Hiya Doug,

CarolC in her post above is not only comparing apples to oranges - she's wriggling - in that:

1. She is now changing the criteria of the comparison that she herself set.

2. "And we would need to take a look at the Bush family's holdings in corporations that have a financial interest in wanting to wage war."

In this she must lump together all the other share-holders in the same corporations and tar them with the same brush - she will probably find listed under the stock holders, all major pension schemes, all major insurance companies, etc, etc, all the way down to her average American wage earner.

3. "And to what extent his family's fortune was gotten honestly, or by exploitation (which is, really, what is wrong with how Saddam got his money)."

"Honestly, or by exploitation", Carol will of course be the sole arbiter of which is which - working as she may do within a capitalist system, taking all the benefits that that system offers, she no doubt insists scrupulously in working for the absolute bare minimum wage required for her to survive, does not save, does not invest and refuses any bonus payment any employer may offer her. Exploitation for mutual benefit is how the capitalist system works, and it generally works extremely well. That is more than can be said for the alternative doctrine which has fallen completely by the wayside having been proved, corrupt, inefficient and in effectual.

4. "And the extent to which his family got their money through war profiteering. And then we could see what his real worth is, and whether or not it is blood money." On this "charge" the entire nation would stand accused, not only the Bush family.

No Carol - you are wriggling.

PS Doug - I liked the $100 per hour research fee - unfortunately I don't think you will be taken up on it - Carol might think you are exploiting her.