Cheney in Vegas

Last night, Dick Cheney screwed up my flight. Apparently, he was flying into or out of Las Vegas* and air traffic control backed up flights, clearing the air space for him. (It's Vegas - I say let him take his chances along with everyone else.) Instead of getting home at 10 (1 AM Indy time), I got home at midnight.

This week, Defense Secretary Gates requested another $42 billion. He won't find it here. Savings rates have steadily eroded, staying below 1% for the last couple of years. To finance this fiscally reckless administration, the U.S. has had to borrow from overseas. Yet this has become increasingly expensive during the Bush years: the dollar has dropped more than 40% against the Euro since George has taken office.

All that to ask, what's Cheney doing in Vegas? I offer the following possibilities:

1. He's at the roulette wheel and has just doubled down on black with the billions as yet unspent on Iraq's reconstruction.

2. He's using your social security dollars to fund marathon all-night poker games.

3. He's gambling away your children's future on specific NBA games he thinks are a slam dunk.

4. He's decided to risk our nation's reputation and good will on a game of craps.

5. Or, perhaps it's too late. He's already done all that and was flying out of Vegas.

* "Las Vegas is sort of how God would do it if he had money."
- Steve Wynn