The President as Ralph Kramden

What do you think of somebody who tries to make you feel afraid all the time? Such a person tries to become appealing to you by making you think, "I'm so afraid, I am so in danger, without you, I am a goner.

That is the message sent by the Bush administration to America. "You're in danger, GRAVE danger, unless you trust us to protect you."

A Republican friend of mine lamented that she had little of traditional Republicanism to like in the current administration, that it talks to America like we're children.

Let's say the Bush administration is a guy named Buddy.

Buddy talks a big game. Buddy isn't much of a listener or reader. Buddy is a know-it-all who understands how the world works, and says he goes to great lengths to protect the rest of us. He is happy to do that for we are helpless and delicate. He loves to see us tremble like baby does. This gives him self-esteem. This makes him feel worthy. This gives him power.

Without our weakness and blind-faith compliance, Buddy has no power. Buddy is the old-school husband whose wife won't say a peep, but when she does, Buddy's world flips upside down.

That's why the Bush administration thrives among the segment of religious people who surrender everything blindly to some entity that will take care of things. It used to be called God. But instead of this being faith-based diety worshop, this is faith-based political worship, which undermines democracy and smacks of monarchy.

Buddy is "king of the house." Like Ralph Kramden...only not funny.

I never before thought America would have to look to the deadpan face of Alice Kramden for inspiration, but it's time we looked this administration right in the eye and said, "Ahhh...shaddup."