SLOW BOAT TO CHINA

A group of 12 Utah legislators are clinging to their plan to visit China, led by Santa Clara's David Clark, the house majority leader. Taxes will finance the trip - of course- but the purpose remains vague after weeks of explaining. The theme most often advanced is that it's good for Utah business.

None dare call it a junket.

If they travel by sea, I'll join them. I'd love to get them on a slow boat to China. I would lecture them every morning on the purpose of governments, the nature of communism and their responsibility to Utah citizens.

Pull up 12 deck chairs and listen. You legislators should take notes because all of the material will be on the test. Lesson one is that the main function of government is to protect and foster the liberties of its citizens. This does not mean to encourage trade. Business people can and should arrange their own deals, at their own expense. Lawmakers are not to work to enrich an isolated segment of citizens even if all receive some ripple down benefits.

The destination is Red China. Communist China. You'd better watch out! Recall that Lenin said he would use capitalist methods to destroy capitalism. The Chinese are literally reducing our free enterprise system to rubble. Factories, technologies and jobs are being exported with our help. The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) is a federal department which guides, insures and grants funds to assist American companies leaving America. Isn't that treason? Of course it is. Why does this go on, you ask? The reason is because y'all don't give hell to your congressperson. But I digress.

The people didn't elect legislators to gallivant Asia. fact finding or otherwise.

Back in the early seventies when Senator Barry Goldwater learned of President Nixon's plans to visit Red China, he said: "If he goes to China, he should stay there."

Barry had a lot of good ideas!

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Thoughts While Jaywalking

* The speech in Provo was a valuable one. No, not Cheney's. Ralph Nader warned of corporations who operate in an extra-legal fashion. "Corporations use their money and clout to place friends into high-ranking government offices, flood Congress with lobbyists and threaten to export jobs."

* Chevron and Exxon-Mobil reported record profits last week while the man-on-the-street paid higher-than-ever prices at the pump. Glory. What's good for Big Oil is good for........well, it's good for Big Oil.

* As for the housing market.....never mind.

Meetings & Events

* The Married-to-Mensans support group meets Friday at 7 pm at the Blue Bunny ice cream shop. Both men and women are welcome to attend.

* Stop Growth Now meets every other Saturday morning at 10 am, Kayenta Towers.

* Hate Mayor Rocky meets all day, everyday, in the press and on the air.

* Philadelphia reported more than 400 murders in 2006, which caused several war lovers on radio to reason that the war in Iraq is not so bad.

Help Wanted

* World Bank President. Must have morals of a skunk. Easy on the integrity. Neo-con connections o.k. Send resume to W.

Twenty-Years-From-Now News

* The price of water at the convenience store down the street surpassed the price of a gallon of fuel. Gas is $17, water is $18 - if available. Severe shortages frequently occur on both products.

Quote

"Nothing in education is so astonishing as the amount of ignorance it accumuulates in the form of inert facts." - Henry Adams

Overheard

In a Salt Lake City bar: "Saddam shipped the WMD to Syria in Russian trucks. Give me another
margarita."