Connecting the Dots

Recent Congressional legislation will slash the budgets of many social programs that help the less-fortunate - while increasing military spending for the war in Iraq and providing the affluent with even more tax cuts. It will now be more difficult for low-income students to secure federal student loans. Their chance to go to college, earn a degree, find a good job, and live where they choose, (choices most of us take for granted) - has been dealt a serious blow.

A few days ago, an "Air America" telephone caller theorized that this legislation serves the "Bush Crime Family's" (BCF) need for a steady supply of soldiers to fight in their wars. The caller said that by making it more difficult for high school graduates to get the money they need for college - they would likely see the military as their best option, and join up. If the caller has connected the dots correctly - the BCF has succeeded in a despicable, back-handed maneuver that will ensure that their wars are fought with soldiers of the lowest social and economic status.

Some day, we'll all have to answer to a higher power. We may be judged by the words of a young teacher from Bethlehem: "What you do to the least of these, you also do to me".

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There is a lot of skepticism surrounding Vice President Cheney's answers to questions regarding why it took 18 hours before anyone was notified that he had shot his friend, Harry Whittington, while quail hunting in Texas. Cheney was later interviewed on Fox News a few days later. While accepting full responsibility for his actions, Cheney made a couple of remarks that raise some concerns:

Cheney admitted to having a drink earlier that day, although he said it was only a single beer at lunch. This was only a few hours before the shooting occured. Has your wife ever asked how many drinks you consumed during an evening out with the boys? Your answer is likely half of what you really drank - in an effort to minimize the harassment you are about to receive. Do you really think that Cheney and his hunting buds had only one drink? And is it possible that the vehicles contained refreshments for pre- or post-hunt thirst quenching?

Then Cheney made an even more damaging admission, remarking that he “didn’t know until Sunday morning that Harry was going to be all right.” This throws a different light on the decision not to make public any information about the shooting for nearly a full day. During that period, when Cheney and his aides could not be sure whether the vice president might be facing involuntary manslaughter charges, there were undoubtedly discussions about how to handle the story—perhaps even consideration of whether someone else might have to take the fall for the shooting. Only after Whittington was out of immediate danger was the press contacted with the news that Cheney had been the shooter.

It is no wonder that law enforcement officers were kept away. If they had been allowed to "connect the dots" - perhaps a very crooked line would have emerged.