The sound and fury of George W. Bush: What is the measure of a president?

[babylonsister]

http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_2035.shtml

The sound and fury of George W. Bush: What is the measure of a president?
By JC Garrett


snip//

What kind of captain deliberately draws the ire of foes at the cost of friends? What type of Commander makes enemies of the neutral or indifferent? What kind of chief, having tremendous power, wields that power so recklessly that the power becomes practically useless?

How can a man who had the full support of a huge majority of his own nation, along with the sympathy and backing of the entire International community conduct himself in such an irresponsible manner that he loses it all in just a few short years? How can the leader of the free world, when presented with the chance to be remembered as one of the greatest presidents who ever lived, so abuse the trust of the entire global population as to condemn himself to be remembered as the worst?

The man in the White House today considers Abraham Lincoln to be the greatest president. He often says that while Lincoln was not popular during his presidency, he is now revered as one of the greatest Americans in history. President Roosevelt seems to speak from the Beyond to Bush with these words found in the same introduction: "It is a very poor thing, whether for nations or individuals, to advance the history of great deeds done in the past as an excuse for doing poorly in the present."

Bush is too self-consumed to realize comparing poll numbers with Lincoln is idiocy. Lincoln led during a Civil War. Half the country was by definition opposed to him. The Union is now bound so tightly together that it would be implausible for any State to secede. Even in this time of unity, Bush has less support than Lincoln had at any time during his presidency.

He envisions himself as a great leader who stands on principle, even when he stands alone, and equates his thick-headed stubbornness and uncompromising nature to Lincoln's courage to stand alone for a great cause. But he lacks the moral fiber to understand that the principle must be just before standing on it, and he has no idea what constitutes a "great cause". Lincoln's great cause was the end of the forced servitude of a race of people for the sole benefit of another race of people. No similarity exists between the war that ended slavery and the "war on terror". Bush does not possess the necessary social conscience to discern the difference. Lincoln corrected an immoral policy. Bush created one.

snip//

Bush has demonstrated no wisdom, and he has engaged in the most destructive kind of folly. For all his bluster, for all his arrogant swagger, for all his unconvincing assertions of his belief in the "Rule of Law", George W. Bush is all sound and fury without substance. Bush may live in the White House - but he is by no measure a president.

[Olney Blue]

1. I doubt there will ever be a Bush Memorial on the Mall in D.C.

[Cobalt-60]

2. every time i see a shrub

I think of my chain saw.

[reprobate]

6. Certainly there will be a memorial.

It will consist of a deep hole in the lawn with a shovel at the bottom and a large granite monolith inscribed with the words: When you find yourself deeply in trouble, the first thing to do is STOP DIGGING!

[agincourt]

3. One of the better descriptions,

of this administration that I've seen. "Sound and fury but no substance".

[dennis4868]

4. my god....

we have 2 more years of this crap....

[Vidar]

5. A tale told by an idiot, signifying nothing: good epitaph for the bastard.