Terri, now lacing up her skates. Michael watching. And over loud speaker in indoor cool mist skating rink: Jackson Browne:

Every one I know Everywhere I go People need some reason to believe

Terri smiling. A glow that warms entire ice rink. She and Michael skating in circles. He is enthralled. She is beaming. They are ice skating. A cool mist that somehow, someway warms them. Like they were some kind of northern people, despite Terri's gentle southern draw. She and Michael skating in circles.

And from those slow, lazy, circles around cool misty ice rink; pretty Terri keeps skating as Michael fades: and she hears a tune tapped out on a floor that’s turned from ice into well worn wood. Tap dancing. An old black man in corner of. . . .it’s a cell. . .he bows and taps out:

Once I lived life of a millionaire Spending my money, I just didn’t care Took all of my friends out For a very good time Buying bootleg whiskey Champaign and wine. . . .

Terri watches and old man says, “Mr William Robinson. They call me Bo Jangles. I am pleased to meet you ma'am."

Terri nods. He says---someday there will be a song. . .and to rhythm of tap dance Terri watches and hears:

I knew a man Bojangles and he danced for you In worn out shoes With silver hair a ragged shirt and baggy pants The old soft shoe He jumped so high, jumped so high. .

And then to rhythm of tap. Terri heard noise that had somehow been lingering at edge of something far away. She heard:

“This is about sanctity of life.” But distant clamor of noise and hollow mish mash of words spoken about some one other than her fade into dust and then nothing as Mr Bojangles keeps dancing. He taps out:

I met him in a cell in New Orleans. I was Down and out

She heard her poor, sad parents and brother from far, far away: and she forgave them.

Mr Bojangles tapped out

He talked of life, he talked of life. . .

And then they were ice skating again! She and Michael. And all noise from far away not only gone, it was forgotten.

And then Mr Bojangles: she heard him tap:

He let go a laugh, he let go a laugh Shook back his clothes all around!

And then with all clamor of background noise gone, just like on a bright, clear Easter morning, leaping up from circles of that ice rink, beaming like she did when she first walked thru that kitchen door:

Mr Bojangles gave her a nod. And Terri Schiavo tapped out her own dance.

Stossel says, “There you have it. Government doesn’t have to follow same rules. When they lose money, they just demand we give them more. And we do.” Why do we do that? Why haven’t we demanded fiscal responsibility of our Government? The Republicans blame Democrats for spending. The Democrats blame Republicans, and nothing significant ever gets done. We still see fraud and waste in spending. Will it ever change?

I believe that Government is essential to any society. I believe that laws should be enacted and enforced for common good; however, I believe Government can get too big and too powerful. When our Government was first formed, it gave us basic services and taxed us a fraction of what we are taxed today. After Stock Market crash of 1929, our Government started expanding to help common man get back to work. Good idea, but we are still paying bill. The Government kept growing until it became unmanageable.

Thanks to great Reformers named Martin Luther and John Calvin, America was built on Capitalism. The free market is foundation on which America has prospered for over 200 years. The free market continues to fuel America today, but it is ever in danger of being doused by big Government and its controls. Government services can be good, but Government can’t change and flex in short notice like Capitalism can. Competition among American merchants is good for everyone involved. But Government services can’t flex and move like free markets can. Government services are too fat, and too slow to adapt to changing markets; therefore, Government should govern and let business do what it does best—do business. What say you?

Give Stossel’s book a read, and then write your Representative, telling her she needs to be advised. Americans are demanding a shaping up and trimming down of their Government. Pastor T. dash.