Speaking of that unnecessary and disastrous war, Bush has gone back to the use of the term "global struggle" to accompany discussion of the "war on terror". As you may recall, he avoided the use of the term "global struggle" this past July, and now he's revisiting the phrase. Once again attempting to convince a doubting public, Bush insisted that Iraq was part of the war on terror, or what Gen John Abizaid referred to as a "larger global struggle." If you've recently become confused about the mixed-message headlines regarding when we'll start pulling troops out of Iraq, Bush wants you to know "WE'RE NOT LEAVING IRAQ" - a direct quote. I hope that clarifies the matter. (Ah-heh).
On Poverty and Race, Bush's presecription is Ownership and the private sector. He said that Ownership is "empowerfully healing." He substitutes policies that rebuild meaningful lives with policies that promote greed, competition, and materialism. In the same breath, he'll heap mighty praise upon faith-based groups for all they do. In other words, there is no room in government bureaucracy for social safety nets. As Paul Krugman said yesterday in his NYT column, Bush's mission in office is "to dismantle or at least shrink the federal social safety net, yet he must, as a matter of political necessity, provide aid to Katrina's victims. His problem is how to do that without legitimizing the very role of government he opposes."
Personally, one of the richest parts of the Press con was hearing Bush admit that he used his very own style of Affirmative Action in choosing the members of his own cabinet. Saying it was his "responsibility to reach out" and "elevate people," he waxed on and on about the worthiness of his choosing black folks to be on his team.
Bush showed a "joking" disdain for public polls, and if he pays no attention to the polls, as he says he doesn't, he may wish to do so now. He is so out of touch with the American public that it has hampered his ability to forward his agenda without his right-wing cronies in the House and Senate bullying it through.
Article comments
1 - Maurice
Jude
have you already convicted Bush in the Plame case or are you going to withold judgement until he is judged?
You think he should have abandoned constituional law in the Katrina case?
You don't believe the 'private sector is the fountain of all the US's success?
You think Bush should tinker with the free market by ensuring wages.
Add all these things up and what do you get?
Main Entry: fas·cism
Pronunciation: 'fa-"shi-z&m also 'fa-"si-
Function: noun
Etymology: Italian fascismo, from fascio bundle, fasces, group, from Latin fascis bundle & fasces fasces
1 often capitalized : a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition
2 - Les Slater
Jude,
I enjoyed your post even though there was not much I could agree with.
There was one thing that I think you hit right on the head though:
> Millions of good Americans realize they stand without hope for representation or successful promotion of policies that reflect one united America. President Bush is the figurehead of an extremely divided and ugly America
This isn’t really new but is only now beginning to be seen. Katrina has helped this along immensely. People are pissed!
Les
P.S. Don’t worry about being called a fascist. It’s a word that seems to mean little amongst those that love to spit it at others.
3 - Jude
...have you already convicted Bush in the Plame case or are you going to withold judgement until he is judged?
What an odd question. I have never directly indicted Bush. Should I have? Is there something you know that I don't? Please tell me. I'll blog about it.
You think Bush should tinker with the free market by ensuring wages
As if tripping over himself to give his cronies all those no-bid contracts isn't "tinkering with the free market, already." Bwahaha. Wake up - smell the hypocrisy in your statement.
Fascism schmascism, Les Slater. The answer to your question You don't believe the 'private sector is the fountain of all the US's success? is that democracy is the fountain. If you claim to be an American, you belong to a venture far greater than yourself. The markets are an imperfect way to keep your society running fairly with maximum opportunity for all. Government isn't perfect, either, but we certainly cannot preclude government from protecting its citizenry from the loopholes which greed and corruption can create. You mistake democracy for fascism. That's a dangerous mistake, Les Slater. You make it at risk of losing some of your own democratic privelege and freedom.
4 - Les Slater
Jude,
Maybe it's just me, or something I ate, but your comment 3 seems to be confusing who you are replying to.
I did not call you a fascist nor did I say the 'private sector ...' etc. You may be thinking of comment 1 by Maurice, wich I thought was pretty nasty.
Les
5 - Jude
Oh, dear. Do forgive me, Les. I mistook your post for Maurice's. I guess I'm not used to the Blogcritics format. Scratch every place where I mentioned your name, Les, and replace it with Maurice.
Again, my apologies,
Jude
6 - Dave Nalle
Hate Bush all you like, but at least try to stick to the truth.
"He proclaimed a resurgence in employment of construction workers (while he suspends Davis-Bacon; the rule which would have allowed/ensured those construction workers a decent wage)."
Except that they ARE being paid a decent wage, higher than in many states in the area. The suspension merely lowers the wage to a level competitive in the local economy.
>> Local firms are being left behind as a result of no-bid contract crony-ism.<<
Except, of course, that no local company has the capability to do the large jobs needed, and all of the companies who got the contracts are sub-contracting individual parts of the work to local companies, so in fact locals are being employed in record numbers.
Dave
7 - Jude
Pointing out Bush's shortcomings and wrong-mindedness in leadership is not hate. I truist you are intelligent and mature enough to understand the difference.
President Bush is doing away with MBE, he's doing away with WBE, he's doing away with set aside programs. New Orleans is not being rebuilt by the people who most need the work. There is an opportunity, to lead that is being squandered.
Mr. Bush will go down in history as "The Squanderer". He squandered the good will and faith of the international community and the trust of his own people with the Iraq war..and he's squandering a chance to be a great leader in Katrina's aftermath.
I heard a pundit on Fox News (I think it was Dick Morris) call Bush "lucky" after Katrina, because he'd had yet another chance to lead in a national disaster.
Only the stupidest of leaders would take those golden opportunities and squander them as Bush keeps doing.
I've never seen our nation so divided and so untrusting of the bumbling, inept, misleading, greed-driven crony-hugger at the helm.
8 - Maurice
Jude
You do not live in a democracy. You live in a Republic. A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.
I am not a Bush supporter (did not vote for him) but I do understand our our consitution. Your rant er... I mean blog above makes some assumptions about our government that I felt compelled to correct.
Your statement about Bush not commenting on the Plame thing (as if that were an indictment) was the reason for my first comment.
My second statement was about precedence. State and local governments are not to be interferred with (we fought our bloodiest war over that one).
You've already revealed that you have no problem with fascisim. I could tell by the tone of your post that you thought big brother should be bigger.
I apologize if my comments came off as rude. I meant to just make some observations based on your blog.
9 - Ron
Jude,
Read your blog for the first time. Your analysis of Bush's press conference yesterday was right on the mark! How refreshing it is to discover that I am not the only one out here who sees that the emperor has no clothes. Do not be deterred by the negative nabobs who critize your blog for daring to tell the truth. Keep up the good work!
Ron
10 - MCH
Jude;
Re comments 6 and 7...Keep in mind, anyone who voices an opposing opinion to Dave Nalle's is automatically labeled by Nalle as someone who "hates", ad nauseam.
11 - Webbie
" don't worry - Harriet's good"
How good ? Brownie good, per chance ?
;)