They just had to do it. It was critical to the nation’s future. It couldn’t wait…not even a day. What was it? Jobs? Deficit reduction? Nuclear Arms Reduction? The future of world peace? No, none of these.
On Tuesday it was just critical that the House of Representatives reaffirm “In God We Trust” as the national motto.
Note…this legislation didn’t create one job. So the R’s in the House still haven't proposed a single piece of jobs creation legislation since taking control of that august body. Nor did it cut a single dollar from the deficit, thus ignoring their own self-professed top issue. In fact, beyond establishing this country’s devotion to the Almighty, it accomplished nothing.
Why?
Was someone challenging “In God We Trust”? Hardly. In fact, the legislation was so noncontroversial that it commanded the votes of all but nine House members (whose trust must lie elsewhere). Even liberals laughed when, a few years ago, an atheist wing nut here in California tried to have “under God” removed from the Pledge of Allegiance. “In God We Trust” still appears on every denomination of our currency, on every bill produced by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, on every coin produced by the U.S. Mint. It was even reaffirmed by Congress just nine years ago…again with practically no dissent. No one has seriously challenged “In God We Trust” as the national motto in…well, ever.
So why are the R’s so adamant that they must reaffirm it now? Why take 35 of the House’s precious minutes to debate what is a nonissue? When the R’s took control of the House in January, one of the first things they did was to issue a rule that all House resolutions must be substantive and issue-related, that so-called “commemorative” resolutions would not be permitted. What was the “In God We Trust” but commemorative so that the House, again, has avoided any real work on any substantive issue.
Meanwhile, the R’s continue to stymie any serious action on the President’s jobs proposal while proposing nothing serious of their own. They all keep a nervous eye on the so-called “Super Committee” to see what cuts they might propose to the deficit…and what might be cut if they propose nothing at all. Real action? Real work on substantive issues? In God we trust.
We wonder if God is listening. We hope not.
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