Pigs and Fools

The Jenius has a brilliant friend who is writing a book with the title "Lipstick on a Pig." In Puerto Rican tradition, We have "La Puerca de Juan Bobo," a fat sow covered in jewelry and fine clothes that, nevertheless, remains a pig. It seems that the concept of external trappings being unable to disguise innate crassness makes a disturbingly frequent appearance in Our lives.

So what can We expect when We hear that some 40 organizations and agencies are coming together under the banner "Action Agenda for Puerto Rico," and that a Steering Committee will meet "immediately" to determine goals and a work plan?

Very little. Even less of it good.

And when We hear that representatives of the Legislative and Executive branches of Our "government" are part of that "Steering" Committee?

We expect nothing at all. Forget good: We'd just settle for silence.

So are We surprised to note that the first meeting of the "Steering Mob" degenerated into a "my daddy's got a bigger wiwi than yours"-type shouting match between José Aponte, president of the (Out)house of "representatives" (no, no capital letters) and Gustavo Vélez, economic "advisor" to the "governor" over which branch (twig?) had "done more to improve the local economy?"

Here's the Truth, Fools: Neither of you. At the risk of repeating Myself: Shut up and get to work. If you know how.

Puerto Rico does NOT need a multiorganizational mob made up of the usual slackers intent on seeing their mugs in papers and on TV, their words cluttering up the airwaves. It does NOT need government "advice," for that's like asking a crack whore for marriage counseling. It does NOT need another "SuperPlan Screeched Loudly" to distract attention from the pathetic state Our economy is in, largely due to The Fools playing pocket pool with Our dignity, Our money and Our Future.

The Executive twig We tolerate is led by a confused invertebrate bereft of any qualifiable skill to turn Our situation around. The Legislative twig is caught in the machinations of a deranged desperado flailing to protect himself from the punishment he and his sticky-fingered cohorts rightly deserve... with the rest of the twig's Fools playing along to cover their sorry butts and feed in the frenzy.

The Fools cannot--cannot--create an "Action Agenda for Puerto Rico." They can't do anything, much less FOR anyone except for their own benefit. To leave such a vital process in their hands is to throw away more of Our Future, compounding the dreadful waste of the past 20 years.

"Action Agenda." "Steering Committee." Empty phrases and empty efforts from empty minds.

The Jenius Has Spoken.