I was considering a bill that has now passed Congress on voice votes in both houses as a truly good indicator of just how the American government works. The bill has gone to president Obama for his signature. The proposed law would strip Social Security benefits from people who have been sentenced to deportation for war crimes as Nazis during World War II.
The entire process is a joke. World War II ended seventy years ago. That means that someone who committed war crimes at age 25 is now at least 95. In other words, the bill probably applies as most to fewer than five people. Before the bill applies, we have to have a person who committed war crimes during WW II, who came to the USA after the war, who worked and earned Social Security benefits, and -- most important -- who has just now been put on trial for deportation and convicted of being a Nazi war criminal.
Despite the lack of any need for this bill, Congress spent time during the short lame duck session to consider and pass this law. Why waste the time? The answer is that it allows all of the members of both houses to talk about all they are doing to fight war crimes. It makes about as much sense as fighting to prevent pollution on Mars.
The entire process is a joke. World War II ended seventy years ago. That means that someone who committed war crimes at age 25 is now at least 95. In other words, the bill probably applies as most to fewer than five people. Before the bill applies, we have to have a person who committed war crimes during WW II, who came to the USA after the war, who worked and earned Social Security benefits, and -- most important -- who has just now been put on trial for deportation and convicted of being a Nazi war criminal.
Despite the lack of any need for this bill, Congress spent time during the short lame duck session to consider and pass this law. Why waste the time? The answer is that it allows all of the members of both houses to talk about all they are doing to fight war crimes. It makes about as much sense as fighting to prevent pollution on Mars.
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