One story that awaited me when I returned to town was that of Senator Gordon Smith criticizing his opponent, Oregon house speaker Jeff Merkley, for supporting an expensive remodeling of the Oregon legislative building. I gathered that Senator Smith thought this to show that Mr. Merkley is fiscally irresponsible -- why, the legislature even got leather couches.
One of the similes used to great effect by Jesus of Nazareth was to compare people who complain about others having faults that they themselves share to one who notices and criticizes the mote (speck) in someone else's eye, but is blind to the beam in his own. It seems to me surprising for a Republican senator who has generally supported President Bush's budget proposals -- the most fiscally reckless of the current generation -- to complain about a fellow Solon having the public fisc pay for some good-quality furniture that will outlast everyone now in office -- at least, not unless Senator Smith's criticism of Mr. Merkley included some reference to the fiscal waste of his own party. I'd welcome some comment from the Senator, or his staff, in the unlikely event that he reads these pages.
Comments