SELF SURRENDER

TO QUOTE A POLITICALLY CORRECT IRS AGENT REFERRING TO WESLEY, THE FUGITIVE, OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE SHOULD "EFFECTUATE HIS SELF SURRENDER." IN COMMON PARLANCE, PLEASE, JOHN, TURN YOURSELF IN!

FOLLOWING A RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE HAD NOT PAID RENT ON HIS FARM FOR 2 YEARS, OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION, HAD THE TEMERITY TO RUN A RADIO COMMERCIAL WHICH EMPLOYED A TESTIMONIAL FROM A PERSONAL FRIEND TO JOHN WHO "KNOWS THE RULES AND PLAYS BY THE RULES AND UNDERSTAND AND SHARES OUR VALUES."

NOT MINE. LORD ACTON IN 1887 OBSERVED THAT "POWER TENDS TO CORRUPT; ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY." POLITICS NEVER LETS LORD ACTION'S ADAGE REST. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, JOHN WIELDS NO ABSOLUTE POWER BECAUSE HE CAN BE REPLACED IN OFFICE. MORALLY, HE SHOULD PAY HIS UNPAID BILL. BUT THE DAMAGE TO PUBLIC TRUST - WHICH IS A FOOLISH NOTION ANYWAY - HAS BEEN DONE.

WESLEY SNIIPES 'DISAPPEARED' AFTER BEING 'FOUND OUT' THAT HE DID NOT EVEN FILE INCOME TAXES FOR 6 YEARS. LUCKILY JOHN CAN'T HIDE. HE'S (APPARENTLY) NOT RICH OR FAMOUS OR BLACK ENOUGH. CAN THE VOTER JUST TURN JOHN OUT AND VOTE A NEW MAN INTO HIS CONGRESSIONAL SEAT? POLITICIANS, SUI GENERIS, PLAY BY THEIR OWN RULES AND RARELY SHARE THE VALUES OF COMMONERS. POWER CORRUPTS. REMEMBER LORD ACTION?