I have never been a big fan of automobile retailing. When I go to the showroom and am told I have to buy today or lose out on a great deal, I would prefer vomiting in the salespersons’ pocket over buying their car.

It makes me angry that they think I will believe a sales “pitch” that is so absurdly silly. Likewise, lately the Republican Party, gearing up its “pitch” for the fall elections, seems to think all of us are dumb enough to buy the lemon on the lot without driving it.

The first lemon this week was the drive to amend the constitution over the marriage issue. Besides the fact that states make their own decisions here so there is no problem for the solution, the Senate never really expected to pass the amendment, and knew that if they did pass it the amendment would never succeed in two thirds of the states. Cynical? That would be a kind observation for national leaders who prefer to turn Americans against each other to rally voters they only support three days every two years when an election is scheduled.

The second lemon is still unfolding…as in the flag. In spite of the fact that over the last decade there have been no reports of flag burning in America, congressional Republicans wish to amend the US constitution to prevent flag burning. Gee, that looks an awful lot like a purple Plymouth Duster at the back of the lot being presented as a “classic.” Why a flag amendment then? It is amazingly simple…the Republicans think their voters are dumb enough that if the party mentions this every election year patriotic Americans will go to the polls and vote Republican.

But the real lemon this week, the one that should evoke new lemon laws, is the death of

Al- Zarqawi that has resulted in the first ever US House of Representatives debate on the war in Iraq. Want to re-read that sentence? It is true. Congressional oversight of a three year war drawing down incredible resources in lives, injuries, funds, world regard, and internal division in America, is only now having its first discussion in the House. If you find that at all troubling that there has been no need to discuss our country at war, consider this…the intent of this weeks’ “discussion” is to position Republicans as pro- war and Democrats as anti- war going into the fall elections. Indeed, there will be little, if any, authentic debate, since that still is not, apparently, relevant to this congress.

During the last three years we have lost somewhere between $9 billion and $21 billion dollars in Iraq, and, yes, I mean lost as in misplaced, can’t find, gave it away.

And it appears that we lost it in cash…bills…American currency in bundles called footballs. Did the House investigate? Nope.

During the last three years the American Iraq Inspector General has uncovered some incredible stories about waste and fraud in re-construction. We appear to have spent billions of dollars to re-build Iraq’s schools, power infrastructure, roads, airports, and public facilities without actually accomplishing those goals. And now the money is gone but no contractors have been charged with any crime. Did the House think this worthy of oversight? Nope. No need to even discuss the issue.

So this week the House runs a purely political “discussion” of Iraq thinking Americans are too dumb to see the irresponsible conduct of congress, combined with the perception that voters won’t know any better. Want to rush to the polls to vote for these guys? There shouldn’t be much of a line in November.

Jim Crawford is a local political enthusiast.

He can be reached at drjim893@msn.com.