Tuesday, March 15, 2005

Hypocrisy and (Moral) Bankruptcy

Robert Scheer hits one out of the park in the Los Angeles Times today, on the subject of the bankruptcy bill.

The Bankruptcy Bill: a Tutorial in Greed:

...So why gut the bankruptcy law now? Greed, pure and simple. And, pathetically, this bankers' dream is becoming a reality through the support of Republicans who have decided, as they often do with social issues, to selectively pick and choose when to follow the teachings of the Bible.

A key sponsor of the bill, Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), actively opposes abortion and same-sex marriage on biblical grounds yet believes the Good Book's clear definition and condemnation of usury is irrelevant. The Old Testament, revered by Jews, Muslims and Christians alike, mandates debt forgiveness after seven years, as was pointed out earlier this month by an organization of Christian lawyers in a letter to Grassley.

"I can't listen to Christian lawyers," said the senator, "because I would be imposing the Bible on a diverse population."

Is that what they're calling MBNA and Citi Corp. these days? Diverse?