In the Year of the Goat, President Bush invaded Iraq in his pre-emptive war to make the world a safer place. The Chinese also refer to their calendar as the year of the Sheep or Ram. While the American people brayed in support, George W. rammed American military might deep into Iraq. The divided Iraqi people turned President Bush's "Mission Accomplished" sign into goat fodder.
2007 saw the Year of the Pig, where Wall Street's newest industry, securitized mortgages had nearly everyone overstuffed from gorging at the trough. Greed permeated nearly every level of the home buying, mortgage writing and securitizing process. But one can only gorge so long before breaking. Droppings attracted rats, which multiplied full force in 2008.
Our current Year of the Rat finds governments spying willy nilly on their people, reconnaissance planes getting lost over islands with enemy military bases and presidential residences, and Americans blaming the Chinese for torture at Guantanamo Bay. It seems our elected officials fit the rat pattern of enterprising, aggressive and manipulative.
2007 saw the Year of the Pig, where Wall Street's newest industry, securitized mortgages had nearly everyone overstuffed from gorging at the trough. Greed permeated nearly every level of the home buying, mortgage writing and securitizing process. But one can only gorge so long before breaking. Droppings attracted rats, which multiplied full force in 2008.
Our current Year of the Rat finds governments spying willy nilly on their people, reconnaissance planes getting lost over islands with enemy military bases and presidential residences, and Americans blaming the Chinese for torture at Guantanamo Bay. It seems our elected officials fit the rat pattern of enterprising, aggressive and manipulative.
