Monday, November 9, 2015

It Gets My Goat

I haven't done a "It Gets My Goat" entry in quite a while, so here goes...

New Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said one of the first things he had to do after taking over John Boehner's office was rid the place of its cigarette smoke smell.

Huh?  What's that again?

Yes, it looks like Boehner smoked in his Capitol Hill office long, long after it became illegal for everyone else who works at the capitol to do so.

From what I've read, house and senate members skirt the rules.  They can get away with it in enclosed and separately vented areas.  I wonder who paid for the venting?

Here we go again.  It's one set of rules for the privileged class, and another set for the rest of us.  Boehner got away with it.  No one else could.  Things like this erode faith and confidence in government.  Cynicism abounds.  And we continue to wonder why fewer and fewer people vote.

Boehner is a Republican, but this is not a party thing.

Stephen Reed, a Democrat, smoked in his office during the 28 years he was mayor of Harrisburg.  I'm told the office reeked.  Again, one rule for him.  Another for the rest of us.

By the way, Reed has been charged with theft and is awaiting trial.

I don't smoke.  Never have.  I'm not advocating it.  However, we all should play by the same rules.  Everyone can do it.  No one does it.  Pick one.  Being elected to office doesn't give you a pass.

It gets my goat.