Battle of Words

President G.W. Bush has exerted all of his political capital. He has been the master of communicating messages to the American people while simultaneously initiating a contradictory policy. Since elected he has been in constant campaign mode and has yet to govern the nation in any other area but security. It is this very area where he has taking advantage of a need for strong leadership in the aftermath of 9/11. He almost cowardly clings to the advantages this tragic event gave him by constantly delivering messages of fear, eminent terrorist attacks and nuclear threats from rogue nations.

His current rhetoric reminds me of an old story called:

"The Boy Who Cried Wolf," by The Boy Who Cried Wolf

That's me. I'm the boy. This is my story.I was given a big job to do: watching a big herd of sheep. I had to protect them from the big hungry wolf.If I saw the wolf, the people from the village would come running to catch him.This is a pretty tough job, so I got a book from the library called "How to Watch Sheep." It said:YOU MAY BE SCAREDYOU MAY BE WORRIEDTHAT YOU WON'T KNOWJUST WHAT TO DOIF SOMETHING BIGAND BAD AND FURRYCOMES TRYING TO STEALTHOSE SHEEP FROM YOU!JUST CRY "WOLF!"I was practicing shouting "wolf!" and the villagers heard me. They came running."Somebody cried 'wolf!' Where's the wolf?""I heard you cry 'wolf'? Are the sheep okay? What's happening?"But there was no wolf, so I said, "False alarm! Sorry!" I went back to my job, and the villagers went back to the village.After a while, I decided to let the sheep know they were safe with me. I told them that if I see a big wolf . . .I'LL JUST CRY "WOLF!"A BIG BIG WOLF!JUST CRY "WOLF!"ALL THE FOLKS WILL COME A-RUNNING.ALL I HAVE TO DO IS CRY "WOLF!"The villagers heard me talking to the sheep. They came running again."Somebody cried 'wolf!' again! Where's the wolf again?""I heard you cry 'wolf'? Are the sheep okay again? What's happening?"But there was no wolf again, so I said, "False alarm! Sorry!" I went back to my job, and again the villagers went back to the village.This was fun! It's not often a whole village will listen to a kid like me. After a while, I decided to practice one more time. If I see a big wolf . . .I'LL JUST CRY "WOLF!"A BIG BIG WOLF!JUST CRY "WOLF!"ALL THE FOLKS WILL COME A-RUNNING.ALL I HAVE TO DO IS CRY "WOLF!"A big crowd from the little village came running to help me again. But there was no big wolf again."Wow, you came even faster this time!" I said. The villagers were not happy. Not one bit. "I don't believe this. That's the third time I came running for nothing! I think this big job has gone to that little boy's head!"And they all headed back to the village.But then the big hungry wolf really did come to steal the sheep!I cried "WOLF!" No one came.I shouted "WOLF!" No one came again.I yelled "WOLF!" No one came some more.I screamed "WOLF!""That's me," said the wolf, and without so much as a huff or a puff, he disappeared with all my sheep - the big ones and the little ones.

This Orwellian strategy of saying one thing but doing another has left G.W. Bush in a position where he is forced to always be on his toes, as a liar must keep his stories straight. I hope he also must now choose to tell the truth. His administration’s self imposed disadvantages such as of a lost of public trust also force them to pursue an agenda that is more inline with a plurality of the American people, not simply those that voted for them. Is my observation incorrect? G. W. Bush said “the American people are addicted to oil” and he is talking about using grass to create fuel for cars.

Lets also get back to those rogue nations. North Korea shot a missile over Japan literally taunted us but we ignored them. Iran has been talking (excuse my French) smack, advocating destroying Israel and reinstitution of a nuclear energy program for some time. Are we now in a position where we must fight Wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran?

A politician will tell you whatever you want to hear to get your vote. G.W. Bush has taken this to the extreme, even after elected he continues to manipulate the public by mouthing political rhetoric. However he has cried wolf too many times. G.W. Bush has been President of the U.S. for over half a decade and the only agenda items completed under his watch has been a new bankruptcy law, the Dept. of Homeland Security, Tort reforms, Medicaid reforms, a free trade agreement, a transportation bill, and an energy bill. Do you see a trend in these initiatives, and have you heard the news about their failures, pork, and how your money is being wasted in many of these bills? And do you realize it is Homeland Security that was responsible for the failures in response to Hurricane Katrina?

A nation cannot be ran on wedge issues. Such issues win elections but they do not govern a country. Our nation and our people deserve a President who is focused on doing his job, a President that is able to govern, a President whom is not 100% of the time in campaign mode. It appears that in response to the 2006 State of the Union the Democratic Party is finally articulating a better way.