By now, you've all likely seen this Washington Post headline:

Shortages Threaten Guard's Capability

88 Percent of Units Rated 'Not Ready'

And it probably comes as no surprise to you. After all, it's practically become the secret Conventional Wisdom (if such a thing can possibly exist): George W. Bush is destroying America's Armed Forces.

And sure, we all knew this:

"We can't sustain the [National Guard and reserves] on the course we're on," said Arnold L. Punaro, chairman of the 13-member Commission on the National Guard and Reserves, established by Congress in 2005.

And this:

"The Department of Defense is not adequately equipping the National Guard for its domestic missions," the commission's report found. It faulted the Pentagon for a lack of budgeting for "civil support" in domestic emergencies, criticizing the "flawed assumption" that as long as the military is prepared to fight a major war, it is ready to respond to a disaster or emergency at home.

And this:

In the Washington area, Guard officials worry about a catastrophic attack. In the event of "a very large . . . chemical, biological or nuclear incident in the national capital region, I would need every truck I was authorized, and we don't have that," said Col. Robert Simpson, director of the joint staff for the Virginia National Guard. "We are definitely short trucks, all wheeled vehicles," as well as radios, bulldozers and other gear, Simpson said. The state Guard could handle ordinary contingencies such as "bad winter weather," he said.

But you only know that because you're a bunch of liberal moonbats, and you read "newspapers."

Well, traitor smarty-pants, did you know this?

Some employers, already pinched by mobilizations of workers who are in the National Guard or reserves, are saying privately they’ll be reluctant to hire new employee-reservists. Discriminating against someone because of their military obligations is illegal, but 51 percent of employers who responded to an informal, online poll by Workforce Management magazine said they would not hire an employee who is a citizen-soldier "if they knew that a military reservist or National Guard member could be called up and taken away from their job for an indeterminate amount of time," as the question was posed.

Yes, that's right. The hard workin', job providin', beer-with-the-preznit wantin' backbone of 'merika -- not you, dummies, your bosses -- are at the point where they'd rather break the law (and hate on the troops, too) than put their money where their mouths are, and support Th' Decider.

Oh, they'll still tell you they do (though in ever-dwindling numbers). But they've got their fingers crossed behind their backs with one hand, and have a death grip on their wallets with the other hand.

Carry on your war, Mr. President. Just do it with someone else's workers.