1/28/1998: A Pyramid Scheme

I wrote this, as is quite obvious, during the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal. While I'm a Republican, I was and am disgusted by the way the Republicans handled this whole episode, as you'll see below.

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I cannot watch television news or read the front page of the newspapers anymore. I cannot avoid this Dynasty episode that seems to be unfolding in Washington. So I might as well confront it.

I could care less whether President Clinton slept with that girl or not. If he coerced her to lie, and if he himself lied under oath, then that is a serious problem.

Side issue, the woman involved is talking now about recanting her sworn affidavit that she had no sexual contact with Clinton. She will do this, of course, only if she’s given immunity from prosecution. Why should she avoid prosecution? Solely to bag a bigger fish, that’s why, and it’s a disgrace.

Back to the subject. Essentially what this revolves around is $40 million witch-hunt lead by Preacher Kenneth Starr, with the Republican congregation shouting loud “hallelujahs” and “Amens.” Anyone remember Bob Packwood? 29 women accused this Republican ex-Senator of sexual misconduct. Democrats do not have a monopoly on philandering.

Inside the Beltway, power is an equal opportunity corrupter, it would seem.

I wonder why we don’t hear about campaign finance shenanigans by the Republican National Committee. Are we expected to believe that their hands are clean when the Democrats aren’t? Oh yeah that’s right, the Republicans control both houses of Congress. The Elephants can do know wrong, it’s Donkey kicking time in D.C.

Have you ever asked yourself how much better off our country would be if our elected representatives spent even one-tenth of the energy that they spend trashing each other actually doing something constructive to help their country become stronger? Even with that little effort we would all be much better off.

But why should we expect just that? Why shouldn’t one hundred percent of their efforts be spent actually doing their jobs and helping their constituents? Imagine that.

This Clinton fiasco was the last straw, in my mind. The thing that has really had me steamed lately is this talk of how they’re going to spend the expected 1999 budget surplus. You would think that even ONE politician would come out and say, “you know, it would probably be a good idea if we paid off a little of the $5.5 trillion national debt?” Not a one that I’ve seen has even mentioned it. They want cut taxes, and Clinton is using the surplus to expand Medicare without increasing taxes. I don’t need an extra $50 in my wallet every year, just pay off the debt so I don’t have to have it hanging over my head when I’m 80!

Everyone feels helpless when they read about crap like this, but I have an idea, and maybe it will work, maybe it won’t. But I think it’s worth a try. I’m gathering all of my friends, since we all vote. And I’m going to propose that each of us go and find 5 more people who’ll vote, and convince them to do the same. That’s right, a good ole fashioned pyramid scheme. Maybe all of you Nosh readers can do the same. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Republican (like me,) Democrat, Libertarian, Communist, Socialist, Populist, and Cannabist. Who cares? Just go and speak your mind and vote your conscience. And maybe a few of us can get motivated enough to make a few changes here and there. Anything is a start.

So give it a try. Get registered. Get involved with a candidate you like, do whatever it takes. We all bitch and complain constantly about those bastards in Washington screwing us. But we’re the ones in charge; we’re the ones who put them there. All we have to do is speak up and be heard.


Though society is not founded on a contract, and though no good purpose is answered by inventing a contract in order to deduce social obligations from it, every one who receives the protection of society owes a return for the benefit, and the fact of living in society renders it indispensable that each should be bound to observe a certain line of conduct towards the rest. This conduct consists first, in not injuring the interests of one another; or rather certain interests, which, either by express legal provision or by tacit understanding, ought to be considered as rights; and secondly, in each person's bearing his share (to be fixed on some equitable principle) of the labours and sacrifices incurred for defending the society or its members from injury and molestation.

John Stuart Mills On Liberty 1859