Sidney Blumenthal - Bush has fallen victim to his own hubris

[Chicago Democrat]

Bush has fallen victim to his own hubris

In the end, US voters will not be frightened into becoming a nation that disdains decency

Sidney Blumenthal
Thursday October 28, 2004
The Guardian

The unmaking of the president 2004 began on September 11 2001. By September 10, George Bush's poll numbers had reached 50%, the lowest of any president at that early point in his tenure. Having lost the popular majority in the 2000 election and being delivered the presidency by a five-to-four Supreme Court decision, Bush operated as though he had triumphed with a full-throated mandate.
From the start, Bush ran a government based on secrecy, handed over the departments and agencies to more than 100 industry executives and lobbyists appointed to key positions, and exhibited belligerence towards anyone who raised a question about his right-wing imperatives. His bullying prompted Republican Senator James Jeffords of Vermont to cross the aisle, throwing control of the Senate to the Democrats. In only months, Bush's incompetence and arrogance had induced paralysis. He had already run his course.

After September 11, as his poll numbers soared, Bush wrapped his radical agenda in the cloak of commander-in-chief. Now he would attempt to implement Karl Rove's ambition of a one-party state and the neo-conservatives' plan for an American imperium. Bush believed he had permanent political capital to forge a factional partisan political realignment. Afghanistan, almost unanimously supported in the country, solidified his popularity and certainty.

The conservative wish-list came off the shelf. Civil liberties were curtailed in the Patriot Act, extremists were nominated as federal judges, environmental protections ravaged, and resources shifted from Afghanistan to prepare for Bush's ultimate objective - Iraq.

rest at....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/comment/story/0,14259,1337742,00.html

[Melodybe]

1. Wow, what a great article, thank you so much for posting it.

Glad to see the the Brits are calling out both Bush and our media.

I love the internet, I love Al Gore and Steve Jobbs for helping fund the www.

Where would we be without it?

This is a terrific artical and it made me smile and beam at the end, I highly recommend reading it.

Thanks again CD

:kick:

[kskiska]

2. DUPE

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x81567

[Moderator]

3. So good we have it twice--please continue here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x81567