Despite some historical inaccuracies, a very sore point is made in Jeff Daniels’ superb Peabody Award “The Crossing” when Washington at first refuses to meet with the dying German Colonel because he would not dignify anyone killing for profit and is told: “In the end we all kill for profit, do we not?” While it wasn’t a point emphasized by Tom Paine and those freezing at Valley Forge because that “we” referred to is typically those that profit and mean to go on profiting from killing, it is a point of history made often enough that it would be inexcusable ignorance to be unaware of how it predominates in the continuing wars of men.

It was only to be expected the biggest liar would accommodate a companion in his lies. So Bush steps up to bat for Libby. My own thought is Nixon did not resign to avoid being impeached, but as in “The Godfather” was made “an offer he couldn’t refuse.” The result was his living for years when one would have thought someone would have killed him, since there was no lack of haters of Nixon. Over the decades I have learned to have a very dark view of our government, the Warren and 9/11 Commissions alone being justification enough for such a dark view, and when the government sends thousands of Americans to die in foreign lands like Korea, Vietnam, and now in the Middle East to protect the profit margin what would the murder of a few individuals mean to such a government. It all leaves me with the very disquieting question of who is really minding the store?

One of the major problems with such thoroughgoing corruption clearly evidenced in our government is eventually no one can be held accountable for their crimes, whether a Berger or Libby, a Clinton or Bush, there are darker issues of greater import than a few malefactors. None dare hold any of the others to account lest their own dark deeds be exposed. In my opinion all attempts to hold Bush and his administration accountable for their crimes is nothing more than posturing for the sake of the next election and position. Even the Godfather had to make allowances for this in order to minimize conflict for the sake of “business.”

I’ve said many times I believe the Bush administration will leave a record as the dirtiest, most inept and corrupt in the history of our nation. Despite this, it continues to operate on the basis of Bush going on the record as having no need of advisors since he has resort to God. But as with Hitler who needed no advisors plots against him did not succeed, and he lived long enough to bring ruin to Germany. There is no lack of those that hate Bush enough they would gladly kill him, whether out of religious or patriotic fanaticism. Yet, there he is, no less a dictator than any other operating in such tight secrecy that one can be excused for thinking he and his companions are in fact resorting to the occult in order to maintain such tight secrecy. I have to suppose one would have a better chance of getting into the secret chambers of Scientology than this White House.

No one of any sensibility doubts America offers many easy and enticing targets for Muslim fanatics that want to kill Americans for “the glory of Allah.” But given the intense hatred of Bush, who doubts killing him would be the supreme thought of such fanatics? But Hitler lived long enough to destroy Germany, Stalin lived to become the most infamous mass murderer in history, and I wonder how long Americans will allow Bush to reign with impunity?

Each time I hear of some celebrity seeking and finding God, of getting wrapped up in Scientology or some other similar organization promising the answers to life it reminds me that each of us is responsible for ourselves. Since I believe most to be good people only wanting to live in peace without causing harm to others, it is a question how so many people are led into the schemes of evil tyrants. Is it really as simple as Eli Wallach telling Yul Brynner in the classic Western “If God did not want them to be sheared he wouldn’t have made them sheep.” It is certainly not an original thought by any means, but one that seems to describe the plight of good people throughout human history. And you know, this is what I understand to be the thinking of tyrants and politicians throughout the world. Whether in the name of some god or political system it seems there is a bottom line in which the sheep continue to be sheared and the prey of wolves.

But even a sheep might gain some insight to the wolves threatening. There was a time when Bush was governor of Texas and knowing he would run for the presidency before he announced I mentioned Elizabeth Dole might be a suitable running mate. Little did I know he already had Cheney picked out. So I look at the very cordial letter of reply I received from Bush at the time with the very flattering remarks about Elizabeth Dole, and I wonder how I managed to maintain hope for so long that we would eventually have a President that would really mean he meant to restore honesty and integrity to the White House. But I did learn and did not vote for Bush in either election; one sheep’s personal resistance to the shearers. However, the lesser of evils remains evil and I wonder if there is time for anyone to save America from the threatening wolves that will not settle for merely shearing the sheep.