AUSTIN, Texas -- As a longtime fan of both George Bushes' eccentric grasp of English, I naturally enjoyed this gem from W.: "See, in my line of work, you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda." (Bush in Greece, N.Y., May 24, once more explaining his Social Security plan to a town hall meeting of perfectly average citizens, except they had all been pre-screened to allow only those who agree with him into the hall.)

"Catapulting the propaganda" would explain his performance at the press opportunity that same day at which he appeared surrounded by babies born from frozen embryos. He used the phrase "culture of life" at least 27 dozen times (I think I exaggerate, but maybe not). "The use of federal dollars to destroy life is something I simply do not support," he said to the press the following day.

Meanwhile, back in Baghdad, federal dollars are being used to destroy life at pretty good clip because Bush decided to wage an entirely elective war against a country that presented little or no threat to us. And according to the Downing Street memo, he damn well knew it, too.

In Guatemala sexual harassment is not illegal. In El Salvador and Honduras hundreds of thousands of children work illegally. The minimum wage for a Nicaraguan manufacturer worker is $55.74 a month, less than what a U.S. union worker with a similar job will make in a day.

There are also reports in Central America of worker blacklists, physical abuse by employers, and foreign companies closing operations after being informed workers want to form a union. None of these countries are in compliance with international labor standards. I could go on for pages. And actually I have, by reading the U.S. State Department’s annual Human Rights report.

“The enforcement of labor laws in the region needs more attention and resources,” said assistant U.S. Trade Representative Peter Allgeir in testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee last month.

Dear Senator Voinovich,

I've seen many situations similar to the one you now face regarding the John Bolton confirmation and your Republican Party. I myself once worked for the Republican National Committee, Sen. Connie Mack, and Rep. Porter Goss.

I want to applaud you for having the courage to speak out against Mr. Bolton and the confirmation process.

After this painful episode, you may decide that you no longer wish to be a Republican. If this is the case, I want you to know that the Libertarian Party of Ohio is here for you.

I know that you've probably heard many malicious rumors regarding the Libertarian Party, not unlike the same vicious rumors Republicans are now circulating about you. Many of us were Republicans until we got run over by the party machine and realized how evil it can be.

I know that you want to really reduce government taxes and spending and that you hold federalist principles dear. I'd be happy to speak with you on these issues. In the Libertarian Party, we value people who stick with their principles, even when we disagree.

In Liberty,
Robert Butler

The endless show that seems to fill America's every waking moment -- and many of its nightmares -- could be called "Media Jeopardy!"

Before proceeding, here’s a reminder of the rules: Listen to the answer and then try to come up with the question.

Let’s get started. The first category is “Media Untouchables.”

* They’re an ideological pair and stylistic opposites. On television, one is a slathering fount of bombast, the other is icy cerebellum, but both are widely syndicated columnists dedicated to helping the right wing of the Republican Party. One had a role in the scandal involving the Bush administration’s payback “outing” of a critic’s wife who was a CIA undercover agent. The other has been guilty of numerous ethical lapses, from unacknowledged conflicts-of-financial-interest to utilizing debate-prep papers stolen from the Carter White House to coach then-challenger Ronald Reagan in the fall of 1980. Yet neither man seems to suffer professional or legal consequences.

Who are Robert Novak and George Will?

* This cable network, partly owned by a major Pentagon contractor,