Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Dick 'Turban' Durbin Cares More For Bugs Than Soldiers
-By Warner Todd Huston
My son went away to Iraq with the Illinois National Guard, last week. I, the proud papa of one of our brave men in uniform, stood in the bleachers at the General Richard L. Jones Armory in downtown Chicago on the morning of July 3rd watching as the boys of the 178th Infantry battalion (MPs) presented themselves to their relatives and Chicago's media for the last time before they leave for duty in Iraq.
Republican candidate for governor, Judy Barr Topinka, was present and stayed for a while shaking hands and wishing the soldiers well. Every single TV news outlet attended to interview the boys for a segment on their nightly newscasts.
And where was Dick "Turban" Durbin when the boys from Chicago were preparing to leave for Iraq?
Talking about bugs.
No, not the NSA, CIA, surveillance kind, I mean real bugs. Dick was touring nearby Kane county, Illinois looking for the emerald ash borer beetle that he is trying to get Federal funds to combat.
Obviously it was more important to be merely one county away looking for insects instead of making an appearance at the ceremony wishing bon voyage to the soldiers of the biggest city in his state.
Yes, apparently the ash borer beetle is more dangerous to America than are terrorists as far as Senator Dick is concerned.
In researching this beetle problem, I can agree that we Illinoisans need to try and stop their advance across the state. But, was it right to be only a few dozen miles from the soldier's farewell ceremony yet to eschew attendance to talk about bugs? No, they aren’t that important.
Worse, the matter isn't even very pressing as to the funding issue, anyway. Durbin has said that the matter of Federal funding won't be settled until the coming September! He certainly had the time to make a token visit to the soldier's ceremony, I'd say.
So, once again, we see that Dick "Turban" Durbin has his priorities clearly on display. The soldiers that he thinks are as bad as the enemy -- OUR soldiers -- are to be ignored as a bug takes first palce in Durbin’s list of priorities.
Spending Federal funds on bugs or supporting our soldiers? The choice is clear for Durbin.
Senator Durbin, meet the beetles … but to heck with Beetle Bailey.
My son went away to Iraq with the Illinois National Guard, last week. I, the proud papa of one of our brave men in uniform, stood in the bleachers at the General Richard L. Jones Armory in downtown Chicago on the morning of July 3rd watching as the boys of the 178th Infantry battalion (MPs) presented themselves to their relatives and Chicago's media for the last time before they leave for duty in Iraq.
Republican candidate for governor, Judy Barr Topinka, was present and stayed for a while shaking hands and wishing the soldiers well. Every single TV news outlet attended to interview the boys for a segment on their nightly newscasts.
And where was Dick "Turban" Durbin when the boys from Chicago were preparing to leave for Iraq?
Talking about bugs.
No, not the NSA, CIA, surveillance kind, I mean real bugs. Dick was touring nearby Kane county, Illinois looking for the emerald ash borer beetle that he is trying to get Federal funds to combat.
Obviously it was more important to be merely one county away looking for insects instead of making an appearance at the ceremony wishing bon voyage to the soldiers of the biggest city in his state.
Yes, apparently the ash borer beetle is more dangerous to America than are terrorists as far as Senator Dick is concerned.
In researching this beetle problem, I can agree that we Illinoisans need to try and stop their advance across the state. But, was it right to be only a few dozen miles from the soldier's farewell ceremony yet to eschew attendance to talk about bugs? No, they aren’t that important.
Worse, the matter isn't even very pressing as to the funding issue, anyway. Durbin has said that the matter of Federal funding won't be settled until the coming September! He certainly had the time to make a token visit to the soldier's ceremony, I'd say.
So, once again, we see that Dick "Turban" Durbin has his priorities clearly on display. The soldiers that he thinks are as bad as the enemy -- OUR soldiers -- are to be ignored as a bug takes first palce in Durbin’s list of priorities.
Spending Federal funds on bugs or supporting our soldiers? The choice is clear for Durbin.
Senator Durbin, meet the beetles … but to heck with Beetle Bailey.
# posted by Publius @ 7/12/2006 12:37:00 AM 
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