School Yard Policy

Reading over the mainstream press and the blog-o-verse about this supposed surge (not a surge if you do it slowly) of troops that Bush wants which strikes me as some strange macho inflated school yard approach to policy: 'If you don't do what I want, I get some friends and we smack the crap out of you.' Now, it occurs to me that the approach of bullies and sophomoric school yard thinking is really how Bush and Cheney operate.

If you disagree with them and challenge them, they insult you by calling you an "asshole" or "unpatriotic" or "defeatist" or fill in the blank with all of the other names that they have used for those who ask them the simple question of "why?"

They surround themselves with friends even when supposedly campaigning and this circle of friends and buddies defends them even against overwhelming evidence to the contrary. These pals uses nicknames and slap on the back righteousness to prop up every failed two-bit plan that they establish in balls-to-the-wall must do it now impetuousness. These guys do not stop for a moment and wonder, 'Am I really doing the right thing for future generations?' Nope, they want to reward their buddies and their buddies' buddies.

And in the school yard do you stop and reach out to the other kids? Nope. You ignore them, you ridicule them, and in the extreme -- you fight them. And all of this is done simply because you can. Katrina -- sorry you folks are not part of our buddy system. We will get to you in a half hearted gesture that says more about how much we don't give a shit about you because you are not in our friends calling circle. Bummer for you. Working class? You might as well keep on working because what you fight for in raises for the minimum wage, we will take away in health care or increasing national debt. Sucks to be you because we will reward our friends with no-bid contracts and other prizes.

Of course, unless your one of the in-crowd, it is a problem for all of us. Because of these stuck-in-the-school-yard of their tortured youth clowns, perhaps none of us have left the school yard.