You see, it's like a logic bomb, you start with something that's sure to connect straight to the emotional part of the brain, and then you slowly deaden it with things that aren't nearly as biased, and then you hit them with the real point at the end, which basically destroys any effort at rebuttal before it's even made.
Any president who manages to get any of the things on the bottom of the thread pushed through congress would be hated just as vitriolically as George Bush, just by a different segment of the population.
oh please. and yes, he can write, but please dont humor him by putting updates on the front page that have anything to do with W's potentially positive, potent contributions or whatever. us hippies know better... not saying you would, and i know u have complete control mcd master, but there might have to be our own war over here if that happens. peace, love, and flowers in my hair...hehe
Yeah, you make some very good points while still admitting that his influence isn't necessarily a positive one, but rather simply a potent one.
Still, I think it would be more accurate to say that this administration has been one of the tightest ships ever run for the executive branch. While W's personality really works for him, I can't give him the benefit of the doubt in regards to his excellence and skill as the American President.
Did that get your attention? You god damn hippies.
I think their are characteristics of this administration that will be much needed in the near future for whoever the next great president will be.
1. Surrounding themselves with great minds
Karl Rove will probably be remembered as one of the most intelligent, savy, and savage political minds of the US...ever. The man has a mind for politics, he knows how to make insane policies and decisions somehow become a total wash. His propaganda is brilliant, his campaign strategies are as good as they get. Unfortunately he uses this power for evil. Shogunai. Dick Cheney is arguably the most powerful vice-president in history, the Cardinal Richelieu of American politics if you will... Condoleeza Rice was George Bush's tutor for foreign policy during the first campaign, she's got bigger balls than most congressmen and swings them with authority.
2. A complete and total lack of respect for public opinions and public opinion polls. The president of the United States is not responsible to the people, he's responsible to congress, and in extreme cases, the supreme court, that is the system of checks and balances. The average american citizen has never watched c-span, and has no clue what our government is doing beyond the scope of what information industries, newspapers, television news etc...are revealing to them. And those industries reveal the news that will be the most shocking and make the most money from sponsors, they are businesses not philanthropic associations to spread useful and relevant information. When the president tries to tailor decisions based on public opinion, a shifty and amorphous thing to begin with, those decisions usually end up being completely ineffective.
3. Long term goals. The very nature of political discourse and the way we "run" the government is necessitated by term limits to exist on a very narrow and short term basis. Elected officials are running down a tunnel and they peak out to see the light at the end of their term to see what they need to change. This administration was following a plan crafted by dozens of conservative over the course of a decade. The US will be following, or realing, or piggy backing off of Bush's decisions for far longer than his term. Possibly decades, depending on when the oil cuts out, maybe a century. The nature of the PNAC plan is such that the real, long term effects may not be seen for a long time to come, mainly the beginning of humanities resource wars.
4. Manipulation of the Red Tape of congress.
George Bush has not signed a single veto since he has been in office. Part of this is because republicans have enjoyed a comfortable majority in the house and senate for his entire term. The other reason is that George Bush, Dick Cheney, Karl Rove and company have circumvented the veto process by riding an outdated law from the early 20th century which gives the president powers to ignore laws passed by congress and signed. Bush has issued HUNDREDS of signing statements, basically a veto that can't be defeated by a 2/3 majority in congress.
"But Specter and his allies maintain that Bush is doing an end-run around the veto process. In his presidency’s sixth year, Bush has yet to issue a single veto that could be overridden with a two-thirds majority in each house.
Instead, he has issued hundreds of signing statements invoking his right to interpret or ignore laws on everything from whistleblower protections to how Congress oversees the Patriot Act."
5. Cronyism
If you have an extreme agenda you surround yourself with people who will be loyal enough to carry it out to the end. People who will not be swayed by public opinion, and whose lust for power supercedes their moral compass.
These are the things that have made this administration the most powerful executive branch in American history. Among other things.
Now think to yourself about all the policies that should be common sense in America.
Legalization of Pot Protection of Pro-Choice End of pork barrel spending End of corporate influence being the only influence in policy decisions Elimination of religious concerns in sectarian law End of oil dependance Fixing, remodelling, or ending social security Expansion of options for acquiring medicine - including importation from Canadian companies which are much cheaper Dismantling and Re-building medicare, welfare, and almost every inadequate social system we have in place, which almost all stem from the great depression
These things will not and can not be fixed in 4 or even 8 years by any president towing the line and making compromises. The country has to be fixed, George Bush has given us the model of a President, and executive branch that could be capable of doing it. But his political views are extremely divergent from common sense.
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