Here comes the Bribe...and the extortion

It amazes me how confident the Democratic house and Senate leaders are about the health care bill. It's almost as if they think they have inside information. And they do.

This whole system stinks right now because so much of our laws are either passed or held up NOT due to the merits of the bill, but due to the blatant corruption in Washington. There are Democrat House members and Senators who are opposed to the health care bill, or at least to certain provisions in the bill. But in the end, it is very likely that they will have a their "Aha" moment and the bad bill will instantly become one that they can vote for. And everyone knows why this is. Bribery and extortion.

Especially at a time when the President's popularity and programs are not in favor with the American people, there is no doubt that there will be no limits as to what all the president's men can offer these "doubters" to persuade them to see it the President's way.

The $300 million for Louisiana is just one of the bribes that will surely be offered to make this bill more pleasant to the other holdouts in the majority party. And it stinks. I don't understand why the press does not "press" the Congress on this issue. How are we any different than Mexico, Columbia or Russia? The only difference I see is that our bribes come from more "repectable" segments of society (lobbyists, power players in Washington, and financial backers) rather than the thugs and mafia-types that control those other corrupt countries.

And let's not forget about the extortion. You can bet that the Chicago thugs are right now letting certain members of their party know what it is going to cost them if they don't find a way to get on board with this bill. I wonder if the press will try to uncover any of that information.

What is touted as "compromise" and "reaching an agreement" is all too often nothing more than simple bribery and extortion. The power players offer perks and privileges and re-election support in exchange for votes on a bill that is full of poison. And if the bride doesn't work, then "suggestions" are made about the party possibly supporting another Democrat in the next primary (one who is more suited to the agenda being put forward).

So, after much contrived "speculation" about a particular Senator's vote, Sooprize! Sooprize!, they somehow found a way to support the very bill they had been critical of just days before.

The Prophet writes in the book of Ecclesiastes, "Extortion turns wise people into fools, and bribes corrupt the heart". Ain't that the truth. But for too many, the bribe taken is worth more to them than maintaining their wisdom and integrity.

Exodus 23:8 says, "Take no bribes, for a bribe makes you ignore something that you clearly see. A bribe makes even a righteous person twist the truth".

Any leader who will accept a bribe is automatically disqualified from being a leader. The advice given to Moses when he was selecting leaders for Israel is very fitting for us today: "...but select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes..."

And my prayer is that we can get rid of all those in leadership who do not fit this description.