Unexpected Consequences

There have been some unexpected consequences to an administration gone bad or mad or both. The first of these is an unusual vocal disrespect for the President, as witnessed by popular TV shows like Bill Maher, Keith Obermann, and Bill Moyer. A few of these men have come out calling the gruesome twosome, Bush and Cheney, outright fascists. While it has always been popular for late-night hosts to poke fun at the president, especially Bill Clinton, never before has there been such a torrent of rage and disgust. Our nation's leaders are held in outright contempt. This must signal a new low for the country. The next president will have a great deal more than just the economy to fix.

How about the invasion of our privacy? Whether or not, we have anything to hide most people feel uncomfortable knowing someone is (in effect) opening their mail and listening in on their phone conversations. Again, the benefit to our security is hard to estimate but tangible results don't seem to be forthcoming. Tapping our phones and e-mails is as offensive to most people as requiring public disrobing would be.

How about the tailspin our dollar is experiencing against the world's major currencies? In the not so distant past, we had the strongest currency on the planet. Now an economy as small as Canada's has a currency stronger than the dollar. Our stock market, real estate market, and financial markets seem to be in lockstep with the decline of the dollar. America's assets are selling at a huge discount; the equivalent of buying Tiffany jewelry at Kmart prices.

Another phenomenon, according to Chris Matthews's popular Hardball TV series, is the conferencing going on around the nation's water coolers. Office worker gossip has been replaced with earnest discussions about the candidates and their positions over wide variety of national issues. Issues like the expansion or contraction of the war can be expected to be hot topics. But not around the water cooler. National health care and the stumbling economy likewise are hot topics usually reserved for the cocktail hour.

And still another consequence to this administration is the early start to the presidential campaign. Whether or not the early stumping is a result of a reaction to the war in Iraq is hard to determine. One thing is clear. Candidates of both parties began their countrywide sweep for delegates nearly a year ahead of schedule. Perhaps the Democrats saw an opportunity to capitalize on a 75% disapproval rating for a Republican president. How they will turn this in their favor is hard to imagine, since the democratically controlled Congress enjoys an even lower rating than the president.

Anyone who has traveled lately has experienced the incredible inconvenience thrust upon our air traveling public. The debate is about whether any of these additional disruptions to our routine are accomplishing anything at all. On every occasion the Homeland Security's additional measures were tested they failed miserably. Agents posing as terrorists were able to smuggle components for all kinds of explosive devices through customs and onboard airplanes. On a cost to benefit ratio the cost is astronomical, and the benefit is near zero.

Lastly, how about the nations fear factor? Homegrown terrorists like those from Montana or Waco Texas have done extraordinary damage in the past, but never before have our leaders felt it was necessary to remind us on a daily basis to tremble in our boots. Nor have they used such occasions to strip us of our rights and dignity. We have plowed billions into a Gestapo like bureaucracy, Homeland security, which was supposed to have made us more secure. In my opinion, and that of almost every national commentator I listen to, it has had the opposite effect. Once these bureaucracies are built is next to impossible to dismantle them. Putting all of our security forces under one umbrella answerable only to the president is a fascist move if there ever was one. I felt more secure when all of our nations spy agencies were running their own shows. At least then there were checks and balances.

In the final analysis I believe the goodness and common sense of the American public will come to the aid of the republic in time to stave off disaster. The damage done to the nation's prestige and self-respect won't be restored overnight. But a talking American public is a healthy sign that we are taking stock of our perilous position and intend to do something about it. In the upcoming election there is a promise of change. One change which cannot be overestimated is the introduction of the internet into the equation. I believe the incredible amount of support and money raised by the grassroots/internet campaign waged by Ron Paul has not gone unnoticed, although he apparently has. When candidates feel the need to distance themselves from special interest groups and refuse their money, as has been done by Barack Obama, and can successfully run their campaigns without that fragrant grease, we are headed in the right direction.

Hoorah!