Dangerous Dick Cheney

This series of commentaries on the language of politics could have started at almost any moment in the past three decades. That's how long the conservative elements have been hijacking language for their own ends.

But, this weekend comes a rare chance to watch a giant talking points exercise, as Vice President Cheney shoots a member of his hunting party. Put the guy in the hospital, but the news didn't start hitting the headlines for some twenty-four hours after the incident.

Does anything say "irresponsible" as loudly as a friendly-fire hunting accident? And yet, with a day to organize the language, the Cheney apologists are promoting the idea that accidents will happen, and that the victim was more at fault than the shooter.

So, for the next week, while we read and hear of the Vice President's little mishap, please remember to respond with a dose of the truth: Dick "Trigger Finger" Cheney ignored the most basic tenets of gun safety, shot a 78 year-old fellow hunter, and should NOT get off the hook.

Irresponsible, careless, negligent -- all the way to trigger-happy -- these are the terms we should insist on when talk turns to Dangerous Dick.

Remember, this is the man who shattered the decorum of the U.S. Senate, of which he is president, with that famous F*ck yourself.