The Real Vice

Vice-President Cheney shot one of his buddies on a hunting trip last week, and his Republican spin-doctors are howling with glee at the outraged screams that he is a cretin for hunting. Of course he’s a cretin; anyone who thinks that this is news has been in a coma.

The fact that so many liberal bloggers seem to think that hunting is the trouble trivializes the entire situation, and that smells like help from the Neocons. After all, a good pickpocket does not keep you from seeing him, just from seeing what he is doing. While everyone is wringing their hands about the poor baby birds that Cheyney is sending to kingdom come, nobody is paying attention to the game. The first rule of many games is “keep your eye on the ball.” This kind of news is tailor-made to prevent more important things from getting the attention they deserve.

Few pundits are screaming that Cheyney broke the law by not having a hunting license. The law, in case anyone is interested, is what the president and vice-president swear to uphold in this country, and this administration has shown a disdain for law that rivals that of many felons. Okay, and not buying a hunting license is not such a big deal, punishable a fine that Cheyney can loose and never miss.

But what about the fact that Condo-sleeza Rice was on TV saying that “We” whoever that is, are attuned to the “hopes and dreams of the Iranian people”. For those who like things laid out plainly: These are very similar to words that heralded the beginning of the present morass in Iraq. In about 6 weeks, Iran plans to begin trading oil in Euros, rather than in dollars. And the “we” for whom Rice was speaking are the sons and daughters of working-class people who are going to be herded off to become cannon fodder so the rich can get richer, and the poor can get the hell out of their way.

People disgusted with the current political climate look to 2008 with hope. If the best we can do is censure the vice-president for hunting in the press, there is no hope.

Many people look to Hillary Clinton as the candidate. When the honorable Senator from New York grows a spine and stands up to the Neocons, she can have my vote, and not a minute before. We have 100 senators. Why is it that out of those one hundred senators, there was not a single one who would stand up to the Republican election fraud in 2000? The House of Representatives were outraged by the mis-doings in that election. Not a single senator would stand behind them and demand an investigation. Why was that? Could it be because our United States Senators are loath to risk their cushy jobs by doing them and standing up for the people who hired them in the first place?

Why is it that of 100 senators, none is willing to ask for impeachment? Does anyone honestly believe that Bush acted in good faith when he engineered our invasion of Iraq? Does anyone write representatives anymore? I do it regularly, and I get the same answer every time: “Thanks for writing. I’m going to continue doing what I damned well please.”

We are willing to look the other way when our leaders break laws. We like to pretend that there is nothing we can do about all the powerful bad guys in Washington. As long as we stay comfortable and safe, we are going to have the same profit-driven, busybody government without change or end.

Personally, I am angry with Cheyney for shooting the wrong rich, white, middle-aged, male, dominionist Neocon. Also, the dumbass should have used a deer rifle.