Emergency Use Only -- No Bull!

More not-so-hidden agendas:

Instapundit links to this shocker, which typifies the ruling class mentality our founding fathers wanted this country to avoid. Tom Harkin saw no need to stand in the insufferably long lines he helped impose on the American people, so he flashed his special Apparatchik card, and cut ahead of the 200 ordinary Americans -- "proles" who had been waiting obediently in their long queue.

Tom Harkin, Populist!

"more worried about getting the job done for the people..."

Here's what I've been waiting for all these years. In California and in a growing number of cities, our rulers have constructed so called "environmental" highway lanes, called "High Occupancy Vehicle" or, simply, "HOV."

Anyone who has been sufficiently steeped in Newspeak to bow his head reverently whenever the Holy Environment is mentioned will not question the "need" for these lanes. Only a right wing wacko would maintain that because he pays taxes he has a right to drive on roads he paid for. (Obviously, such misguided thinking must be stamped out. But what really needs to be stamped out is knowledge of history.)

Too many of these right wing wackos recall that the busy Soviet Apparatchiks had their own special lanes. These were strictly "verboten" to ordinary citizens, but after all, their rulers were trying to help them. They were "more worried about getting the job done for the people."

Just like Senator Harkin?

Those who feel entitled to rule want Americans to hurry up and forget about the special Russian lanes. Meanwhile, they look at the "environmental" lanes they have created, and drool longingly.

After all, the police can already drive in them. So can any "emergency vehicles." (Well, once we declare a permanent State of "Red," doesn't that make all cars driven by our fearless leaders "emergency vehicles?")

Emergency vehicles (fire, ambulance, rescue), law enforcement vehicles, public utility vehicles are already exceptions. But after 9-11, shouldn't all government-related vehicles be considered emergency vehicles? (Some busybodies have lots of important meetings to attend -- and lots of emergency regulations to impose...)

Meanwhile, they are encouraging modern Pavlik Morozovs to rat on their fellow drivers.

What a cool number they have for the rat line. I think they've started a trend:

First Seattle:
(206) 764-HERO

And now Texas!
713-921-HERO

We can all be HEROs -- just like little Pavlik Morozov. One witty blogger thinks Pavlik was ahead of his time.

Gene Healy is right. Guys like Tom Harkin want to reduce our lives to a modern rat race of despair hoping we will lash out at each other instead of the real enemy.

Similarly, Spanish matadors fear the "smart bull." That's the occasional bull who realizes that the stupid red cape is not the real enemy.

It's the guy who's waving it!