macro view the United States government has done 3 things superbly well since I have been alive. #1 – Fighting World War 2. #2 – Being the General Contractor on the Moon Shot and #3 – Reagan the Great whipping the Russkies without firing a shot. Taking a micro view 4 levels of government couldn’t get a dozen trucks filled with water across one bridge into New Orleans.

#5 – What we won’t learn from this – Is there any serious adult who believes that a national health care bill will be “deficit neutral”? If there is he should not be operating heavy equipment nor should he handling sharp objects. Governments like to take on big projects. The Federal government has been directly involved in the quest for “affordable housing” for almost 75 years. The Federal government has been directly involved in public education for 45 years Has either come remotely near the goals that true believers know will happen as soon as the laws governing gravity are repealed. I suggest that if Section 8 housing and “No Child Left Behind” are examples of the Federal government’s management capability we should probably go to Cuba for housing because of the weather and Canada for medical care.

Why is it that Visa has a fraud factor of 2/10ths of one percent while Medicare is, by their own numbers, at 12%? May I suggest that Visa is unburdened by Civil Service restraints and will reward someone who ferrets out felonies. Medicare employees have one stated goal: Get more money to spend next year

A feel good measure, one designed to make tax payers feel good, would require those Federal weenies who run the housing program to live in one. Anyone directly or indirectly involved in public education would be required to send their children to public school. Let’s start with the President.

To show that the watchword of modern American Liberalism is alive and well I am resending this via the United States Postal Service. It may be, as the Great Dr. Johnson said in a different context, “the triumph of hope over experience” but how else would Democrats get elected.

There is a rumor that breast implants or reductions will only be available after a Government paid for sex change operation.

Hamilton said that once half plus one of the voters realize that they can vote themselves free money the end is near.

If we permit the public option, the single payer system, or whatever other name is given to this claptrap to become law we do so at our own peril. “Such stupidity, sir, is not found in nature”.

It is found only in Congress.

Alas, Congress reflects us.





Kevin Smith