Dick Cheney: An American Villain

COMMENTARY | If you can't get enough of the bad guy on movies and in television, pick up Dick Cheney's book. Here you'll find a real-life American villain. Though I hesitate to tell you to spend your money on what is the twisted version of Cheney's life in the White House, the book gives definition to the meaning of evil.

Perhaps you've tried to block out some of the most heinous moments of Cheney's time in Washington, D.C., for fear of potential nightmares and don't want to throw your money into the former vice president's kitty by spending it on his literary effort. In that case, here is a look at back at the man who I consider to be one of the most villainous in America, and perhaps one of the most villainous in the history of the United States.

Corruption

Of course, a true villain is usually corrupt, and is known to do anything for money. The Halliburton scandal is a great example of Cheney's unscrupulous principles.

Cheney was secretary of Defense in 1991 when he awarded contracts to Halliburton which gave the company millions of dollars in revenue. Just four years later, when Cheney left the administration, he went to work for Halliburton as its CEO.

While Cheney was still CEO of the company, he headed up President George W. Bush's vice-presidential search committee. Who did he pick? Himself. Cheney said that he had severed all ties to Halliburton when he became vice president, but he had not. He awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts to the company in relation to the Gulf War in 2003 while he continued to receive compensation from Halliburton.

When Sen. Patrick Leahy from Vermont called Cheney on his immoral actions, Cheney famously responded, "Go f--- yourself," according to the Huffington Post.

Economy

Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill tried to warn Cheney that proposed tax cuts to wealthy corporations would spell doom for our country's economy. Cheney told O'Neill that "deficits don't matter," adding, according to OnTheIssues, "We won the midterms (congressional elections). This is our due."

Just a month later O'Neill was fired. Nearly a decade later, we can clearly see that O'Neill was right, although the GOP would have Americans believe that the poor economy should be blamed on our current president.

Torture

Cheney continues to support the use of torture against prisoners of war, even though it is a serious war crime. He advocates waterboarding even though the United Nations has said that the practice qualifies as torture and those involved should be prosecuted.

Cheney says that he has no regrets and is completely unrepentant about the brutal tactics that were used against detainees, who, in some cases, had not even been charged with a crime.

The former vice president has clearly proved himself to be a dangerous criminal but instead of being prosecuted, he writes his memoirs and continues to profit from his evil doings. Unfortunately, in this case, the villain has won.