Where are the War Bonds?

I just heard Austin Bay on the Hugh Hewitt show, making a point I've read and thought of myself numerous times: There needs to be a way for ordinary Americans to participate and support our efforts in Iraq. There are a lot of private projects, like Soldiers' Angels and the others linked on its website. What Colonel Bay is wondering is why the government doesn't seem to be asking for more support.

During WWII there were war bond drives, usually manned by celebrities appearing and performing at benefit rallies to encourage citizens to buy bonds. There were drives where people gathered and contributed materials like tin foil and rubber to help arm our troops. Just coming out of a recession, the country wasn't in the kind of financial condition it is today, and more public participation was necessary.

Hugh later argued that similar belt-tightening today would hurt the economy that pays for this war, which is why we were urged to start spending and traveling after 9/11 to help the economy recover from the drop in consumer spending.

I'm not sure where I come down on this, but I know one thing. Most of our current celebrities would scorn any action to support the president or our troops. There are those who have visited the troops through the USO and written patriotic songs, but the the mass media opposed to this war, most of the positive news never gets to the public. (The WaPo reported a poll today showing that 60% of Americans want to see the Patriot Act renewed. How did they let that slip out?) Sadly, Americans today have become more concerned about the luxuries they view as rights than in doing anything to preserve the liberties we take for granted. I've never thought that a society could be healthy that doesn't require anything from its citizens. The ACLU-think that has spread even among Conservatives worries me, because it divides and polarizes us rather than encouraging us to pull together for the good of the whole.