To the Ed.

I googled the VP and found that after he busted out of Yale Univ. he got his college degrees at Wyoming after which he found an internship in Wash. D.C. Remember, no service in the military; this is not a slam, but part of linkage.

Here is his Political CV: "POLITICAL: Vice President of the United States, 2001-present [Elected 2000; re-elected 2004]. US Secretary of Defense, 1989-93. US Congressman, 1979-89 (House Minority Whip, 1988-89) [Elected 1978; Re-Elected 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988]. White House Chief of Staff to President Ford, 1975-77. Deputy Assistant White House Chief of Staff to President Ford, 1974-75. Nixon Administration staff member, 1969-74" (From: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/1/8/123323/3922, found on Google)

PROFESSIONAL: Chairman/CEO, Halliburton Company, 1995-2000.

The man never worked in private industry, was never a busines executive or entrepeneur, a salaried guy his entire life, again working in the public arena only.

Then "Shazzam", like lightening, this nerd goes to Halliburton to run it if you please being paid millions to do so. One asks, what the hell did/does he know about Halliburtons's business, or running any major private company? Who was his "rabbi"? one might ask. I think Salon has mentioned the name Armstrong once or twice.

So, what where why howcome was this total outsider given such an extemely highly paid powerful job? What the hell are his qualifications? Did he have any?

Of course, you doo doo! He had his wheeldex and a telephone; and that's all they wanted him for: to be able to make calls that would always go through or always be answered. (There are a number of one word names for this kind of effort.) He didn't even have to know anything, other than name and phone number. And for that he is paid millions, drew us into war and has effectively killed thousands of people, diluted the US Constitution, dissed the US Judiciary, and has brought the old "sound as a dollar" treasury close to bankruptcy.

He certainly did have "better things to do with his time," and we are the beneficiaries.

...and here's to hoping it's over. He has more money and power than he could have ever imagined.

OT: but wasn't Cheney's belated visit to the Gulf Coast strange and kind of odd.

He looked like he was afraid he may encounter a black person, and pretend he was there for them! Let alone talk, and maybe(alas) touch them. Cheney is the embodiment of the rich and privileged, and he doesn't belong in the Gulf, unless he is scouting real estate for Halliburton. Wasn't he hunting doves, or some such, during Katrina?

After reading Sidney's article, and the thread of conspiracy-laced letters that followed, the left is certainly infected with the same lame fears that the militia movement, and the right suffered through during the Clinton administration.

This, too, will pass. Although I wish I could see one Dem leader that I thought could bring it off. Alas, maybe it's Hillary, after all. She, at least, has managed to "learn" that America is moderate, and liberal-think does not win elections at the beginning of this millenium in America. Howard Dean, for pete's sake, what the hell were they smoking? The right had clearly successfully colored him a wacko during the Iowa primary aftermath.

As for Cheney, et al., the pidgeon has finally come home to roost. The Iraq legacy, and the mounting Iran threat will be their sad legacy. Unfortunately, we must all suffer their fate.

One element missing that allowed Cheney to so freely control things this time that was missing in the past (besides the other items cited by Mr. Blumenthal) was the lack of checks and balances that comes with our government when at least one aspect is controlled by the other party. In this case, the Republicans control all aspects of the Federal government thus allowing Cheney to wield his power unabated except for the few brave members of his party who are only now beginning to speak out.

The only other element that could have provided a check/balance was the press which until now has remained mute in light of September 11th.

"But what dumbfounds me is how come it's the Cheney (libertarian) wing of the republican party that seems to be pushing so strongly for such a powerful state."

It's the business side that's pushing that. Cheney's a money guy.

They want a strong executive for the same reason they like strong CEOs: control, power, and money. They're not interested in democracy or justice--they want control. With a strong executive and control of the legislature business gets whatever it wants.

The current right-wing assault on the judiciary is the money's attack on the last remaining branch they don't control. The courts are the only place business can still lose.

To call Cheney psychotic is to relieve him of any blame. He knows what he is doing. He has made tens of millions of dollars from the Iraq war. He used the power of government to craft energy policy that will personally enrich him even further. To be sure, there is a disturbing component to his personality. He always seems to be around when tens of thousands of people are being killed. Whether or not this is simply a side effect of his personal enrichment or some darker force is open to debate. He built a bunker underneath his house, I don't think he's completely stable.

Why don't conservatives in the back of their minds worry about the fact that while they cede the presidency so much power, someday it will be a Democrat in the White House who will benefit?

Kohoutek made an interesting connection between the preference for a strong father figure for evangelicals and the Cheney-ites' preference for a powerful executive. But what dumbfounds me is how come it's the Cheney (libertarian) wing of the republican party that seems to be pushing so strongly for such a powerful state.

And does it make any sense that we hear republicans rally against the evil of progressive politics and the so-called "nanny state" when the conservative attitude about government policy seems to be one of "because I said so" and ""father" knows best"?