The truth tax

Got to keep movin, got to keep movin’
Blues fallin’ down like hail.

-Robert Johnson-

One of the defenses of the Bush right consists of issuing lies so quickly that even the most glaring and blatant get past criticism.  It’s the technique nature uses to proliferate many species; fish just can’t eat all the mosquito larvae.  It becomes difficult therefore to find something excessive enough or outrageous enough to warrant talking about when the crimes and deceptions and misdeeds of our government fall like hail from a Midwestern thunderstorm.  Reach out and grab a few, but it makes no difference; there are more than anyone has time to refute and the public retreats into ball games, flag waving and comfortable confidence.  

• A Gallup Poll taken after last Friday's indictment of Mr. Libby, according to the Christian Science Monitor, shows for the first time that a 51% majority of the public now views Cheney unfavorably.  49% then support a man whose lies and machinations severely endangered the United States and its economy and caused the death and dismemberment of tens of thousands.  No change of role for Cheney in the Bush administration seems under consideration.

• A Reuters article yesterday says that the Bush administration opposes a Republican proposal that oil companies voluntarily contribute some of their record profits to a federal fund that helps poor Americans pay winter heating bills which will higher than ever before this winter, Energy Secretary Sam Bodman said on Wednesday.  Oil profits are of course up enormously and so are prices.  Asked by reporters if the administration supported the plan, Energy Secretary Sam Bodman responded: "No, sir. I wouldn't support it. It is similar to a tax."  Justice too is similar to a tax.  I don’t expect too much of that to be coming our way.

• Despite widespread knowledge of Karl Rove’s involvement in the Valerie Plame affair, today’s Washington Post tells us that White House communications director Nicolle Wallace said that there have not been any White House meetings to discuss Rove's fate, and that the senior adviser is actively engaged and "doing an outstanding job." She said "there is no debate" over Rove's future.  

There is little debate over anything, only arguments from conclusions based on the will to believe. People would rather believe in the honesty of liars, the wisdom of idiots and the glory of war.