Treason
Subsidies
I’ll never forget how hard I laughed in my 11th
grade American History class when one of my favorite teachers, Hal Borg,
used a satirical letter to explain to us the true nature of farm subsidies.
As best I can recall, the letter was allegedly written by an
apocryphal American farmer to the U.S. Agriculture department and went
something like this…
"Dear Mr. Agriculture Secretary,
Thank you so much for admitting me to your subsidy program
and promising me 100 thousand dollars not to plant any wheat in my fields
this year.
I know that crop surpluses are a problem these days and I
want what’s best for the country, so I’d like to do even more to help.
In exchange for another 100 thousand dollars, I will promise
not to plant any corn. The same offer holds for barley, oats, soybeans and
tobacco.
With the money you provide me for not growing crops, I
promise not to purchase any dairy cows, so my farm will also be eligible to
receive milk subsidies.
If I don’t use your funds to purchase my neighbor’s
land, can I qualify for matching funds for not growing any crops on his
property, too? Just curious…
Sincerely,
John Q. Farmer"
The idea of being paid for not doing something runs counter
to the American work ethic. But the idea of being rewarded for doing evil
runs counter to basic morality.
So, how is it that the federal government has decided to
start offering subsidies for treason?
I must admit, I was shocked to read about the plea bargain
struck with confessed Russian spy and former FBI agent Robert Hanssen to
gain his cooperation in the investigation into the duration and depth of
damage done by his sale of classified materials.
We know that at least two U.S. agents working in Russia were
compromised and eliminated as a direct result of Hanssen’s double life.
Under the U.S. criminal code, the act of treason carries
with it the potential for execution. The last time such sentences were
administered, back in the 1950’s, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were put to
death for passing H-bomb plans to the former Soviet Union.
But the Justice Department wasted no time in seeking and
securing the execution of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh.
With Hanssen, though, the treatment was totally different.
His case was handled with kid gloves. Once again, the FBI takes care of its
own. In exchange for his help with damage control, Hanssen received a life
sentence with no risk of execution…and his wife received Hanssen’s full
FBI lifetime pension.
Think of that. The spouse of a man who spent the better part
of his career selling out his country will cash non-stop pension checks, in
effect, treason subsidies, for the rest of Hanssen’s life.
What kind of example is that for our young people when they
see evil being rewarded at every turn?
It was bad enough that Bill Clinton avoided prosecution for
selling missile secrets to the Chinese in exchange for campaign
contributions.
But in Washington D.C., the corruption never ends.
Hey, maybe I could receive a check from Washington if I
promise not to sell spare nuclear reactors to North Korea, surplus tractor
parts to Iran or unwanted 7-year-old boys to Cuba…