Bush Hates Kids

Part of selling an agenda, like it or not, is creating a dichotomy -- there are two choices, this and anti-this.

While I think, more than most people, that this habit has a lot of good in it, it can be greatly abused. One good example is a claim that some more virulent conservatives propagate. If you aren't pro-Iraq War, you're anti-U.S., or anti-troops.

While I think that many of those who are against the war are at least subconsciously feeding the latter two camps, it remains a terrible false dichotomy, and is a discredit to those who claim it.

But two of the best examples come to mind recently. One is the issue of the environment, and the other is health care. Let's keep it simple. Liberals love the earth, conservatives hate it. For whatever reason, they sit in their leather chairs and like to think about how to destroy it to get more money.

Likewise, the nation's governors are meeting to oppose Bush's threatened Veto of any measure that will reinstate a controversial child health care program, which amounts to free nationwide health care for children. On the one hand, the liberals want to care for innocent, unprotected children. On the other hand, conservatives would rather see those children die of cancer while they line the pockets of the HMOs.

But stop for a moment, and ask if this is really reasonable. Perhaps the throbbing question that underlies these "heartless" decisions is really coming from the caring side -- how will we pay for it?

While the opponents of these measures continue to look like villains, they are really being the most compassionate leaders, understanding that there are no easy solutions, and that the people must be protected from an increasingly ravenous government.

The other side practices the worst kind of bribery, cleverly disguised as a largess -- handing out popular measures knowing full well that they cannot stand under the budgets of tomorrow, unless the government taxes and swells, taxes and swells. So as they toss those few coins to the people, remember that the people will be paying tribute long after all the pennies have been used.