Of Truth, Justice, and the American Way

If there is a disconnect between the Bush administration and the American people, it has to do with the concepts of truth, justice, and what is perceived as the American Way--democratic fairness, honor, civility, hard work, and just rewards for playing by the rules.

Most Americans live their daily lives still tentatively believing in all of those things even though the current White House early on shifted the American Way to read something like "It's my way or the highway."

If the Scooter Libby trial was about anything, it was about this "my way or the highway" modus operandus which, for six years, has emanated from the Bush II administration like a radioactive cloud. This Hatfield versus McCoy method of governing is a throwback to an era Americans thought they had thrown out by Revolution.

While these White House Hatfields have been otherwise occupied playing an at-any-cost game of global Monopoly and treating average citizens like McCoys, Americans have lost a major city, partial incomes or whole jobs, homes, health insurance, and a way of life they were willing to earn but expected to actually attain and maintain.

I. Lewis Scooter Libby may believe it was his day in court, but in reality Americans have now had their day in court vs. the bullying government dysfunction that is Bush/Cheney/Rove. In finding Scooter guilty of four of the five counts with which he was charged, the jurors in this case, intentionally or un-, sent a message to the beltway and out across the American landscape.

Scooter may be the "fall guy" as one juror put it, but fall he did. The lesson Americans can only hope future leaders heed is: Be careful who you play with and what games you play. If you lie with dogs, you may get fleas. Now Scooter's been outted as a member of a whole pack in need of flea collars. If he ends up actually serving time, at least he will first be deloused.

Whether or not Scooter gets sent to the pound will be in question for some time. However, what really matters at this juncture is that after six long years of dirty-dog government, "if yer not fur us yur agin us," that Lady Liberty has finally raised her head a little and said, "Water!."

It gives an average Jane hope for the resurrection of truth, justice, and the American Way.