January 14, 2001

Don't Prick Your Finger in Washington, Sharks Attack

Now we see why it is dangerous to prick your finger in Washington, D.C. The smell of blood circles the sharks.

Grieve not for Linda Chavez, Bush’s first choice for Labor Secretary. She failed to disclose she once harbored an illegal immigrant woman who had been severely beaten, spoke no English and had no home or job.  

It’s OK for the government to provide shelter, medical care, welfare and schooling for illegals – but not by compassionate citizens, be they homemakers or employers.

Chavez’ sin was believing, rightly, that the minimum wage prevents less educated minorities from entering the economic mainstream. This created and maintains a permanent underclass of Americans while doing nothing for existing workers.

She also believes, rightly, that so-called affirmative action policies have run their course and should be abolished. If that policy was once justified to compensate for slavery, the debt is satisfied after 36 years – two generations.

It is not enough to hold that big labor unions are necessary to deal with big corporations. The fact is, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, union membership constitutes 14 percent of the civilian work force. And half of that are teachers and government workers – not your everyday sweat shop toilers.

Where is it written that organized labor, a very small part of the work force, owns the U.S. Department of Labor? The large majority of workers lack a seat at the White House cabinet table. Of this, more later.

Sufficient for today’s discussion is the premise that a progressive labor policy for 86 percent of workers is education and opportunity for individuals.

Now that Linda Chavez has been chewed to pieces by the liberals’ search-and-destroy sharks, the next target is John Ashcroft. He is a former U.S. Senator, Missouri governor and state attorney general. His shortcoming is believing unborn babies in a mother’s womb have a right to life on their own – and that morality is important.

Liberals contend these qualities automatically disqualify him to be U.S. Attorney General. It is alleged he would not apply the civil rights and abortion laws fairly.

Here is where liberals go over the edge of rationality. No one, including liberals, approve of all laws foisted upon us. However, conservatives revere law and subscribe to the famous 18th century declaration by French satirist Voltaire: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

The liberal dictum is a parody of Voltaire. "I disapprove of what you say, and I will destroy you by all means for saying it."  

Ashcroft is accused of racism because – among other spurious charges -- he is a devout Christian who accepted an honorary degree from Bob Jones University. There are a great many people who believe Harvard University is a hotbed of intolerance but don’t put out a contract to assassinate graduates.

The New York Times recently revealed – with an air of incredulity – that Ashcroft "views morality as integral to good government." Gad! What is this nation coming to?

Syndicated columnist Cal Thomas provides valuable insight to Ashcroft’s views on morality expressed in an interview some time ago. The then Senator opined on the different ways culture and law shape behavior.

"Culture shapes behavior in an anticipatory, or preventive, way," Ashcroft said. "Laws shape behavior by punishing after" an infraction. He explained that the proliferation of certain kinds of law – such as those against sexual harassment -- come about to "make up for" the disappearance of culture-shaped behavior.

"The higher the level of morality in a society," he stated  "the lower the need for government legality. We should take hostility to morality out of the system."

Rev. Jessee Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Louis Farakan preach politics of hate. Strangely African-American churches of rock-bound morality turn over their pulpits to liberal politicians like Clinton and Gore. The latter talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. Separation of church and state seemingly is just for conservatives.

Only 8 percent of proclaimed African-Americans – how black is black? – voted for Bush the includer. Republican presidential candidates have usually garnered 12 to 15 percent of African-American votes without trying.

This reveals a profound, political change in the offing. The NAACP and other hate mongers succeeded last November in scaring the wits out of their wards. Such an extreme, politically, presages cultural change. It can only be an improvement over what we have now.  

A moralist who reveres the law is the right person at the right time at the right place. Ashcroft fills the bill.

 PARTING SHOTS

It is scandalous how politicians tell stories about opponents that are absolutely true.

* *  *  

Bill Clinton is spending his last days as president smoozing crowds here and abroad – an unprecedented exercise in super-ego. You know there is something lacking in a man whose best friend is his mother-in-law.

By Lindsey Williams, columnist for Sun Coast Media Group newspapers