It's a bad time for the United States. Our destruction, as a nation that any of us would recognize, is underway.

Protecting our borders and our citizens are the sorts of things that presidents usually do. It's expected by the hoi polloi. It's part of the social contract and fits in with our notions concerning a division of labor and with the concept of a delegation of authority from the citizens to their elected officials.

We pay our taxes to the government and the government is supposed to protect us. Just as we put fences around our homes to protect ourselves and our property, our government puts borders around our extended home--our nation--to protect us and our property. Call it a tit for tat arrangement. Works pretty good when we have a president who understands his duty to citizens. But, it fails miserably when a president doesn't understand or refuses to do his job.  

President Bush falls in the latter category. He's never seen a U.S. border that he likes and he also apparently figures the whole planet is just ripe to be Mayberryized with his just right porridge world view. Merge the whole planet, level the playing field, push everyone to the center. Non-conformists need not apply. One planet, one people, one religion, one nation. Blend 'em all.

Now, how did that plain speaking, tongue twisted, word mangling cowpoke George W. Bush, get his twig bent so far out of shape that he's not doing his job?

Well, for starters, Master George--he of the silver spoon birth--don't you know, spent his formative years in a prestigious Prep school in Massachusetts. Holy Charles Dickens! It was an ersatz orphanage for poor little rich kids whose parents are too busy or too disinterested to parent. It seems that the old reptilian brain tells some parents to lay the egg and crawl away.

So, young George, 'paked his hoss in Havad Square," as we say in Boston. The Texas ranch came later, dude. The real world of the Lone Star State got into his accent but not into his head.  That head had apparently already been closed years before in the Bay State.  And, you thought Bush and Kennedy were an unlikely two amigos?  Perish the thought. They're a couple of Massachusetts liberals and they both love open borders. Just two peas in a pod.

Today, as a result of Bush's failings, the populace is in a foul mood. His ratings are lower than Texas Longhorn cow pies. So, how is it that George can keep doing whatever he wants?

Rats.

Yup, rats. About the only thing keeping enraged citizens from running Bush out of town (other than the reality of our political system) is the fact that he's slapping most of them on one cheek while kissing them on the other. America has become a big Skinner box with most of the rats being played via approach-avoidance stuff.

One large group of rats is yelling "We hate the Iraq war, let's run Bush out of town. Then, before they can light the torches and pick up the pitchforks, they realize that Bush is buttering their bread with his open borders plans which they like.

Damn bunch of gelding rats can't decide whether to smack him because of the war or kiss him because of his open borders schemes. Inaction or half-hearted ineffective action is the result.

Meanwhile, another large group is doing just the reverse. "We love the Iraq war, Hooray...George! Ah, but we hate the open borders crap, Boo...George!" Like robots in a cheap science fiction movie they are unable to do anything but stand there with their heads up their exhaust pipes saying "Will not compute, will not compute...."

The two groups thus create a balanced teeter-totter effect and Bush is allowed to continue both his war and his open borders schemes like an inner city pimp who keeps his girls in line by alternatively beating and taking care of them. We're caught up in an abusive relationship and we can't get out. There's no citizens' domestic abuse shelter where we can go and get our heads straight and develop our self-esteem.

Ah, but dear friends, you are obviously intelligent, discerning and well informed as evidenced by the fact that you're read this far; and you may be saying that there are also those who love both the Iraq war and open borders and others who hate the Iraq war and who also hate open borders. And, right you are. However, these folks are out on the sparsely populated edges of the Bell Curve and can pretty much be ignored by George. They're the porridge in the too hot bowl and the too cold bowl and George goes for the just right bowl where most of the porridge can be found.

Thus do we find ourselves in a situation where we're watching the slow motion destruction of our nation as Bush and his pals in the Senate manipulate public opinion by using approach-avoidance techniques to have Iraq war protesters and anti-illegal immigration forces cancel each other out.