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Everyone who was surprised to learn that the Bush White House was playing politics with the Justice Department, please raise your hand. Anybody? OK! Anyone who would be astounded to learn that the Bush White House wasn't playing politics with Justice and every other arm of government, every bureau, department and committee, please raise your hands. That's better!
Monica Goodling, the vetting flunkie who screened applicants for jobs at Justice based on whether their nickers were blue or red, may lose her license to practice law. This represents a small loss considering her degree is from Regent University Law School (Motto: "Legally speaking, what would Jesus do?") Ms. Goodling may be the second Monica to polish something for the President but she is hardly the only sinner in this congregation. If someone doesn't haul Alberto Gonzales in front of a grand jury to explain how he perverted the Justice Department to curry favor with Karl Rove, then there is no God. (No offense, Ms. Goodling) .
To an American populace whose principal obsession is a new season of Wife Swap and Dancing with the Stars, none of this will make much of an impression. Stacking the Justice Department with God-fearing, right-thinking neocons will appear to be business-as-usual in government. Besides, what's wrong with lawyers of faith? Answer: Nothing, if they are also qualified attorneys. Evaluating applicants by checking pant legs for signs of excessive kneeling, (if not always praying), is not considered the best way to insure competent hiring.
Sadly, the selection process at Justice, aka "Law and Order - Political Intent", valued conservative credentials over professional ones. In other words, we don't much care where (or if) you went to Law School (those places are full of liberals anyway). We only care that you believe that George W. Bush is God and Karl Rove is his prophet. How would it be if the Army used this process to promote generals? Hey, do you think the President lets the Air Force pick pilots for Air Force One based on whether they contributed to Greenpeace?
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You probably didn't need to be reminded of the sorry state of "the best country in the world" but, as an indication of who we are, attend the case of Patrica and Milton Harper of Lake City, GA.
The Harper family was one of those incredibly lucky folks that received a brand new McMansion courtesy of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. For those of you who crave a more intellectual fare, say, Sponge Bob Square Pants; Extreme Makeover rebuilds "deserving" people's homes while they are away on a lovely vacation. The entire project is completed in seven days (kind of Biblical, ain't it?) including commercials. In the case of the Harpers, the house was a starter castle complete with turrets.
When the Harper clan returned from Disney World they were handed the keys to their villa along with enough cash to pay the taxes for 25 years. If you imagine that the Harpers proceeded to live happily ever after, you've been watching too much Sponge Bob.
Before the TV trucks were out of the driveway, the grateful Harpers were hot-footing it to the bank using the house to leverage a $455,000 loan to finance a construction business. Naturally, the venture folded and the house is now in foreclosure. I love this country!
These are the very sort of people that the Congress proposes to bail out of their mortgages. The same folks who shake their heads at welfare mothers and opine on how Americans don't take responsibility for their actions. They profess to be conservatives, demanding lower taxes and government off their backs; except, of course, when the government program will benefit them.
Recent polls reflect that 80% of Americans feel that the country is headed in the wrong direction. Blaming a spongehead like George W. Bush is too easy. "The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars but in ourselves."
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