Throwing Good Money After Bad

I remember the summer of ’66. I went to the county fair with my boyfriend. He decided to try his luck at a roulette game and had, unfortunately, brought with him all the money he had saved up to buy his class ring. He started out small, but he kept losing until he had lost all his money. Then I put in my summer savings (to go towards a new stereo) and lost that, too.

What reminded me of this painful experience? George Bush’s plan to ask for $50 billion more for his war in Iraq. The total spent so far, according to the Pentagon, exceeds $400 billion. And every time Bush runs out of money, he goes to Congress and tells them that this time the money they give him will make a difference. This time the troops will be able to make progress. This time they will win! Sounds the same as that barker who kept two gullible kids betting on a number that never came up.

What’s more, Bush is pretty sure that Congress will go along with it. After all, they’ve been giving him everything he asked for so far. Some of the Dems are meekly asking to bring home some troops, but they are hesitant to cut off funding. Woe to them who are blamed for putting our troops in harms way. But who actually put our troops in harms way to begin with? That’s right – George!

We can only hope that by the time we get around to bringing home our troops, there will be money to do so and in an orderly, planned manner – quite the opposite of the way we went in.

Until then, Bush (with the blessing of Congress) will just keep throwing good money after bad, promising that this time it will be different.