About the Author:  I also write under the names Rudi Stettner and Magdeburger Joe. My home websites are rudistettner.com and magdeburgerjoe.com. Through my writing I like to promote a "labour conservative " social outlook as well as my eclectic tastes and interests Read more from this author

Nancy Pelosi, the woman who turned the lights out in Congress, is getting ready to call Congress into emergency session after the election in November to pass food stamp increases, unemployment extensions and possibly a tax rebate if Obama is elected, according to an article in My Way News.

According to the article “After consulting with Barack Obama, Democratic leaders are likely to call Congress back to work after the election in hopes of passing legislation that would include extended jobless benefits, money for food stamps and possibly a tax rebate, officials said Saturday.

The bill’s total cost could reach $150 billion.”

According to the article, Democrats are increasingly bullish on their election chances, even as pessimism gains traction with the public about the economy. The promise to convene after the election is predicated on massive Democratic victories. No word is given of what would happen if McCain wins. The $150 billion will come from a far less healthy tax base than existed even a few months ago. In the world of government, expenditures are solid, even though tax receipts are far less certain.

What shouts out from between the lines in this article is the sound of vote buying. Feeding upon fears for the future, the Democrats are already promising goodies to the most vulnerable voters whose support is cheapest. At a time when even rumours can spark wild swings in the market, the Democrats are publicising their doomsday scenarios. It is ironic that the greatest doomsday scenario on Wall street seems to be a Democratic victory. The longer Obama remains in the lead, the bleaker the Dow Jones numbers seem to appear.

Buying votes with private funds is illegal. But promising extravagant largesse on behalf of the government is totally legal.

The government has always targeted local and national crises with humanitarian aid. But the timing and tone of the latest news “leak” stinks like a blatant attempt to both bribe and frighten the voters.

There is a bit of trivial information that degenerated into a cliche back in the 90’s. It is said thatthe character in Chinese for crisis also means opportunity. In actual truth, the word for crisis in Chinese is represented by two ideograms. One is “danger’ The other is “opportunity”. The Democrats are blatant in their attempts to turn the danger to our economy and country into a political opportunity.

Anyone who cares for the country should be attempting to build a consensus on a remedy. A healthy economy, from manufacturing to financial markets is in the common interest. The well being of workers can not be ignored. Those who produce wealth are not a footnote in our national dialogue about the economic situation. But the legitiamate fears of workers about the health of our economy should not be addressed by a cheap attempt to buy their votes. Anyone who attempts this should have their motives and agenda subject to the most rigourous scrutiny.

Nancy Pelosi is attempting to seduce the voters by turning on the lights in Congress the morning after election night. It looks pretty ugly. And we shouldn’t fall for it.