After 15 years on Capitol Hill, my greatest challenge is guarding my heart against cynicism. Political machinations wear on me like nothing else. During my years of front line ministry, I’ve been cursed at, spit on, punched, slapped, put in handcuffs, had my life threatened, been repeatedly insulted, even been urinated on, but by the grace of God, I’ve kept my joy and even–sometimes beyond my own belief–maintained a love and even compassion for my tormentors. However, when it comes to cynical, power-grubbing, vulgar, bald-faced, self-aggrandizing and self-serving politics, I start to lose my “fruits.” (That is, the Galatians 5:22-23 “Fruit of the Spirit” kind, i.e., “love, joy, peace,” etc.)

And so, yesterday, when I got an early morning report that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid may be offering hundreds of millions of your hard-earned tax dollars as bribes to his fellow Democrats that are holding off on voting for a tax-payer funded abortion health care reform bill, it put me over the edge. I hope you saw my video on this. If you didn’t, please take a moment and view it here, then pass it along to your family, friends and fellow church members.

Today I’m seeking clarification from Senator Reid on exactly what he has offered and to whom. I also want to know whether he will unequivocally repudiate the threat against pro-life Democrat senators to close Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, which would result in hundreds of job losses for hard-working families there. Apparently it was an idea hatched at the White House as a way to teach a lesson to Nebraska senator Ben Nelson, the leading pro-life Democrat.

This is all so ugly I hate even dealing with it, but it’s reality. A few people think my “30 Pieces of Silver Disgrace” presentation to Senator Reid is over-the-top, but most applauded it. What do you think? The Bible says there’s safety in the multitude of counselors. I haven’t succeeded in getting an appointment with the Senator to make the presentation yet, so there’s still time to withdraw it. What do you think I should do? Please let me know in your comments on this blog.

I’ll keep you informed.

Rob +

PS The Los Angeles Times has a nice summation of the stages left for ratification of the heath care bill: http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-health-box17-2009dec17,0,1786799.story