A Test of Government's Trustworthiness

In an interview last Friday, Vice President Cheney said, "One of the things that's changed so much since Sept. 11 is the extent to which people do trust the government -- big shift -- and value it, and have high expectations for what we can do."

Trust, Cheney added, was not just being placed in President Bush and his administration but also in Congress. "All-time, unbelievable approval ratings for the Congress as an institution," he said. It might be a fundamental change, he noted, adding this careful qualification: "But we're still too close to it, probably, to understand it all. We're going to see how long it's sustained over time and where it all goes, but it has altered the way the American people think about their government, and the role we have in society and overseas."

Let's see...So far the government has

bombed a few caves in Afghanistan
bought up the entire world supply of Cipro and Anthrax vaccine for its own use, leaving none for its citizens.
banned blimps and news helicopters from flying
Government lab workers have mis-diagnosed just about every case of Anthrax that came before them - either false positives or false negatives.
The FDA has prevented the only company that makes Anthrax vaccine from shipping it due to packaging problems
and when the going got tough, Congress hi-tailed it out of DC and headed for the hills.

Yup, they're doing a fine job...

The list of things that the government has not done, but should have, is long. The visa/immigration situation should be right up there at the top. I started a list on Impediments to war on terrorism by Paul Craig Roberts. From #3:

...our "leaders" have not done one thing to enhance the security of Americans within our borders. Americans should be training themselves in civil defense matters: Emergency response, gas mask use, chemical and biological training, nuclear radiation protection firearms training - just like we did back in the 50's.
But no, our government tells the people, "Buy flags, donate to charity and go to church. We'll take care of you."
The government has not done one thing to make gas masks or antibiotics widely available...except for themselves. What kind of message does that send to the American people who are paying for the finest protection...for their "leaders", but not for themselves?
Has the government taken any steps to make America self-sufficient in oil? Baby steps, which will have no impact for ten to fifteen years. Drilling in the ANWR is not enough, and it's too late. We should be building refineries and drilling for oil in downtown Santa Barbara right now!
You know that I am a free-market advocate, but if this is truely a war [it's not], then until America is petroleum self-sufficient, we should be rationing gasoline. We need to get the oil-monkey off America's back right now - and cut our domestic use by one third - about the amount we import from the middle east. Maybe that would get then attention of the environmental obstructionists and the others of the BANANA [Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything] crowd.
I sense that many Americans want to help combat terrorism, but they are being told, "Just keep watching your TV like nice litte sheep. We'll take care of you..."

I do hope that Cheney isn't this naive...

1-We need and expect the government to protect us, period.
2-We have faith that we elected the right man over the idiot that didn't get elected, but government is still government, i.e. the most wasteful bunch of bureaucrats and spenders' that have ever been created.
3-We need to keep an eye on our government as it cannot be trusted, especially if we turn our back on it...

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