The Moose finds departing candor interesting, but not necessarily useful.
Today's Los Angeles Times editorial opines on the Secretary of Health and Human Services' enlightening comments from the other day. Here's how it opens,
"After announcing his resignation as secretary of Health and Human Services on Friday, Tommy Thompson finally revealed his concerns about the government's shortcomings in providing health and human services. "I worry about [the new prescription drug benefit] every single night," he said, because it bars the federal government from negotiating with drug companies for low prices.Oh, and a recent avian flu outbreak "is a really huge bomb" that could soon kill 30 million to 70 million people, he added. And, of course, there was his well-publicized remark about a food supply unprotected from terrorism."
In his swan song, Thompson also informed us that the evil doers might do us in by poisoning our food supply. Bon appetite and have a nice day!
The good Secretary joins the former faith-based czar John J Dilullio and the ex-Treasury Secretary O'Neill in speaking the truth after they announce their departure from the Bush Administration. However, in Dilullio's case, he submitted a retraction after feeling the wrath of the Rovians.
It is all well and good to commit honesty when you leave, but is it possible in the Bush era to speak truth during your tenure? Nope. Case in point is the chief denier of reality, Secretary Rumsfeld. Today, the AP reports that Rummy encountered some straight talk from our troops in Kuwait,
"CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait - Disgruntled U.S. soldiers complained to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Wednesday about the lack of armor for their vehicles and long deployments, drawing a blunt retort from the Pentagon chief."
"You go to war with the Army you have," he said in a rare public airing of rank-and-file concerns among the troops. "
Yes, Mr. Secretary, our troops must also go to war with the incompetent leaders they have. But sometimes, these incompetent leaders take responsibility for their errors and step aside, or they are fired. Perhaps, we shouldn't focus our resources on further enriching the rich and rather first make certain that our brave troops have everything they need. More effort should have been expended to prevent death and disability among our troops than to permanently eliminate the death tax for big Bush donors.
Needless to say, there is no danger of a truth epidemic breaking out among the Bushies. Heck, sodium pentathol would not take on most of this crowd. No, the only truth we will learn will come from leaks from the bowels of the bureaucracy.
Or, maybe the Moose could offer political asylum for Republican truthtellers.
As a matter of fact, the Moose Bureau of Investigation (MBI) plans to create a Republican Witness Protection Program. Defectors will be offered the deal that if you are willing to come forward and spill the goods about the Bush Reign of Wealth, we will provide you with a new identity and relocate you to an undisclosed location.
Who knows what we can learn!
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