THE WEEK

□ To the shock of liberals everywhere, George Bush’s idea of a kinder, gentler nation seems to be one where we don’t kill babies.

□ People are steamed over the pending congressional pay raises, and they’re bound to get a lot more steamed as they become aware of the hidden costs: the increase in House members’ pension rights from $800,000 to $1.6 million; the boost in Speaker Jim Wright’s pension from $2 million to $3 million. But this suggests an idea. The Treasury will probably have to spend tens of billions of dollars bailing out the Texas S&Ls that Jim Wright protected. The Fort Worth Stockyard, another Wright boondoggle, came in for a mere $12 million or so. Surely it is worth our while to offer Jim Wright $10 or $20 million, not as a pension, but as a golden handshake. We pay, you go, we’re quits. Let’s think some more. What is Teddy Kennedy’s absence worth? George Mitchell’s? Alan Cranston’s? Claiborne Pell’s? It will hurt, but it will only hurt once. No pain, no gain.

Featured Tags

Manage following

George H. W. Bush

Congress

House of Representatives

□ To the shock of liberals everywhere, George Bush’s idea of a kinder, gentler nation seems to be one where we don’t kill babies.

□ People are steamed over the pending congressional pay raises, and they’re bound to get a lot more steamed as they become aware of the hidden costs: the increase in House members’ pension rights from $800,000 to $1.6 million; the boost in Speaker Jim Wright’s pension from $2 million to $3 million. But this suggests an idea. The Treasury will probably have to spend tens of billions of dollars bailing out the Texas S&Ls that Jim Wright protected. The Fort Worth Stockyard, another Wright boondoggle, came in for a mere $12 million or so. Surely it is worth our while to offer Jim Wright $10 or $20 million, not as a pension, but as a golden handshake. We pay, you go, we’re quits. Let’s think some more. What is Teddy Kennedy’s absence worth? George Mitchell’s? Alan Cranston’s? Claiborne Pell’s? It will hurt, but it will only hurt once. No pain, no gain.