“…I have never gotten a penny…

…of money from the farm.”

I’m not sure if its the lawyer or the Christian in Michelle Bachman that makes it so easy for her to lie. Lawyers get to “parse” things like Bill Clinton did when he tried to redefine the word “is.” Good Christians may have the power to pray that God will make their lies come true.” In any event the Congresswoman does seem to have earned a few pennies from her farm.

I’m struck by Michelle’s flexible attitude toward the Ninth Commandment. She began her political career as a great fan of the Democrat Jimmy Carter. I believe she was particularly impressed with the peanut farmer/Sunday School teacher’s strong Christian ethic. I was reminded of this this morning as I plowed through Walter Mondale’s recent bio “The Good Fight.” I’m reading it for some background research on a book I’ll soon attempt to write.

Here’s what Fritz has to say about JC:

“He thought that everything you did in Washington should be something you could clearly and honestly explain to your neighbors back home. He was an utterly honorable guy – he never embarrassed me….I think that Carter figured, in the final analysis, it’s what the folks back home think of you that is the measure of your qualities as president: Do you tell the truth, do you keep your world, do you live by your principles?”

Mondale is a little tedious and earnest for my taste but his book has reminded me of the way things were thirty and more years ago in the world of politics. One thing it makes clear. Jimmy Carter, whatever faults he had, was a man of integrity who would have blanched at telling such a whopper as Michelle’s. But then, she became a Republican and took God with her.

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