Beech Tree News Network

Throughout history, in order to be elected politicians have appealed to man’s baser, lustful side.  I’m not talking here of skirt-chasing, or drunkenness, and /or debauchery, but just the promise of “things and stuff”.  Things that people want and do not have--- a “chicken in every pot, and two cars in every garage.” ---trips, cruises, fine cars and houses… more and more.  And we know that all these things are not bad within themselves.  The Apostle Paul though admonishes in Romans 13: “Do not always think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”
When Lyndon Johnson wanted political favors he passed-out electric tooth brushes.  Everybody didn’t own one when they first came out.  “Now,” he said, “When people brush their teeth, they will think of me.”
Lyndon was not above stretching the truth when it suited.  When stumping for an election before a crowd, he would stop in mid sentence, point to the audience and say, “I see my old friend Bill out there today… how you doin’ Bill?”
It was a well- known fact that Lyndon micro-managed the war in Vietnam… almost to the point that he told General Westmoreland how many push-ups to do each morning.  Lyndon once orchestrated a sham in order to justify escalating our offensive operations in Vietnam.  It was called The Battle of Tonkin Gulf, adjacent to Hanoi, North Vietnam.
Not all, certainly, but politicians lie to get what they want.  But you knew that, lest you’ve been under a rock somewhere all your life.  The Tonkin Gulf thing was more serious than electric toothbrushes for votes.  Lyndon’s WAR on POVERTY wasn’t doing all that great here in the U.S.  The Vietnam thing was also a thorn in his side.  So, the word dropped that North Vietnamese gunboats fired on U.S. Navy ships in the Gulf of Tonkin… this at night. President Johnson ordered some of our destroyers to go up there and engage “the enemy gunboats.”  When they got on station nothing showed up on radar.   Never-the-less, to make it look like they were doing something they were ordered to do; they shot around half the night… seeing nothing--- hitting nothing.  Why? There was nothing there.  They could find none of their own ships that had been “fired” upon.  Ask any high-ranking, honest, naval officers who were part of this, they will tell you it was a BIG SHAM.
Lyndon did get what he wanted: he sent 125,000 more troops to Vietnam, and started bombing raids against North Vietnam… hoping to bring the enemy to the peace table.  He offered to give North Vietnam one-billion dollars, and withdraw all American troops, if they would come to the peace table.  They declined.  Lyndon needed to end the war so he could be re-elected.  He didn’t.  He wasn’t.
If some politicians can’t get what they want one way; they will another.  During the first two years of the Eisenhower administration, starting in 1953, a low-life jackass by the name of Senator Joseph McCarty (R. Wis.), was the head of the sub-committee on finding out about “Communists” in the U.S. Government.  He completely disregarded any constitutional rights of individuals, and went on a Communist witch-hunt.  Before they got him stopped he ruined a whole lot of innocent peoples’ lives and careers.  At one time he branded the Screen Actors’ Guild in Hollywood as a Communist front organization, and its president at the time as a Communist.  His name happened to Ronald Reagan.  That’s something, to have had a former “Communist” later to become President of the United States.  
 But remember, it’s good we can have politicians.  In DICTATORSHIPS there are none.  If a person tries to be a politician, he more than likely is stood –up against the wall and shot.
Trail tip #14: If you ever get one foot hung in the stirrup and one in the gate at the same time, you can YELL WOE A LOT. It probably won’t do a lot of good.  Sorry.
Kindest regards….