by James Glaser
October 8, 2005

It was 1500 miles from my home on Island Lake, in northern Minnesota to Tallahassee, and the farther I got from the Canadian border, the higher the price of gas went. It started out at $2.55 a gallon and went to $3.14 near the freeway in Tallahassee.

Just like when I went home, the highways were filled with equipment heading to the Gulf Coast. I saw lots of what looked like brand new, low priced travel trailers heading south. They looked cheap, with few windows, and nothing at all fancy about them. They were being pulled by Ford F-350s, some with rear duals, so you know they were getting about 8 miles a gallon. I didn't see any diesels, which would have made some sense. Every one had a FEMA sticker on the truck door, and I figure the taxpayer is really shelling out the money to make this move.

I got down here and the humidity hit me hard. One week away and I lost any tolerance I had built up for the weather down here. I guess I will have to work half time for a few weeks, so I can get back in shape for the heat.

When I was in Illinois, I knew I was in the Bible- belt again. Unlike National Public Radio with their spring and fall pledge drives, religious stations ask for money every day... all day long.

Many of the ministers, like Jim Dobson, were telling America that President Bush had picked the best person, (Harriet Meirs) for the opening on the Supreme Court. It made me wonder if the people endorsing Bush's choice were getting money from the Federal Government, for some Faith-based work.

Ms. Meirs would not have even been considered for the job, if she weren't Bush's lawyer. The woman lacks any judicial experience, and maybe that could be good, but she lacks any sort of a resume that would put her in a field of qualified persons. Yes she is a lawyer, but there are over one million lawyers in America, and this woman would not rank near the top of that group in anyone's list.

When you are driving you can pick talk radio, religious radio, music radio, or discs to listen to. I picked Religious and talk radio, as both kept me awake better. Some religious stations are really commercial stations, pushing music, books, and asking for money for both constantly.

I was surprised and happy to learn that the US Senate passed a ban on cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment of prisoners we hold in this War on Terrorism. The bill passed with a 90-to-9 margin. I was not surprised to hear later on that George Bush was threatening to veto the bill.

This was John McCain's bill. Mc Cain was a prisoner of war in Vietnam, and has strong convictions about not wanting America to torture anyone, George Bush and his White House have been using torture for over four years now, and seem to some how like it.

George Bush made a speech this week and he chastised Osama bin Laden, because as George said, bin Laden used suicide bombers, and George thought Osama should be willing to do the same. I seem to remember that Osama did fight the Soviets, and I also seem to remember that when George Bush had the chance to fight for his country, our country, he deserted. So, for George to say anything makes him look more foolish than he is.

Osama bin Laden is a murderer and should be brought to justice. That is what George Bush said he was going to do, but Osama is still, according to George Bush, calling the shots. George called off our pursuit of bin Laden and took our troops to Iraq. Bush's troops do not use suicide bombers, but no one doubts that we have killed thousands and thousands of innocent women, children, infants, and aged Iraqis. George Bush calls Osama bin laden a murderer and he is. The rest of the world calls George Bush a murderer, and in all honesty George Bush is too.

Osama bin Laden is a murderer, because his orders have caused thousands of innocent people to die. George Bush's orders have caused the deaths of thousands of innocent people too. Does George believe that he has the right to kill innocent people, but Osama bin Laden does not? He might.