2006-08-07

Where is the anger and accountability?

There are times when I have thought Dr. Phil, of the "Dr. Phil Show," gives people totally stupid suggestions or makes statements that make no sense. I guess we all do that at times; but he seems to number up there with President Bush on this agenda.

There is one thing that Dr. Phil talks about regularly that not only makes sense, but is a requirement for healthy living: accountability. If I am going to have the best relationship with my spouse, for example, it requires me to be accountable to her and vice versa.

Those times when I refuse to be held accountable produce results that I don't enjoy. She becomes upset, moody, angry, or just sullen for a period of time. She always forgives me; but there is at least a period of time where she is quite angry and upset.

In the current clime in Washington I am totally perplexed about the lack of accountability the American people seem to be expecting of our national leaders, and particularly President Bush.

Ignore the Geneva convention? Why not?
Make up rules that defy congressional laws? Sure. You're the president.
Keep ineffective and sometimes incoherent leadership in his cabinet such as Donald Rumsfeld? People made mistakes, we'd likely hear.

I can understand the conflict people have about being FOR the so-called "war on terror" or against it. I know there are legitimate arguments for and against our unilateral attack on Iraq without direct provocation for the first time in our history. What I do not understand is why congress, our courts, but most especially the American people are not so angry they're spitting nails.

It has seemed, since 9/11, that anything that even smacks of being opposed to the way the executive branch behaves is labeled as unAmerican or unpatriotic. Is that why people don't respond in anger?

Are folk afraid that their response will bring ridicule or other negative response from their friends, neighbors, or coworkers? That's possible; but they're sure selling themselves short if they do.

Perhaps they are afraid that the CIA or other government agency will start a file on them and suddenly they'll lose their job or a family member will end up in jail.

It's difficult to know; but I continue to wonder why Bill Clinton was impeached for lieing about an affair when our current administration isn't even held accountable for the lives of the thousands of mostly kids who have been killed following the lie about Iraq.

It is time to get angry!

Mike