Jacky Rosen Tosses a Bone to Vets

But Mind That Other Boot

It’s curious when a politician does something kind-hearted and helpful right after an election year.

Senator Jacky Rosen, a woman of considerable smile and careful diction, has hitched her name to a bill that would make military retirement pay tax-free. And bless her for it, as they could surely use a little relief.

The bill is called the Tax Cuts for Veterans Act, and it aims to unshackle U.S. veterans from the cold iron grip of the taxman. Speaking in tones that’d warm the heart of a marble statue, Rosen said, “Veterans in Nevada and across our nation have made huge sacrifices to keep our nation safe, and the least we can do is ensure they can keep all of their retirement pay.”

That’s mighty fine, and for once, Washington might look like it’s got some common sense brewing in the pot. But here’s the part where voters should keep one eye on the lady’s smile and the other square on her boots—both of them.

Because while one foot may be gently nudging the noble bill forward, the other is liable to swing up when you’re least expecting and catch you right in the nether region, if you understand. Politics, after all, is a game of gestures with one hand and schemes with the other.

Whether Rosen’s sincerity is pure as mountain spring water or just cleverly bottled and sold at election-time prices, it’s learned that every gift from the government comes wrapped in fine print and often with a string or two tied to the tail.

So, hats off to the Senator for stepping in the right direction. Just mind the other boot, as it could swing the other way.