The Day the Congress Stood Still
Klaatu: Please unleash Gort
W.J. Astore
With the odds increasing that Congress will shut down the government this coming Tuesday, I couldn't help but think of the classic Sci-Fi film, "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (the original version, of course).
Remember Klaatu? He comes to earth in peace, only to be hassled, harassed, and ultimately shot by the authorities in Washington, D.C.
What angered Klaatu were the "childish jealousies" and "petty squabbles" he witnessed among earth's leaders. "I'm impatient with stupidity," he declared. And when it comes to this Congress, so should we all.
So-called Obamacare is an expansion of medical care based on free-market models supported previously by Republicans like Mitt Romney. But the usual childish jealousies and petty squabbles are intruding as the Republicans in the House do their best to torpedo a plan that mostly favors the status quo.
The stupid -- it burns. Where is Gort when you need him?