Haveyou been watching PBS’s program “Vietnam War”? It’sextremely hard to watch. For those who are from that era it may betoo painful to watch at all.

But if,in your own mind, you can filter the parts that are so emotionallyunbearable; I think you will see an underlying problem that existstoday. The film maker, Ken Burns, has made it quite plain to me thatthis war was started, conducted and finally even ended for mainlypersonal political reasons.

Thetapes of White House meetings were most damning for all theadministrations involved. In short, I think they reveal that most(not all) of our politicians (right to the very top) considerthemselves, their personal image, personal gain, and power, moreimportant than anything else. Obviously the consequences forthe nation were dire. (The current international situation isscaring the h… out of me. Will we, can we survive more of this?)

Our political climate has not changed! If our federal government fosters such cancerous corruption, no wonder every little local politician and bureaucrat who is so inclined thinks they can do it too! And they are! See any parallels?