It was me, officer

The arrogance of America's political elite is astounding. And other than the growing plague of big money in our elections it is the most immediate threat to our democracy.

Dick Cheney shot a guy in the face on a hunting trip. We all know this by now. If you weren't aware of it, please send me directions to the Eden in which you currently reside. Okay, so this story has received much airtime and all of the old talking heads have had their moment of glory with the one-liners. I think that's terrific. It was an accident, a hunting accident that happens all the time in this country. Dick got drunk with his buddies and went out blasting away (almost sounds like a porn review). What good red blooded American hasn't done that.

But what pisses me off is that it has turned into another example of how this ship of fools treats the American people (that's us). Something like this happens and there is silence. When asked about the status of the wounded, the answer is vague and misleading. When opportunities arise for honesty, they are mocked and disregarded in lieu of another power play. We are made to feel as though we are the poor, stupid neighbor child who doesn't understand how decent people live.

When I broke a window as a child, I didn't wait a week after my mom discovered it to emerge from hiding and announce that I had broken the window - after everyone in the house already knew. Why do we let these idiots get away with it?

I think a lot of us would have reacted in a similar manner. "Okay, nobody says a word. We'll just head back to the compound, have a few more drinks and Quaaludes, and it's business as usual." But this is the Vice President of the United States. Shouldn't we hold him to a bit higher standard? Shouldn't we hold everyone in government to higher standards?

But we don't, or very few of us do. We have been put to sleep by a meek media, a corrupted political system that rewards acquiescence and spinelessness, and our own inability to recognize the bread and circus. We have allowed arrogance to replace accountability. And we are paying the price.