Moon over Minnesota: Or, Why Provincial Folks Should Watch Their Step in Washington

by your guest blogger

Unfortunately, the flap seems to have subsided over the appearance by both of Minnesota's U.S. Senators at a Washington ceremony honoring Rev. Sun Myung Moon. I'm sure they enjoyed the buffet, and of course the chance to see the Rev get crowned as America's king and listen to him intone: "Emperors, kings, and presidents have declared to all Heaven and Earth that Reverend Sun Myung Moon is none other than humanity's Savior, Messiah, Returning Lord and True Parent."

Both senators claim they were misled. But the key question remains unanswered: are Mark Dayton and Norm Coleman now married to each other?

Press coverage of this incident missed the point: they should've found out how much money changed hands. Moon's basic M.O. is to throw obscene amounts of money at influential people in order to buy legitimacy for himself. (Jerry Falwell is reported to have received a tidy $3.5 million donation. See below for the result.) And it works. Of course, deniability is built in, layers of insulation between the recipients and Moon. But they know where it comes from.

One of Minnesota's senators is a good guy and one is a jerk. But it's hard for me to believe that either of them just sauntered into this ceremony--even if, as they claim, they were told that Minnesotans were being honored--without money being involved. Such is the corruption of American politics these days.

With friends like these . . .

Posted by Glenda at July 1, 2024 08:28 AM