The American Spectator

p> FAT ON THE HOG br> Re: George Neumayr’s The Commode of D.C. : /p> p>George Neumayr has hit the nail on the head. Corruption is the occupation of choice for many of our elected “representatives.” In the mid-'50s Washington, D.C. was a small, “sleepy” village. During that time I was stationed at Patauxent River Naval Air Station and would occasionally drive up to D.C. on liberty. It was always possible to drive up Pennsylvania Avenue through the heart of the city, regardless of the time of day. There was no beltway or any multilane interstate highway system. There was no reason for them. The center of power for the United States was not in D.C. at that time. This has changed. I noticed the change that was taking place during the recession years of the Carter administration. While the majority of the country was having bad times, D.C. and its environs were not. I remember driving through Frederick and Bethesda and noticing that the skyline was filled with large cranes atop multistory buildings, all of which were under construction. This has continued apace. We now have a federal government that holds the purse strings and has control over every aspect of our lives. It is not surprising that people who have to deal with the federal government find a way to protect their interests. Unfortunately, in so doing the taxpayers become the losers. I doubt very much if the 50 states in our Republic will ever regain the power they’ve lost to D.C. Hopefully, I’ll be proven wrong. br> — John C. Chapman, Ph.D. /p>

In the spirit of buy-partisan-ship and fare-ness, I respectfully submit the following:

p>1. Graft should be a cash only business but you have to provide your own coffee can and shovel. br> 2. When your favorite pork project is up for cancellation, please don’t forget to cry in front of the full Senate. br> 3. Pork is easier to sell when it’s good for the environment, children, or quality of life. br> 4. Remember, pork is the other white meat. As such, make sure to cook the books completely before serving.