Crosscurrents

3

3

George Tobias

Senator George Tobias sat in the back of a black stretch limousine reviewing a legislative draft that would reinstate Congress’ veto authority over the worldwide sale of military arms and related items. The Arms Export Control Act (AECA) had been temporarily rescinded due to several international flare ups that, according to the Commander-in-Chief and his Generals, had hampered the President’s need to act in a crisis. When the limo stopped in front of the MSNBC studio, he slipped the papers into his valise and checked his Rolex. Eight minutes to air time. He lept from the car and dashed to the entrance. Catching his bad ankle on the curb, he stumbled and limped to the elevator. With a bit of eleventh hour suspense he stuck his arm in the closing door, got in and rode to the top.

“Please follow me, Senator,” a pleasant young lady with a clipboard said, meeting the elevator. “We’re only minutes to air time.”

Removing his navy Burberry coat as he walked behind her, he eyed the cameramen, lighting and sound technicians and rest of the crew. The woman grabbed his coat and whisked him to an off-stage chair. Immediately a make-up lady threw a bib on the Senator and began powdering his face. “Never let them see you sweat, Senator.”

He laughed, but before he had a chance to respond, the host’s casually dressed assistant extended his hand. George shook it. “Welcome, Senator. You’ve been on before so you know the routine. Any questions?”

He shook his head.

“You do cut it close. You’ll be on in seconds.” Giving him a once over, he took the senator’s arm and sat him on stage. A young lady pinned a small microphone to his lapel.

Chuck Todd, the program moderator, posed before the camera. Locking a smile across his face, he waited for the hand signal to begin. “It’s always a delight and education to have you on this show, Senator. I continue to be impressed with your following. Your wide appeal to your New York constituency, evidenced by your recent landslide election, continues to escalate.”

“You flatter me, Chuck.”

“I do, but all of it’s earned. Political analysts claim your success is due for your feel for the people. Your zealousness fighting crime apparently matches their abhorrence of it. Did you know that in some circles you’re called the ‘crime fighter’?”

“As long as they don’t call me the ‘Caped Crusader’ I’d look awful silly in a bat suit.”

“Driving the batmobile might be fun,” Todd joked.

“Yes.”

“Actually your nickname is quite appropriate. We tallied that you either sponsored or collaborated on sixteen legislative crime bills. That’s probably some kind of unofficial record.”

The studio audience broke into applause.

“Americans are sick and tired of violence,” Senator Tobias said. “The violence isn’t confined to our streets. Our government has the country on edge, engaging in a very dangerous nuclear dialogue with North Korea and other nervous countries. They need to dial it down before something tragic happens. That’s why I’m fighting to reinstate the Congressional review process for Arms sales. This White House is too eager to arm every Tom, d**k, & Harry nation. This bill gives Congress a check on the President. Congress can prohibit or modify such a sale.”

“I understand that’s only a small part of the bill and probably the easiest to get though since it has been the law of the land. Tell me about the rest.”

Despite the hot lights and vulnerability of live television, George Tobias began to swell with excitement. “Bill 361 seeks to attack crime on four different levels. We try to make handguns a little scarcer—at least legally—by setting up additional obstacles. If you want to buy a gun you need to pass both a written and gun-handling test.”

“That sounds a bit drastic.”

“I prefer to call it innovative. It’s sort of like getting your driver’s license. Certainly guns are as deadly as motor vehicles. You don’t qualify if you have a felony. In fact, if you already have a gun, you must surrender it with a felony.”

“I suppose, Senator, that might work if all gun carriers were law-abiding citizens. I mean it’s almost an oxymoron.”

“Don’t let the NRA hear you say that.”

“Yes, indeed. I’m referring to criminals who by definition use guns to commit crimes. They have no morality. How could you force compliance?”

“You’re right. Without question, they’d go underground to get their weapons. My bill is not a panacea. Passage would make it more difficult for some. But even that small bit would translate into fewer deaths.”

Todd glanced at his notes. “What about some of the other areas?”

“The bill allocates $15 billion to expand the nations’ police force. In its present form, the Fed would provide matching dollars to cities for additional police with populations of 250,000 or more or whose crime rate reached 110 % of the national average.”

“Where does the money come from, Senator?”

“The bill itself doesn’t address that issue, but there’s no question there’s money available without raising taxes. It’s a question of priorities. If we wring waste out of the budget, there would be ample money for this program and many more.”

“How is the bill tougher on criminals?”

“A major concern of most people, particularly the victims, is that criminals get out of jail too soon…”

“And they’re back on the street repeating the same offenses,” Todd said.

“Exactly. I suggest we double the number of prison beds by the year 2020 to cut back on early releases.”

“How expensive a proposition?”

“Another 415 billion. Finally, I suggest we nationalize the death penalty, place stricter limits both on the number and the length of time it can be appealed. Most people don’t know it costs the taxpayers more to put a person to death because of all the legal quagmire, than it would to keep him in prison for the rest of his life.”

“But with all due respect, Senator, your legislative success rate is very poor,” Todd said.

“If we only looked at percentages, I’d be the first to agree with you. But remember, it takes a lot more hatchet swings to chop down a Sequoia redwood than an apple tree. Somebody’s got to keep chipping away…”