Brad Wardell's views about technology, politics, religion, world affairs, and all sorts of politically incorrect topics.
Why the Bush presidency may be remembered as a failure
Published on November 6, 2005 By Draginol In Republican

George W. Bush is on the brink of having his presidency remembered as a failure.  His poll numbers are very low -- less than 40%.  That's worse that Reagan's at the height of Iran-Contra and Clinton's during impeachment.  How did it come to this?

Simply put, Bush's character flaws and poor judgment finally passed an unspoken threshold in which people, even those inclined to support his policies, have concluded that Bush is a lost cause.

The straw that broke the camel's back was Hariet Miers. His nomination of her to the supreme court might as well have been a confession that Bush's detractors were right on some of their points: Bush is a shallow, unintelligent, old rich boy who is so far removed from ordinary people that he has few of their values.  That nomination demonstrated croneyism at its worse and given how much under the microscope modern presidents are, it revealed a mind boggling arrogance.

Sure, Miers is no longer in the running. But it doesn't matter. The damage is done.  We no longer know whether Bush is driven by what is best for the country instead of doing favors for his friends.  The reason things like Halliburton never stuck the the President (other than in the minds of the whacko left) is because it was unimaginable that the administration would be so stupid and corrupt to send deals to their friends so brazenly.  There's so many other reasonable and more likely explanations about Halliburton that the charges of excess make no sense.  But yet...now...there's that tingling of doubt.  Anyone who would appoint their own personal attorney to the supreme court...you never know... 

Then there's the botching of fiscal policy.  Conservates like tax cuts because A) the government is too inept to really help people effectively (Katrina kind of sent that message home) and hence people are better off having as much of their money as possible to spend more wisely. And In theory, tax cuts force the government to become smaller.

But look out, here comes Bush. He'll cut taxes and have party.  With Republican control of both houses and the Presidency, the conservatives should be able to institute their long-claimed desire of smaller government and effective fiscal policy.  Instead, we have deficits that bordering on insulting in that congress and the President want to throw money at everything. 

Then there's the war in Iraq.  I supported the invasion.  I am glad we went in there.  I am still glad we toppled Saddam.  The idea in a post 9/11 world that we'd allow a guy like Saddam to stay in power in a strategically vital region is nuts.  He had to go.  But he's gone now.  And over two years have passed and it's still a mess over there.  Yes yes, we're still over in Korea, Japan, and Germany and pretty much everywhere else we've ever fought a war.  But we're not having to keep 150,000 combat troops those places.  We're not having to suck down the National guard in those places.  At some point, Iraq is going to have to sink or swim on its own.  If their people don't care enough about freedom and keeping themselves from becoming a terrorist state, then there's nothing we can do about that.  Not to make too fine a point on it but it was relativley cheap to deal with Afghanistan and Iraq the first time.  The rehabilitation of Iraq is proving to be far more costly. 

Until recently, I had hoped that the administration had quietly let the Iraqi's know that they have until say next May to get their act together because at that point we would declare victory and start to bring troops back (not all of course, 10,000 here, 10,000 there).  I just don't have the confidence that Bush's team knows what they're doing over there. 

If there's any "anti-war" people reading this, don't get your hopes up that I'm coming on your side.  My complaint is that we're not being tougher.  I would have the "glass surface nation" policy if I were emperor. Deterrence may not work on terrorists but you can bet your ass that it would motivate the host countries of these terrorists to weed them out.

But on this and many other policies Bush wants to have it both ways.  Sometimes you have to make a tough decision and go all the way.  Half-way usually fails and satisfies neither contingent.

It's not so much that any of these things on its own is enough to cause me to lose faith in Bush.  It's the combination.  When put together (particularly the Miers nomination) it gives credence to the belief that Bush really is just a pampered good old boy of sub-normal intelligence who really has no business being President but is only President because the left-wing of American politics took a sanity vacation (which they're still on) and gave us no viable alternative (I mean what the hell were you left wingers thinking? Michael Moore sitting next to Carter at the DNC?? Hello! Goddam nutballs need to take your noses out of Cindy Sheehan's rear end and get your act together and realize how pathetic your party is when you can't beat someone like Bush). 

American politics has to be near the bottom it's ever been.  You have the Republicans in full corruption croney-loving mode.  And the Democrats are taking pride in their new status of being the party of victims and losers (as if that's a good thing). 

We need a viable third-party.


Comments (Page 2)
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on Nov 07, 2005
We can not continue to use the Bush/GOP plan because is is not WORKING! To stay the course that leads to a cliff is DUMB!
on Nov 07, 2005
We can not continue to use the Bush/GOP plan because is is not WORKING!

That's just your opinoin col.
on Nov 07, 2005
Miers notwithstanding, where were you during the election? The tone of your article, though and honest confession, will never lead you to believe we would have been better off even with swivel head Kerry. Still, a very nice job.
on Nov 07, 2005
I am slowly growing disenchanted by not only Bush, but the republican leadership as well.

Anyhting or anyone is still better that what the democrats have to offer.
on Nov 07, 2005

We can not continue to use the Bush/GOP plan because is is not WORKING! To stay the course that leads to a cliff is DUMB!

Playing Russian Roulette is dumb.  But playing it with a fully loaded chamber is dumber!  This may lead us to the cliff, the democrats would be there pushing us over if they were leading.

on Nov 07, 2005
Island dog

No that is the opinion of about 2/3 of ALL Americans. Chapter and verse:

Social Sceurity
Budget
Economy
Trade
Leadership
Iraq war
Energy
Healthcare
Jobs
Border Security
on Nov 07, 2005
Dr Guy

Heading for a cliff has a 100% chance of failure. Even the positions of the Democrats is not that sure of failure!
on Nov 07, 2005

One thing I'd like to point out though. The nomination of Harriet Miers may have been the ultimate in cronyism, but the fact that it didn't work goes far to show how the system worked anyway.

I have faith in the system still.  I still have faith in the conservative ideals and principles.  It's Bush himself I don't have any use for.

on Nov 07, 2005

Miers notwithstanding, where were you during the election? The tone of your article, though and honest confession, will never lead you to believe we would have been better off even with swivel head Kerry. Still, a very nice job

The only difference at this point is I probably would have voted for a third party candidate as a protest vote.  Not liking Bush doesn't mean I agree with Democrats on their views. 

Col Gene: Nothing in my article should lead you to believe that I don't continue to support the overall US policy in Iraq and the wider war on terror.

on Nov 07, 2005
The third party movements that we have tend to crank out ultra conservatives, very liberal liberals, or Republicans dressed up as "Independents".
on Nov 07, 2005
We can not continue to use the Bush/GOP plan because is is not WORKING! To stay the course that leads to a cliff is DUMB!


I YELL but present no ALTERNATIVES! I LIKE TO COMPLAIN IN CAPS!
on Nov 07, 2005

Heading for a cliff has a 100% chance of failure. Even the positions of the Democrats is not that sure of failure!

Wrong.  Jumping over the cliffs has 100% of failure.  Unless your goal is suicide.  The Democrats are guaranteeing 100% failure by their failure to lead or even propose viable alternatives.  Al they are doing is handing over the fully loaded gun, or pushing you off the cliff once you get there.

on Nov 07, 2005

Bahu - Find the caps lock key and then buy a clue. You and folks like you are the reason that the Dems are not a valid party anymore either. Who would want to be associated with people who sound like that?

Democrats do know how to properly use a caps lock button.  Yahoos don't.  I suggest that Yahoos are present on both sides, and only those with a mental age of 12 use caps for emphasis on entire sentences.

Having said that, only those with the mental age of 11 think that those with a mental age greater than 12 use caps in that way.

Brad's right in that there should be a viable third party, but he's wrong in thinking it would last for very long.  There need to be two new parties and the current two parties done away with as they've both lost touch with the majority of their members.

on Nov 07, 2005
I also support the war on terrorism. The reality, Iraq did not become part of the war on terrorism until AFTER Bush invaded. Even if we differ on the choice to invade Iraq, there can be little disagreement that the way Bush conducted the war was wrong. Bush told us this was to be a quick war where the Iraq people would welcome America as a liberator. NOTHING could be further from the truth. We NEVER had control of that country because we did not have anything close to the force levels needed to establish and maintain control. That was 100% because Bush did not allow the military experts to conduct the war properly.
on Nov 07, 2005
I do not know if the Democratic party represents what Democrats want but I do know the Republican Party DOES NOT represent what I as a Republican for over 40 yerars want for America.
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