The President is coming! The President is coming! No, seriously. President Bush is visiting a local community to pitch his Social Security plan. I know this because groups are currently scouring the region look for people “of the right demographic” to attend the pep rally. I’m guessing I won’t get a ticket, and not just because I’m too old. I do have to wonder though, how do you succeed in converting heathens when you only preach to the choir?

Oh well, the good news is that the local paper is soliciting “letters to the President” which it will publish. Hopefully the letters will not be screened by the same people that are handing out rally tickets. On that chance, I submitted the following. I’m not optimistic they will publish it, but I guess we’ll see on Tuesday.

Dear Mr. President,

I am writing in hopes that you can explain the meaning of life to me. You have been on record countless times defending the sanctity of human life. Your May 20th statements condemning South Korea’s advances in stem cell research bear witness to this position. On the other hand, there were 152 people executed during your term as governor of Texas. This is an accomplishment that you defended with pride during your presidential campaign.

I am at a personal loss for how to reconcile these two seemingly oppositional positions. Perhaps you could clarify for me the rules for determining which lives are sanctified? Also, would it be ethical under your rules to employ the new South Korean cloning process for stem cells provided that only the cells of condemned prisoners were used? That seems like a win-win position.

Regards,
Tim…