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Why George Bush could have been the best president ever
EvilToasterElf
Posts: 1,119
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.
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.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
if those were utilized in a better way, he could have been considered a great president.
but what you are describing is a dictatorship that disregards the will of the people
and the dictatorship goes the winner of the deceipt battle
and where we go, will be whereever he so chooses
greatest? well, maybe most influencial and with most impact - but not all influence or impacts are positive
Definately illustrates how fine a line there is between brilliant, strong leader and moron.
Bingo...
Theres such a fine line between clever and stupid....
The will of the people is supposed to be upheld through the system of checks and balances, so that the elected representatives from a smaller geographicarea ofthe country represent the concerns of that area. We all know that doesn't happen, and the people from New York, or Ohio, or Florida don't make their senators and representatives responsible for anything. Congressman in the House have a 98% re-election rate. The system isn't just broken at the top, the citizens broke it when they stopped paying attention, and stopped caring.
Excellent post!
I definately agree
Now, if he was a Democrat..
..let's just say the Iraq war would be justified.
Ronaldus Magnus
I guess if you were trying to get a ride out of me, this wouldn't be the best tactic to take, since I'm not a democrat. In fact I thought I did a pretty good job of pointing out that the things George Bush is doing, isn't even partisan, it has nothing to do with his policies, just the way he and this administration conduct themselves.
George Bush is hardly a republican, he's part of that new amalgamation called neo-cons, who believe neither in fiscal responsibility nor smaller government. The two tenants of the Republican Party that ring most true with me at least.
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take a good look
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hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
2. Lack of regard for public opinion? Ha! They have an overwhelming regard for the opinion of their base. Why else would they call a special session of congress over Terry Schiavo, or waste time with nonsense such as gay marriage? When it's the opinion of someone who might vote for them, they're a bunch of ass-lickers. It's only majority opinion they don't concern themselves with.
3. I can only guess that "long-term goals" isn't the same as "long-term planning," or the execution of the war in Iraq would turn this one on it's head.
4. Manipulation of red tape = subverting the will of Congress, which is far from admirable. Whether it's extending votes for hours while they bully congressmen, or simply announcing "fuck you, we're not going to enforce it," this hardly fits in with the checks and balances mentioned above. A lot of what they've done is probably illegal, and we can only hope future legal challenges will compel enforcement and close these loopholes to future administrations.
5. Cronyism ... yeah, they've mastered that like no administration before them. Nothing like blind loyalty.
1. Well I would agree maybe that it's wasted brilliance, but I will stand by the intelligence of those individuals none the less, just because they are wrapping their brains around the game of politics doesn't make their minds any less viable.
2. All of the things you've mentioned were circus peanuts thrown to the crowd, it had no real effect on anything, and I think it speaks more for number 1 again. They can do a whole lot for their base without making a single compromise to the PNAC plan they've been following, get re-elected, and continue ushering through the next term.
3. A chaotic Iraq is one that requires troops to "stay the course" and if that course happens to sway to Iran or Syria, so be it. I don't know what their ultimate aims were when they went in, but they ignored all the advice of all of the US's top generals, so presumably they had a reason for wanting the clusterfuck we have in there now. The reason we don't know is because this administration has no accountability for their plans or their actions.
4. Would it be admirable if the ends justified the means? Would it be admirable if they were circumventing congress to subvert corporate interest and pass compelling laws that helped the country, against the wills of all of our purchased congressmen? That's the point I'm trying to make.
>
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Did you actually read any of it? Besides the title? I'm neither a Republican, conservative or Bush supporter, but too many people don't bother to understand their enemies, they just call him an idiot and move on while he dictates the course of the country, and makes decisions, which will echo into the years of your grandchildren...but thanks for stopping by with your informative post
to dust i guess,
forgotten and absorbed into the earth below,..
hahahaa
[i think it was condee]
to dust i guess,
forgotten and absorbed into the earth below,..