Orrin Hatch: The wealthy are being unfairly abused

IF YOU'VE ever been t0 Utah, you would agree that it offers the visitor some dazzling sights like the other-worldly Bryce Canyon. But, alas, it continues to offer us a 77-year-old stiff-collared Republican senator named Orrin Hatch who carefully chooses his words with tweezers. He's also a conservative's conservative who never met a billionaire that he didn't like (Nor a TV camera, but that's another story). His latest foray into the twilight zone of taxes asserts that the upper 1 percent of wealthy taxpayers are getting screwed by paying 38 pct. of the total federal income tax. On the other hand, he believes that the poor ought to pay more to help us balance the budget. In his view, expressed on the Senate floor, the poor and middle class get a generous benefit from Social Security while ''the top 1 percent of the so-called wealthy pay 38 pct of the income tax."

So-called???? Until now, I and a lot of other folks had figured millionaires and billionaires to be unequivocally wealthy without wondering why anybody would decide to qualify it.

Correct me, but the reason the high rollers pay a larger volume of the total is that they make more money than people standing in line for employment today. But it's easy to dismiss the fellow for standing up for his crowd. He's been wrong before. None other than Justice Clarence Thomas has noted that it was Hatch who was responsible for his appointment to the bench.

Now there are no leaders on Capitol Hill

SEN. TED KENNEDY'S uniquely towering stature in Congress on behalf of the nation has challenged some of his political colleagues to find words on how he might be replaced to move forward with his powerful commitment. That, unfortunately, is a foolish pursuit. He can't be replaced. It not only says much about his own worthiness as a humane figure amid the bruising political brawl of Washington, but also of the barren ground on Capitol Hill these days. Where to turn for leadership today amid the invective that passes itself off as loyal opposition? To John McCain? Harry Reid? Orrin Hatch? Mitch McConnell? Max Baucus? Put the best of their meager talents together and you won't find a hint of leadership. Only arid politicians who are unable to see beyond the trees.

Kennedy went about his work with determined interest and - yes it can be said in a town where pettiness and well-oiled self-interest rule - class. Faultless? Of course not. We all know that story from his past. Certainly he was partisan - a liberal Democrat to the end. But petty. self-consciously in need to award himself merit badges as a crass political operative with his next campaign solely in mind - never. Forever the optimist about what's possible but yet undelivered in America - always and always.

Even in death, his mystique is undiminished as some of his colleagues are proposing to attach his name to a health care reform bill that he long fought for in hopes that it will spur action. Who else could claim that honor on the Senate floor? And at what Town Hall meeting?

I have a photograph of Kennedy taken as I trailed behind him and the late United Rubber Workers chief Peter Bommarito at one of the Akron rubber plants. Although he was a wealthy prince of a family dynasty, Kennedy fervently supported the welfare of the workers and promised to work for them in whatever way he could help. That was back in the 1970s, To no one's surprise, he kept his word. For his long service to the nation, it could be said that he never lost sight of the forest while others dallied at the base of a tree.

There will be a void.

Orrin hatches a thought

Let's give a Grumpy Abe Linguistic Lunacy (GALL) award to Sen. Orrin Hatch, Utah Republican, who explained why he believes  the Minnesota senate race  ought not to be hurriedly decided until every legal step is taken (maybe until the  next election, the Constitution requiring two senators for every state be damned). A  5-month delay so far doesn't sound overly abrupt to me, but I don't favor an open-ended Democratic vacancy in the Senate that would benefit the GOP in filibustering President Obama's initiatives.   Isn't that why we're all here, team?

Anyway, I chose this Hatch comment for the award:  

"There are very important issues involved - constitutional issues - and I have no qualms about saying that if he can, he ought to push it all the way.  We're so sick and tired of having one set of rules for the Democrats they don't abide by, and then another set of rules for Republicans.  The Democrats didn't count the ballots the way they should and they didn't put the protections in that they should.  It was the Republicans who were better at counting ballots and doing what was right and following the law.   They don't do it on the other side as much."

(P.S.: I don't deny that Hatch and his Republican colleagues are "sick and tired" about a lot of things, mostly because they are instinctively  in denial about how the ballots were counted in Bush vs. Gore.)   

UPDATE:  The Minneapolis Tribune just reported that a tally of the uncounted ballots that had been rejected has now upped Franken's tiny lead over Coleman to more than 300.  Coleman had hoped to gain some traction with the new tally. As Don Meredith used to sing on Monday Night Football after the game appeared to be decided, Turn out the lights.  The party's over.   Want to bet that won't happen soon?