Have you been watching PBS’s program “Vietnam War”? It’s extremely hard to watch. For those who are from that era it may be too painful to watch at all.

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

The tapes of White House meetings were most damning for all the administrations involved. In short, I think they reveal that most (not all) of our politicians (right to the very top) consider themselves, their personal image, personal gain, and power, more important than anything else. Obviously the consequences for the nation were dire. (The current international situation is scaring 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?