Looking at world through GOP eyes

Regarding the column by Cal Thomas in your publication dated March 18, 2009. Cal begins by defending the AIG repugnant bonuses by inferring the money Congress "wastes every minute." He believes that everyone that is troubled at the unearned exorbitant bonuses these corrupt individuals lavished upon themselves is committing the sin of ENVY! Cal follows up his previous column subject of, "when the wealthy become richer, the middle/working class does also" with this elitist tripe. "Let those who envy... "

In this semireligious rant, he says, "While some people rail against 'greed,' some of the less affluent operate according to another of the seven deadly sins, which is envy."

He scolds that one shouldn't care how much money someone else makes, one should simply take the opportunity to make the same or MORE. Too many try to bring others down to their level. That never improves conditions for the ones at the bottom, but it makes them feel better. It doesn't occur to the 'miserable' that they have a ticket out of their circumstances, if only they will climb aboard the 'right' train. He goes on to feature a snippet of GOP de facto chairman Rush Limbaugh's radio show, in which a caller states his displeasure over the AIG bonuses from bailouts with taxpayers' money. The caller states that he'd like to be making $250,000 but he doesn't have the education. Limbaugh scolds him with, "The only thing keeping you from making that much money is you."

Oh ... so that's how it's done. Stop envying corrupt individuals from plundering their corporations. Climb aboard the 'right' train. Stop holding myself back, just go out and make $250,000 or MORE. And regardless of how you got your wealth, I should do the same. By any means necessary? Hmm ... I'm going to have to contemplate all of those scenarios ... to see which ones fit my beliefs. In the meantime, I'd like Cal and Rush et al to explain this to the small business person who has gone bankrupt, the foreclosed homebuyer, the working class 401K contributor, the newly unemployed, the nearly 12 percent of unemployed military vets, the homeless, (I COULD GO ON AND ON) etc., who were playing by the rules and trying to build something remotely similar to wealth. YES explain to them how the playing field of the American dream became SO unlevel toward the already wealthy and in power individuals who control the finances that feed our businesses, lenders, creditors, suppliers and customers! And DON'T even try to put this debacle on President Obama and the Democratic Congress; the House Of Representatives voted to recoup the ludicrous AIG bonuses with a 90 percent tax on them. The vote went 328 for and 93 against. Of those 93 against, 87 were Republicans. More than 50 percent of the Republicans voted to let those greed mongers keep the wealth.

Alfred N Godinez

Prairie View