The theory has been tested all over the world since Desert Storm by business not by government, though they were a partner and now the leader in this game.  Just ask the former Yugoslavian countries (pick one) or South Korea.  Serbo-Croatians and Afghans are still in ruins.  Now, we have Dubya Dubya II.  It’s a work in progress.

Evidently, there really was something to be learned from not being able to see in a desert storm.  The plan did not completely fail.  The third world industrial contracts were secured in the Balkans just before the end of Desert Storm.   The politicos of the late 80’s were on the precipice of something truly great for the corporate and industrial foreign interests.  It wasn’t personal.  Just business.  Then there was 1992, and the power shifted.

“It depends on what your definition of sex is.”   Equally striking phraseology that is burned into our minds forever at a cost of $80M, and yes, it does.  These boys want instant gratification, and they will do anything to get it.   Absolute power is the vixen.   Dressed up in designer rhetoric and pimped like patriotism’s twin sister, she’s the ultimate mistress of prideful men.  They’ll make every move they can to be certain that their hand is in her…pocket.

They had to take back the White House.  Any way they could.   They greased the wheels, held fast to their affiliations, destroyed the Democratic Party over a kiss-and-tell, got the baby boys governorships, and took every penny they could get their hands on.   While they worked like a rabid hazing pack, they kept the media focused and the public diverted.  All they had to do was a Madison Avenue ad campaign for the poster child, until it was time to count the chads.  That was a scare, but they had backup by the Supremes.  This was starting to play like a Stephen King novel.

Countdown into the millennium - 2001.  The boys of the ‘80’s were back in business, and there wasn’t any need to create a diversion from third world industrial contract negotiations this time.  Just shock and awe them.  Call an ace in the hole a King of Diamonds and you’ve got yourself a manufacturing and military base of operations with enough natural resources to fuel the next ten captures.  It seems though, that the corporate interests didn’t know there was some double talk in the works.   Only a select few would benefit from this agenda.

There are some good people that got brought into the mix.  With all the seemingly villainous old characters, they needed a really good-looking, fresh crew standing on the front lines to take the initial fire.  Cabinet members and staff are dropping like hail in a Texas thunderstorm.  They make a little noise, bounce off, and melt away.   There are so many other elements capturing our attention, no one is really noticing that the ‘compassionate conservative’ has sullen staff and appointees bolting for the unemployment line at the National rate.  Of course, the instruction card and two wildcards in the deck, Rove, Cheney, and Rumsfeld, respectively, are securely nestled somewhere in the shadows.  They have a plan.  They have an agenda.   It’s really beginning to smell.

There’s the war on terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.  These are still a mystery.  It is, however, very effective at diverting focus.  

Shrub is city and deck hopping his way into the hearts of America with his hand in their pockets, never taking his eyes off of 2004, because after that, it’s just the speaking engagements and a library.  Or is it?  They have another child being groomed for the office.  This could mean 16 consecutive years of Bush, of one sort or another.  All operating under the same perspective.   Sobering, isn’t it?

Oh sure, we got a quick fix, tacky little swipe at Medicare prescription drug coverage, and an alleged tax cut, but our budgets are drained, and the States are shakin’ in their boots, schools are closing, teachers are disappearing, and the poor of America are snubbed.   We have people starving and homeless right here on the streets of America.   According to some experts, we are losing over 500 jobs a day under this administration.  Our children and grandchildren will be further down the educational ladder than they already are in comparison to world statistics.  Businesses are locking down on domestic spending, and even the airline and auto industries are shriveling up and blowing away.   Taxes, particularly on property, are crushing the American homeowner.  

Blow a little smoke here, throw a little money there, sing out for faith-based initiatives and no one really cares.  I don’t think anyone is missing a trick.

A great deal could be said about all the things that have been forced down our throats in the last three years.  The ‘compassionate conservatism’ and bipartisanship seem to have melted and run into the cracks along with the Christian labels and faith-based banners.  I was taught that Jesus fed the poor and hungry, and that it says in the Bible that the meek shall inherit the earth.  It also says that the head of the family shall care for his own.

Manifest Destiny was a phrase used by the politicians and leaders of the 1840’s, who were freshly wounded by two depressions in America.  It was allegedly a vision to give Americans a mission.  It was implemented to expand boundaries of freedom to give others the opportunity of self-government.   It was the movement West from the Colonies across what seemed to be a boundless frontier.  It was fickle and prejudiced in its generosity and flawed in its application.  It eliminated the eligibility of the Native American Indian and non-Europeans of the time.   It has evolved into a greedy obsession that has the politicians and leaders pushing into nations, uninvited and unwelcome, on a global scale.  It surely does matter which end of ‘it’ you’re on.

This isn’t Manifest Destiny, and it’s not business.  It's abuse of discretion and power for gain at the expense of every other living soul on the face of the planet.  I don’t know about you, but that’s damned personal.

To me, it has never been more brutal or blatant than today.   Each press conference or news briefing I see has this background noise that sounds like Jack Nicholson in ‘A Few Good Men’ saying, ‘...either way, I don’t give a damned what you think you are entitled to.’, and there’s no one standing up shouting a rebuttal.

I much preferred the boom of the last eight years in the previous century.  I didn’t really care if my President donned a few dames.   It was really none of my business.   I thought that was a matter between him, his spouse, and his Maker.   I was better off in 2000 than I am now.  And, so were most of you.

So, to all the folks who have fallen on the front lines of the Bush Administration Part Deaux, I lift my glass and toast your courage to depart for whatever reason.  I don’t think you were bad consigliores. 

I think Sonny is a bad Don.

Copyright 2003 by D.S. Gands – All Rights Reserved

ds_gands@yahoo.com