Regime Change Starts at Home

I remember the Cold War drills when I was in grade school: get under the desks and face away from the window. We insanely thought that if we followed the teacher’s instructions, didn’t talk and kept our eyes closed, “duck and cover” would save us from a nuclear blast.

Now, with a few sheets of plastic, several 24-hour TV news networks, a roll of duct tape, some canned food and a Humvee-mounted missile launcher, you, too, can relive those fun days of yesteryear and climb under your desks.

I can’t help but think about how much our lives have changed so quickly and so seriously. It is a stunning turn of events that W has laid upon us. Still shy of his first thousand days, the second Bush presidency so far has really been a doozy. I wonder if the Supreme Court would have put W in office had it known that he would subject us to terrorist attacks in our cities. The Supremes have a lot to answer for.

In these first thousand days we have learned that:

* Osama will be captured “dead or alive,” i.e., when we get hydrogen cars.

* “Leave No Child Behind” means that public schools must provide student names and addresses to military recruiters. “Leave No Child Behind the Frontlines” is more like it.

* John Ashcroft is the US attorney general! What else need be said?

* As bad as The Patriot Act is, it will get much worse here at home. Wait till you see Patriot Act 2,via Zoe, from the Shirts Off mailing list.

* Senior citizens will get a prescription drug benefit when HMOs and insurance companies can profit from it.

* You can pass an election reform bill, but you don’t have to fund it.

* It’s OK to run a quarter-trillion-dollar deficit as long as the rich get richer.

* Corporate crime is OK, even if you get caught.

* The right to sue doctors for malpractice is something that we shouldn’t be allowed to do.

Who will be the voice of sanity and will it do any good? We seem to be on a road covered with precision bombing, regime change, ground invasions, plastic sheets and canned food. Geeze, I can’t wait to see what happens next week. If you can, go to NYC on Saturday to get spiritually infused -– we’re gonna need it.