morality.
“I do not believe that the government has any business in the bedrooms of its citizens.
“I do not believe that social mandates should be shoved down the throats of our people.
“My candidacy is about freedom and choices, but with this freedom to choose comes responsibility.
“If American citizens want the freedom to make choices, then they must be willing to accept the consequences of their choices. My presidency will give them that opportunity.
“If the American people would rather that government bureaucrats make decisions for them, thereby relieving them of any responsibility for the consequences, then either of the other two candidates would do just fine.”
“Good grief!” I exclaimed. “No wonder this guy is getting people’s attention. He certainly doesn’t beat around the bush.”
“True enough,” Mark replied, “and he’s not afraid to go into the lion’s den. Watch what happens next.”
Ben motioned toward three people, some of whom I recognized, seated behind a table covered with microphones.
“I know that you all have questions and I would love to have time to sit down with each and every one of you, but we both know that time just does not allow that, so I have invited the news anchors from the major networks in Kansas City, people you invite into your homes every evening, to ask any questions they might have. Hopefully, their questions will be ones that you would ask if you could.
“Panel, please feel free to ask anything. No topic is off limits.”
The anchor from Fox News raised her hand, “Mr. Mayor ---”
Ben cut her off, “I haven’t been a mayor for many years. I haven’t been a senator or representative or even a dogcatcher --- I’m just an American citizen, so can call me Mr. Foster, or really, just plain Ben would be fine.”
The anchor didn’t quite know how to respond, “Uhhh, Mr. Foster, your characterization of our country being on a collision course like the Titanic was quite dramatic. Could you be more specific?”
“Certainly,” he replied. “Fifteen trillion! That’s the amount of our national debt. Every single day another three and a half billion is added to that amount. Just during the time that I am speaking this evening, another 150 million will be added to that debt.
“There is no individual and no company that can continue to spend more than they make and survive, and yet our leaders continue to do just that. I could be mistaken, but to me, that is an ice burg directly ahead.”
The anchor raised her hand again. “The deficit has been a thorn in the side of every presidency. Why is that and how do you propose to change it?”
“It has been a problem for nearly every president because no president has been willing to tackle the root cause of our financial dilemma --- waste, fraud, mismanagement and pork-barrel politics.
“Let’s look at fraud.” He picked up a copy of the Kansas City Star . “Your local newspaper reported today that a Medicare fraud scheme was uncovered that bilked $452 million of your tax dollars and that it is estimated that such schemes cost the government between $60 billion and $90 billion each year.
“Another study discovered that Medicare had paid out over $35 million to a vast network of over 118 ‘phantom’ medical clinics allegedly established by members of a criminal gang. These examples are just the tip of that ice burg.
“Let’s talk about waste. According to the Heritage Foundation, the U.S. military spent $998,798 shipping two 19-cent washers from South Carolina to Texas and $293,451 sending an 89-cent washer from South Carolina to Florida.
“ A television production of a Pakistani version of PBS' Sesame Street has already cost tax payers $10 million and $20 million more has already been budgeted. More federal funding in the amount of $593,000
“I do not believe that the government has any business in the bedrooms of its citizens.
“I do not believe that social mandates should be shoved down the throats of our people.
“My candidacy is about freedom and choices, but with this freedom to choose comes responsibility.
“If American citizens want the freedom to make choices, then they must be willing to accept the consequences of their choices. My presidency will give them that opportunity.
“If the American people would rather that government bureaucrats make decisions for them, thereby relieving them of any responsibility for the consequences, then either of the other two candidates would do just fine.”
“Good grief!” I exclaimed. “No wonder this guy is getting people’s attention. He certainly doesn’t beat around the bush.”
“True enough,” Mark replied, “and he’s not afraid to go into the lion’s den. Watch what happens next.”
Ben motioned toward three people, some of whom I recognized, seated behind a table covered with microphones.
“I know that you all have questions and I would love to have time to sit down with each and every one of you, but we both know that time just does not allow that, so I have invited the news anchors from the major networks in Kansas City, people you invite into your homes every evening, to ask any questions they might have. Hopefully, their questions will be ones that you would ask if you could.
“Panel, please feel free to ask anything. No topic is off limits.”
The anchor from Fox News raised her hand, “Mr. Mayor ---”
Ben cut her off, “I haven’t been a mayor for many years. I haven’t been a senator or representative or even a dogcatcher --- I’m just an American citizen, so can call me Mr. Foster, or really, just plain Ben would be fine.”
The anchor didn’t quite know how to respond, “Uhhh, Mr. Foster, your characterization of our country being on a collision course like the Titanic was quite dramatic. Could you be more specific?”
“Certainly,” he replied. “Fifteen trillion! That’s the amount of our national debt. Every single day another three and a half billion is added to that amount. Just during the time that I am speaking this evening, another 150 million will be added to that debt.
“There is no individual and no company that can continue to spend more than they make and survive, and yet our leaders continue to do just that. I could be mistaken, but to me, that is an ice burg directly ahead.”
The anchor raised her hand again. “The deficit has been a thorn in the side of every presidency. Why is that and how do you propose to change it?”
“It has been a problem for nearly every president because no president has been willing to tackle the root cause of our financial dilemma --- waste, fraud, mismanagement and pork-barrel politics.
“Let’s look at fraud.” He picked up a copy of the Kansas City Star . “Your local newspaper reported today that a Medicare fraud scheme was uncovered that bilked $452 million of your tax dollars and that it is estimated that such schemes cost the government between $60 billion and $90 billion each year.
“Another study discovered that Medicare had paid out over $35 million to a vast network of over 118 ‘phantom’ medical clinics allegedly established by members of a criminal gang. These examples are just the tip of that ice burg.
“Let’s talk about waste. According to the Heritage Foundation, the U.S. military spent $998,798 shipping two 19-cent washers from South Carolina to Texas and $293,451 sending an 89-cent washer from South Carolina to Florida.
“ A television production of a Pakistani version of PBS' Sesame Street has already cost tax payers $10 million and $20 million more has already been budgeted. More federal funding in the amount of $593,000
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