After experiencing some truck troubles this past weekend, I went to the auto part store and bought a carburetor, a fuel filter, a flux capacitor and an alternator. My father informed me this was not a good idea, but next week I am going to take my truck down to the mechanic for the first time and tell him to fix the problem.
I have been told I am being ignorant, stubborn and foolish - but I am going to continue on regardless.
As President Bush prepares to deploy 20,000 additional troops into Iraq without the consent of Congress I feel more confident in my purchases.
As I continue to hear virtually nothing along the official lines of communication from the military leaders on the ground, I am confident that my mechanic will have little to say in my automotive repair approach.
As Bush continues to engage in increasingly costly mistakes in Iraq I am further encouraged that with a history of overheated radiators, worn transmissions and seized-up engine blocks, my purchase of a flux capacitor is the way to go.
The automotive metaphor is a little silly but also disturbing.
The consequences of my actions are the waste of a little money and possible my truck being stalled in the middle of McKinley Avenue one rainy afternoon.
The consequences of Bush's actions are additional troop deaths, billions of dollars in wasted money and a country stalled on Confidence Avenue in the middle of a rainy decade.
America has front-row seats to round one of the president's administration and the Democrat-controlled Congress championship fight. One side or another is going to have to relent and appear weaker, and the consequences should not be taken lightly.
At stake is not some gaudy, overpriced, shiny belt, but rather lives, the confidence of the American public and the continued degradation of the opinion of America around the world.
The politicians on both sides have ignored the fact that this everybody's war or nobody's war. We have all made sacrifices from the entire spectrum of pain in the pocket book to pain in our hearts from the loss of our friends and family.
Bush is the most blatant in ignoring this fact, recently proclaiming that he was moving ahead with the troop increase regardless of Congressional consent. Cheney went even further by saying that the war would not be run by a committee.
The United States has a rich history of twisting the Constitution and Bill of Rights to deny rights to certain groups of people and enhance the rights of others. Throughout this, the government has not been able to demolish the idea that this nation was built on a democracy - nothing more than an extravagant committee.
The Iraq war continues to become more Bush's personal toy to break and rebuild as he pleases.
Every day millions of Americans watch television, read newspapers and experience the shock, anguish, amazement, disappointment and frustration of this war.
Everyday the opposition to this war grows - 61% of Americans oppose the war according to CNN while Zogby found 72% of the troops in Iraq believe we should leave in the next year.
Every day that passes, the president moves further from the public he theoretically serves.
Where does this stop and when do we get our country back?
Write to Jason at jlhodson@bsu.edu
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