Musings 35--Good-by Air National Guard

Although they are not sure, tomorrow is the scheduled announcement day, members of West Virginia's congressional delegation are exceedingly worried that the Air National Guard unit based at Yeager Airport, Charleston, WV, is going to be closed.

Senator Robert Bryd, D, WV, said that he hopes the unit will not be on the list, but rumors leaked to the media have said that it is. If it is true, then the defense department has come up with a very unique way of saying thanks to the many men and women serving in Iraq from West Virginia. Since most of the recent polls that I check on weekly basis say that the U.S. Armed Forces love Mr. President, (to the tune of about 80%) then; it is predictable that he sticks it to them.

West Virginia has been a democrat state for way before I popped on this planet in 1948. It has just started to realize that there are republicans that can do the job too. This mostly is a good thing. It is just to bad that Mr. President seems to be the one they put their faith in. He seems to have have a knack of ripping the heart out of those who love him the most.

For example one: Mr. President's tax cuts did not help the red state folks much at all. However, the blue state rich, and there are bunches of them in the north east, made out like bandits.

For example two: Mr. President's prescription drug deal did not help the middle and low class. It helped the drug companies. They lobbied hard for the legislation. Low and middle class are discouraged to not get drugs from Canada--but they do anyway because they are cheaper.

For example three: Mr. President wanted a tighter bankruptcy bill. He got it, and now the credit card companies can hassle the dickens out of you. It is a bunch harder to file bankruptcy and the card companies can come after your assets. That is a big help for low and middle class--right?

For example four: Mr. President is making the world safe from terrorism. He is spreading democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan. The middle and lower class folk make up a bulk of the enlisted military. Gas is $2.30 a gallon and lots of soldiers will not have jobs to come back to. Mr. President's jobs program is the U.S. Armed Forces.

For example five: Mr. President and social security can not be linked in the same sentence. The system needs a bit of a tweak. Mr. President wants to dismantle it. Most low and middle class Americans draw it for retirement. High brow folks do not. Maybe one should not mess with stuff that one does not understand.

So I guess it is only right that the people of West Virginia get what they paid for. They drank Mr. President's Kool Aid and voted him in during the last election. Now, he is giving them the hosing they seem to want but do not deserve. Go figure! (In the background the music is "You always hurt the one you love," the Spike Jones version.) Smirk on, Mr. President.