This month's column is about hypocrisy and its adherents in public life. The French writer, Andre Gide said, “ The true hypocrite is one who ceases to perceive his deception, the one who lies with sincerity."

      What else can be said about Rush Limbaugh? On April 15 Rush was arrested for allegedly doctor shopping- getting prescription drugs for the same condition from four doctors. With the Kennedy family’s attorney Roy Black at his side, Rush pleaded innocent and paid a $30,000 fine… Here's Rushbo pontificating about others who take drugs, "If people are violating the law by doing drugs, they ought to be accused and they ought to be convicted and they ought to be sent up.” Do as I say, not as I do.

     Honorable mention in the circle of hypocrisy goes to Howie Carr  for his comments on May 31 about Elizabeth Taylor, whom he derided as "a hag" and stated that she should “pray for a quick and easy death.” At one time billed as the most beautiful woman in the world, the 74-year-old Ms Taylor was also one of the greatest actresses of the twentieth century, but in Carr's view,  she's old and thus of not much value. Carr’s arrested development makes him think it’s humorous to deride elders. He may actually think his cynicism makes him appear younger to his listeners. But Carr is now in his mid-fifties ( not old…for a cathedral) and has long since received his first AARP mailing. Perhaps he should stick to his forte of bashing immigrants. For Carr-mudgeon to criticize anyone for being old is like Ted Kennedy criticizing somebody for drunken driving, which brings me to the next candidate.

     In 1962, nobody had heard of the Beatles, Mickey Mantle played centerfield for the Yankees, Marilyn Monroe was alive, and Ted Kennedy became a senator. Gas cost 22 cents a gallon. Now people pay three bucks for gas, and with surging demand from China and India, the price can only increase. No problem if you are a Kennedy. But we have wind technology to lessen dependence on petroleum and put downward pressure on demand, but Kennedy is concerned: the windmills might obstruct the view from his sailboat. Meanwhile, 170 400-foot turbines will be constructed off the Gulf of Mexico by Superior Renewable Energy, a Texas company. Together they will generate 500 megawatts, enough energy to power 125,000 homes. So while Texas, home of big oil, is doing the right thing for America and building wind farms, Kennedy is blocking wind technology in his own state.  It is time for Kennedy to go. It amazes me the number of people who vote this guy because of name recognition.

     Representative Martin Meehan is worthy of inclusion within the circle. In the early 1990’s Meehan campaigned against higher taxes and NAFTA. Shortly after Meehan won his seat, he changed his mind on taxes and voted for Clinton’s massive tax hike; then he changed his mind on NAFTA and voted for it. Term limits was  a high profile issue and Meehan signed a pledge that if he were elected, he would step down voluntarily after four terms. But after serving his four terms, he decided to ignore his pledge. The Democrats are supposed to be for the little people, right? But Representative Meehan voted to block legislation to prohibit partial birth abortions. I wonder how many Catholic votes he gets? They just keep loving him in this state. At around 5 million dollars, Meehan’s campaign chest is larger than any of the other 434 members of the House.

     Then there is our default governor, the globetrotting Mitt Romney- he just drops by Massachusetts to pick up his check. He thinks he has a mandate from the people. But in reality, he was elected because the voters wanted any Republican- even a guy off the street- to play goalie against the Democratic state legislature, which under the last Democratic governor, came close to bankrupting the state. Like John Kerry, Romney is a flip-flopper, reversing his positions on abortion and gay marriage and anything else for political expediency. Not surprising then, that he is against wind farms on the Cape. He will no doubt present himself to the country as a pro-education candidate, but under his leadership Massachusetts is the only state spending less on public higher education than it did ten years ago, and ranks 49^th in state spending on public higher education per $1000 of income. Under Romney’s lackluster and uninspiring leadership, the state has floundered. Mitt has a good head of hair, but he is just another indecisive, opportunistic politician without a center.

     The Bible tells us there’s nothing new under the sun. Hypocrites have always been and always will be with us. We are all hypocrites at times. I don’t think we are going to change that, but we need not honor and esteem hypocrisy in our public discourse.

May 2006