The Return of Elliott Eastman (24 page)

Laughter coursed across the room.

“Before we begin, I’d like to acknowledge the bankers I see in the gallery. Mr. Blankenship of Bank of America, Mr. Hearthstone of Capital One and Mr. Borel of Sallie Mae, these fine men have all stepped up and voluntarily led the way in one of the most generous acts of corporate social responsibility I have ever had the pleasure to witness. These fine men lowered the rates they were charging and spearheaded a move that brought numerous other lenders in line which instantly gave the people more purchasing power. The upward movement of GDP to over 5.5% in the last quarter is ample proof of the enormity of their generosity. Thank you, gentlemen.”

The three men seated not far from one another in the gallery stood and waved, each bearing long practiced beaming smiles.

“They stand shoulder to shoulder with the American people,” Elliott continued, “bringing about change and bettering the lives of millions.”

Polite applause greeted the men and then they sat down.

“There comes a time in the life of a nation when it faces a crossroads. Our great nation has faced them before at Valley Forge, Gettysburg and again at Pear Harbor. Each time we rose up and persevered in the face of long odds. At this moment our great nation faces a crisis of greater magnitude than any of those I have just mentioned. We are at a crossroads once again.”

Elliott took a sip of water.

“In a few short years we will face a National Debt of twenty six trillion dollars. The interest on this debt will consume seventy percent of our national income at that time. Civilizations fall for a combination of various reasons, but the surest way to fail is the burden of empire and an impoverished citizenry. Take a quick look at our debt and you will realize we are running out of time.”

Elliott paused briefly and collected his thoughts.

“I ask you, what is life? Life in the simplest of terms is merely a measure of time. Each one of us is given a finite length of time on this beautiful planet. When I look at these earmarks I am reminded that each and every dollar is from a hard working American taxpayer. Each dollar represents a length of time in that individual’s life.

“Right now, somewhere in America, a hard working mother of three is living in fear of losing her job, a job that pays her $22,500 a year. That’s about $1900 a month. From that sum she pays $1100 a month in rent, her heat and electricity run about $170 a month, she has a car payment of $150, auto insurance of another $110, and credit card payments of $300 which leaves $70 for food and clothing for her children. She gets by on help from the church and if she is lucky a stipend from her family. The story is repeated time and time again across our nation. And from that meager paycheck she pays $2,935 in federal taxes.

“I think of that young woman each time I see earmarks of these sorts and I wonder what she must think of us. As hard as she works and pinches pennies to make ends meet we, a millionaire’s club, will take her tax dollars and waste them in the frivolous manner exhibited by the earmarks we see attached to this bill today. An earmark is effectively stealing from each and every American taxpayer.”

Elliott paused for a moment and studied the sea of faces before him.

“I ask you, what is a nation? Is it the magnificent buildings, the great highway systems, or even the thousands of great cities? No, it is none of these. It is the people. The people built it all. From this grand structure over our heads to the very chairs in which we now sit, the people built them all. How do we thank them? We allow corporations to have their way with them. We allow school book publishers to charge hundreds of dollars for a single book and then we allow those publishers to alter a few words each year so our children must buy them anew. Enormous profits for a few by imposing an unnecessary financial burden on others. Meanwhile, a decent education has become so expensive that student loans are required, but those loans are granted at exorbitant rates and we changed the laws so these students cannot bankrupt themselves out from under this onerous debt when they can’t get a job. There was a time when we could not charge each other more than 10% interest because it was considered usurious, but we allow banks to charge 18, 20, 27 percent on their credit cards until our friends in the gallery stepped up.”

Again Elliott nodded in the direction of the bankers.

“Our home-grown corporations like GE and Exxon-Mobil, built by the hands of these very same people, have become huge multi-national profit machines. How do we thank those people? We pass laws, often written with the help of the lobbyists for these huge corporations, to reduce or eliminate taxes so when these same corporations have found cheaper labor overseas and laid off thousands of people here at home want to ship their goods back to America they can do so without paying tariffs, insuring unfettered access to the American consumer. We then allow these corporations tax havens overseas so they can avoid paying taxes to the America they owe so much to. They pay less tax than the poor woman I spoke of a moment ago. But it goes a step further; these untaxed corporations, awash in untaxed cash, can turn around and shower you, the elected official, with cash to further bend the laws in their favor. How is loyalty defined? One definition might be to look at the behavior of the parties. That poor woman I mentioned dutifully pays her taxes, while the corporations pay none. Which citizen is more loyal? At some point we must acknowledge this is not right. When does it end?”

Elliott paused and took a sip of water.

“We then require these very same people to pay a portion of their paycheck towards their Social Security so they can have a stipend to live on in their golden years. Then, every year that money is taken from them, put in the general fund, and they are told that Social Security is bankrupt. Does that sound right to you?”

“In short, those of you in Congress do your best to insure these citizens, who you are sworn to represent, are given the grimmest of futures, and yet you vote yourselves and your families and your corporate benefactors the best medical care available and a king’s ransom in additional benefits.”

Elliott paused to let the words sink in. He felt his anger growing.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is shameful treatment of the American people, the very people who are this nation. When did it become commonplace to treat these good people in such shameful fashion? Where did we go so wrong? How morally bankrupt are we?”

Elliot paused and directed his hard gaze at the faces before him.

“And yet it continues as we, a room full of multi-millionaires, sit here today and attempt to destroy a piece of legislation, one that could be the very path to salvation for a nation in grave danger and a path to salvation for these good people, by loading it up with billions of dollars in earmarks for your friends and supporters. When are we going to acknowledge the accomplishments of these great people and do right by them? When are these ghastly crimes against the American people going to cease? When?”

Elliott shouted and slammed the podium with the open palm of his hand with such force it sounded like a gunshot in the stillness of the room.

“I’ll tell you when. It ends right here. It ends now. Is Representative Clapo here?”

A heavy set white haired man stood and waved. His fellow representatives clapped their hands politely. All the cameras in the vast room swiveled to capture Clapo before he sat back down.

“$1.75 million for animal waste research for University of Missouri? Really, Mr. Clapo? Are you sure that’s enough?”

“Is Senator Bucas here?” Elliott asked.

A lanky man in a dark suit, Senator Bucas stood briefly.

“$2 million to refurbish the Vulcan Statue in Birmingham, Alabama? Can you tell me what a Vulcan Statue is made of? And $413,000 for peanut research for the great state of Alabama, as well? You must really enjoy those peanuts, Senator.”

Thoroughly embarrassed, the Senator quickly sat down.

“Is Representative Stevens here?”

Stevens started to stand up, but was pulled down by the representative sitting beside him. Still the cameras found him.

“$2.2 million for projects to benefit North Pole, Alaska? Mr. Stevens, do you know what the population of North Pole, Alaska is? I’ll tell you it’s 1,750. That’s over ten thousand dollars a head, Mr. Stevens. I assume you’ll win the vote there next year.”

Laughter erupted briefly at this comment.

The cameras caught Representative Stevens glancing at those sitting about him with a foolish grin.

“$208,000 for Beaver Management in North Carolina, Mr. Coryn?”

Again a titter of laughter rippled through the room.

“Representative Waters, I assume is here. $25 million for the International Fund for Ireland? If it’s an international fund why are you requiring so much from the American people? I mean, I like the Irish, but not that much.”

“Is Senator Belosi here?” Elliott asked.

The members of Congress had quickly gotten wise to what was taking place and now did not stand to be recognized. Eddie studied the seating chart and quickly moved the camera across the crowd while Archie and his spotlight followed. Not a soul moved as the cameras panned across the crowd until Belosi was found in the back of the room and stopped there, pinning her in the bright light. Her plastic smile belied a stone faced mask of anger that lay underneath.

“$250,000 for a National Preschool Anger Management Project? I would argue these children have a right to be angry, I know I am.”

Again nervous laughter sounded and then quickly petered out.

“I could go on with what has been earmarked in SB 1190, and I remind you these dollars are appropriated without so much as a vote, a thank you or a by-your-leave to the American people. $150 million for Rural Business Loans and Grants, $176 million for the Agricultural Research Service, $50 million for Watershed Rehabilitation, $290 million for Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations. Watershed seems to be a popular one, isn’t it?” Elliott’s voice trailed away. He felt faint for a moment and then he spoke again with renewed strength.

“This is not a democracy. At the very least it is a cruel hoax on the American people and at its worst, with no debate or vote on these earmarks, it is a breach of the democratic process and the public trust. It is thievery.”

Elliott paused and glanced about. For a moment the faces swam before his eyes.

He began speaking again in a very firm voice, but softly as he said. “No, that is not true, that is not the worst of it. What I believe is the worst of it is the proof here in this very room that money is God. Proof right here that money rules with pitiless sway in the affairs of mankind. It saddens me greatly, and it is not right.”

He cleared his throat.

“I’m sure you’re all familiar with the Teapot Dome Scandal of the 1920’s. Did you know that Senator Albert B. Fall received approximately $404,000 illegally and was sentenced to prison for it?”

Elliott took another sip of water from the glass resting on the podium.

“I have been told the earmarks in this bill total $78 billion. I repeat, $78 billion. For his measly $404,000 Fall spent a year in prison. His crime pales when compared to yours. And make no mistake about it, what we are witnessing with these earmarks is also a crime.

“Perhaps it would be wise to revisit the definition of graft, a uniquely American word. Webster’s dictionary defines it as the acquisition of money, gain or advantage by dishonest, unfair or illegal means, especially through the abuse of one’s position of influence in politics or business.”

At that moment Senator Curt Graham, who sat in the third row, stood and made as if to leave saying, “I don’t need a civics lesson.”

Instantly Elliott exploded. With eyes blazing and lips peeled back he snarled. “Stand where you are Senator!”

The Senator froze and turned to face the furious wide eyed look that flashed fleetingly across Elliott’s face.

“I would expect nothing less from you, Graham. Our nation stands on the brink and you would turn your back on her. You will turn and take your seat!”

Retreating a step, the Senator sat back down.

Elliott smoothed his coat and said softly, “There was a time when I too sat in this room with great pride. There was a time when I greatly admired the men and women of this institution. We were the standard bearers of this great nation vowing to uphold a lofty set of principals. We were attempting, in noble fashion, to guide this nation on a wise and prudent course. In the past thirty years I’ve seen us descend into petty squabbles over dollars, shirk our moral duties and lay down in adoration before the corporate money barons. When I look at these earmarks, I ask what will be our legacy? These types of actions have become so commonplace, the easy callousness of these thefts reflects the complete moral disregard for the pledge we have all taken to uphold the Constitution. I find it truly frightening. Personally I feel it is not only disgusting, it is disheartening. A bill that provides the greatest hope in generations is going to fail because of the level of greed of a few citizens. And ultimately that’s what you are; citizens.”

Again Elliott took a sip of water. His legs were beginning to tremble.

“What will history write of us? What will those future generations see when they look upon the decisions made here today? I’ll tell you what they will conclude. They will say you held the future in your hands and threw it away. When the right and true path stood before you, you chose instead to succumb to hubris and self-serving activities. Putting it bluntly, you decided to line your pockets at the expense of the loyal citizens you are sworn to represent.”

The Kevlar vest he was wearing suddenly seemed to grow heavier. It was warm in the room.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, we have once again reached a point where we face the crisis of a lifetime and yet precious little is being done about it. Our course of action is clear and our response must be decisive, bold and proportional. What I am about to say I believe very deeply and believe it to be an undeniable truth. We are all shareholders in this great nation. We are all stakeholders in the future of this great nation. Let us join together and face the challenges and persevere once again. Let us move beyond this pettiness and once again stand together against a common enemy as we have done so many times in the past.”