Atlanta Journal Constitution
Only 26 percent of Americans believe that their country is headed in the right direction, according to an Associated Press poll released last week. But surely brighter days are coming, thanks to the farsighted leadership of the U.S. Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), one of the leading candidates for the GOP presidential nomination in 2008, apparently believes that what our country really needs at this moment in its history — the thing that's gonna pull us out of our national funk and set us straight again — is an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that bans flag burning.
So within two weeks, Frist will insist that the Senate set aside business he considers less important so it can turn its attention to the crucial question of flag burning.
There are two ways to interpret Frist's insistence on taking up yet another proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution, to join other critically important amendments such as those guaranteeing the freedoms of speech and religion.
One is that Frist sincerely believes that once it is against the law to burn flags in this country, the war in Iraq will begin to wind down, the price of gasoline will drop, health insurance will become available and affordable to all, scientists will discover that global warming isn't really a problem after all, our national debt will begin to shrink and illegal immigrants will stop flowing across our borders.
Or, Frist believes that pushing the amendment will somehow boost his political career and that of his fellow Republicans.
If so, he may be right. Despite all the problems we face and the growing realization among many Americans that it is time to get serious and start fixing what is wrong with our country — despite all that, maybe it is still possible to distract the American people with issues that are designed to anger and inflame us while not resolving a darn thing.
Maybe ... or maybe not.
No comments:
Post a Comment