Digging ditches for Farmer Jones

When I first started being a Highway Patrol Officer, I became aware of other officers that would stray "Off the Beat".

One night, we had an odd number of men (No women until four years later). The Sergeant paired up with me, as in the South Central Los Angeles Office, you paired up at sundown instead of at 2200 hours--10 PM to Civilians.

We are cruising the Firestone Area ( County of Los Angeles). We hear an officer running a plate, and he gives his location as 103rd and Central. That location was in the City of Los Angeles, where the Highway Patrol had traffic responsibilities on Freeway and County roads. The Firestone area is Unincorporated.

The Sergeant has me drive him to the Officer's location. He got out, had a conversation with the Officer, then returned.

After we drove away, he asks " What did you do growing up, I mean. like work"?

" I grew up on ranches and dairies".

"What did you do?"

" All kinds of things--ride after cattle,. milk cows, dig ditches..."

" O K... You only dug those ditches on your dairy or your ranch?"

"Yes.."

" Well, you see, it is like you were hired to dig ditches for Farmer Jones. Farmer Smith is going by, sees you, and says" Hey-how would you like to come over to my place and dig a ditch out for me?" You say,"O K..who is going to pay me?" "Smith says " Farmer Jones is already paying you.

The Sergeant continued. "You see, the State of California hired you to work thier farm, and dig their ditch. The people of the City of Los Angeles already pay taxes toward the Los Angeles Police Department. So, essntially, if you go off your beat, you are doing work for Smith when Jones hired you and is paying you."

I'm sure you are sitting there, wondering.."Where is he going?"

1. The VOTERS hire representatives to go to Congress for them. If this were a true Democracy, every voter would vote on every Bill and issue.

2. The ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES are supposed to work for the majority of the people who voted for them.

3. It appears that they guys we hired are working for Farmer Smith (AKA Big Business, through their lobbyists)and Farmer Martinez ( Mexico, Central America, and the Illegal Aliens who snuck in here with their own agendas. And, don''t try to tell me " It's just work that Americans will not do")