BUSH'S GOT MAIL

Try to send an e-mail to the president lately? In yet another downsizing of
democracy by the Bush administration, the White House website now offers a
"user-friendly" approach to contacting the Big Guy electronically.

Instead of simply writing your comments in a message box and zapping it
along the Internet highway, a citizen now uses a drop box to indicate their
desired topic. Another drop box is used to indicate "I want to write a
supporting comment to President George W. Bush," or "I want to write a
differing opinion." Seems to limit the ideas that can be expressed to the
president, doesn't it? It also might make you afraid to express your ideas
if they are in disagreement with the administration's stance. Talk about a
chilling effect.

Interestingly, topics NOT available for comment include the "War on Drugs,"
the "War on Terror," or simply "other."