27 September 2006
Key Judgments
The Waffle Shop is not a WiFi hot spot. It would never occur to management to encourage the transients to linger at the serpentine white Formica counter a moment longer than it takes to slurp down their coffee, black, and mop up the yolks of their eggs, easy-over, with the toasted white bread and get on their way.
In a way, breakfast at the Waffle Shop is a tonic, since it transports the diners to a place that is long ago but not so far away.
Hot food at a reasonable price downtown is a good thing. Expense account restaurants there are aplenty, but for the working stiffs this is a place for sustenance, like Ben's Chili Bowl uptown on U Street.
My pal had egg-rolls with his eggs. He told me it helped calm the stress from his office, where things had taken on the aspect of a television reality show.
“It is hard to tell what reality is,” he said. “Can you imagine? The President of Pakistan was on Comedy Central last night. He is a major partner in the war on terror, and he is here in Washington on a book tour. Jon Stewart had a lot of laughs with him.”
“He is supposed to have dinner with Bush and Hamid Karzi tonight at the White House. It is sort of like Survivor In Washington,” he said, contemplated the yellow smears on the thick plastic plate in front of him. “It moves a little slower, though. And they only vote off the contestants once a month. And the tribal counsels only have the executives in attendance.”
“So who got voted off this month?”
“A guy from the partners division, a senior scientist, the last admin assistant in the demonstration office, and some guy on the West Coast. I don't know who to call anymore. I check the company hierarchy listing on the computer every morning to see if I still work there.”
“Why don't you leave?” I asked. “There is plenty of work around here for people who understand how the system works.”
My pal sighed and swirled what was left of his coffee. “I have been looking, but it is hard to walk away from the separation package that comes if they let you go. And since I don't know when that is going to be, I can't tell a new employer when I can start. I have to make the health benefits line up so that it is seamless. Maybe the new fiscal year is the time to go.”
“There will be a lot of things that are clearer once we get past the election, and that is only a month into the FY-07 budget.”
“I got you on that one. Congress is going crazy this week finishing things up. They look like they are actually going to pass a Port Security Bill before they go out on Friday, and maybe a defense authorization too.”
“They don't want to look weak or indecisive,” I said. “There is a lot at stake for the Republicans, and the Dems want to look strong.”
“That is why the leak of the National intelligence Estimate is so pivotal. I got a copy of the Key Judgments section in the e-mail this morning. Top Secret to company e-mail in one day. It is amazing what the government can do when it puts its mind to it.”
“I haven't seen it. Anything surprising? I mean, besides the fact that someone needed to have a sound-byte and leaked it to begin with?”
“Nah. The actual document says it is an estimate about trends in terrorism, and if you have been listening to the radio this summer you know what they say is pretty accurate. Killing bad guys is good, and we have made some progress. Unfortunately, it seems to be pissing off some other people, and the whole Iraq thing is providing a lightning-rod for everyone with a grievance."
“So we should concentrate on the poverty?”
“Well, the spooks assess it is a major contributing factor. Here is the deal: corruption and injustice are pervasive in most of the mid-east nations. The young men fear Western dominance, since they feel humiliated by their own governments and it is easier to take it out on the infidels rather than try to change things they can't.”
“So injustice and humiliation are increasing the terror threat around the world?”
“That's what it says. What they declassified seems to be the executive summary of the whole document, so I imagine there is more detail but nothing startling that has been left out.”
“Seems to be pretty reasonable,” I said. I'll look for it on the internet when I get back to the Bus Station.”
“Oh, yeah. That is the last of the key judgments. They say the terrorists are using the internet for training, propaganda and recruitment. Sort of ironic for a system invented by the Department of Defense, you know?”
“Someone ought to take a look at that. But in your judgment, is this going to change anything for the election?” I asked, arching an eyebrow to Rosa to see if I could attract the bill. She was doing her best to make me completely invisible.
“Dunno. I heard that the House is going to stay Republican, and that is a lock. The fact that gas prices have come down seems to have changed the landscape.”
“Yeah. Isn't that a coincidence.”
“Well, it is going to be interesting. They say that 90% of the political ads that will be broadcast by election day will be negative.”
“Ugly. But mid-term elections are about he past. Presidential elections are about the future. What do you think is going to happen for the 2008 elections?”
“Well, I think I will be working elsewhere, for one. Maybe there will be a place in the new Administration.”
“Who is that likely to be?”
“It depends on who heads the ticket for the Dems. They are not ready to do Barack Obama, though he is going to be in the mix. He has to run to be viable for the VP nomination. Bill Richardson is in that boat, too. Edwards is an idiot; Kerry is a sanctimonious moron.”
I looked at him skeptically. “Those are all side issues.”
“Yeah, I know. Hillary may be the hardest worker in the Senate. But for all her good points, she is so toxic and divisive that she would have to rely on the Republican nominee being caught in a compromising position with a male minor to win.”
“Not that it is impossible,” I said. “Look at the way George Allen is melting down in the Virginia Senate race. Suppose the Dems don't nominate her?”
“There are alternatives. After all, Al Gore was elected President once already. He seems to have mellowed and shown international statesmanship with his movie on Global Warming. And he actually was more of a hawk than Bill. He actually pushed harder to kill Osama when they had a chance.”
“I know the marriage probably wouldn't stand it, but why don't they just run Bill again? He is still 50 years younger than Reagan was when he was elected.” Rosa deigned to bring the check toward us.
“I don't think it is challenge enough for him, and I think he is having a better time living in New York where he can do what he wants.”
“I hear that, ” I said, and threw a ten on the counter. “It will be interesting to see. Thanks for the key judgments. Breakfast is on me.”
Copyright 2006 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com