First it was the revelation of signing statements, then warrantless wiretapping. Then, of course, there was the idiotic hyping of "the Commander-in-Chief". Of course, now that Congress is in the hands of Democrats, Bush has decided to rule by decree. The nail in the coffin, as it were, is the revelation of massive waste and fraud in Iraq reconstruction. That this last item was predicted years ago - remember the no-bid contracts with Halliburton and Bechtel? - does not render it any less saddening and maddening. Along with these political developments, there is the increasing socio-economic stratification at home, as the middle-class continues to whither, struggling to maintain a standard of living and hopes for their lives and the lives of their children a previous generation took for granted (it appears the dream of a college education for whoever wants it is as dead as many other dreams).
You know, David Broder whined about Clinton "trashing the place", meaning official and social Washington. Will he whine about Bush trashing an antire country? It will take years, perhaps deacades, to undo the damage Bush has done to the United States, its social and economic infrastructure, its military, its reputation abroad, and the sense of pride and well-being Americans have always held about their homeland. Like James Buchanan, Herbert Hoover, Ulysees Grant, and Warren Harding, Bush is headed for a small "Z"-list of "Worst President Ever". Personally, I think he should top that list; we had further to fall than before, but Bush managed it in just a few short years.
Virtual Tin Cup
