4 am I discovered someone left the tv on (no energy concerns here, eh?) and for a couple of minutes I watched. It was NASCAR, followed by a commercial for Hummer and then a news update of a local soldier killed. Gas guzzling followed by the toll it takes.
I turned the television off but couldn't turn off the rest. Once again I was reminded of the fact that if I wanted to, I could pretend the war didn't exist. Gas prices are slightly higher, but otherwise, it's easy enough to ignore because no one is making demands of us. No higher taxes, no true energy-saving campaigns. Just more expensive ammunition for the police and maybe some social services cut. Nothing I use so nothing I'd notice.
There are certainties in this life:
When you eat a lot and don't exercise, you get fat.
When you drop a rock on your foot, if it's big enough it will hurt.
When you wage an expensive, deadly war, there will be repercussions for your country.
So I'm waiting and wondering. When will the fiasco finally hit home in a big way so that no one will be able to ignore it? Bush is praying it'll be after he leaves office so that the next guy will get the blame.
Will it be the taxes finally going up to pay the bills. Naturally the republicans will blame those democrats for raising taxes. (Kind of like a kid who goes out and spends money on a racy, coolio new computer and then blames his parents when they can't lend him more money for the movies. Only make "the computer" a devastating war and "the movies," say, the needy citizens of this country. About the same cost ratio, right?)
Will it be the draft?
Will it be gas rationing or the suspension of NASCAR racing because of gas shortages?
In traditional media, I keep reading about the vague fear of more attacks on American soil ("it's coming! Get the duct tape ready!"). I'm guessing all of the above but when will a reporter do real research and front-page a list of what we absolutely know we can expect? And while the economists are creating the list, they should make sure to place the blame where it belongs. Hello, Dubya! Here's your legacy for us all, delayed a bit.