Bush accepting responsibility - the real questions to ask

[whosinpower]

So Bush finally accepts responsibility for the failings of the Feds in the Katrina disaster.

My first impression is WOW - PIGS DO FLY AFTER ALL.

But more realistically, pragmatically is how Americans continue to have confidence in his leadership. Yes or no? He admits mistakes - and that is a good thing, but can he do the job? Going forward, can Americans trust that he will do the right thing? That is the real question IMHO.
I am not so sure. Accountability means more than saying your sorry.
Having no confidence in the government can only mean that he must resign or face impeachment.

The Katrina disaster exposed his flawed policies, his leadership, his judegment and his perceptions of what presidential duties and responsibilities are. Saying your sorry does little to give you better judegment or better leadership.

Thoughts?

[shoelace414]

1. he didn't admit a mistake.

he took, what was his.. responsibility for running the federal government.

[whosinpower]

5. I had a huge argument

with a friend a couple of days ago regarding his responsibilities. She basically stated that I was being unfair for my harsh viewpoint regarding Bush. I asked her a simple question - " where does the buck stop?" She went on to say that he probably did not know how bad it was, that the delay was caused because they had to formulate a plan, and that takes time, blah, blah, blah.

I told her of Bush responsibilities as president under the United States National Response Plan. She tried to defend him by saying that it could not be just Bush that blundered - it might of been his staff. I was being unfair for heaping all that went wrong on one man. I told her of Northern Command - and how it sat a few miles offshore of Louisiana until THURSDAY before deploying - and that the only reason it sat, was because they had to wait for a presidential order. That order was Bush's responsibility, and his alone as president. He bears the blame on at least that count.

She ended up screeching at me.........hmmmmmm....wonder what she thinks now that he accepts responsibility........

She said that Bush could not be blamed for all that went wrong with FEM etc.....and I told her that leadership sets the tone. Bush sets the tone of government. There was no sense of urgency from the FEDS - and Bush was busy holidaying, eating cake, and attending a fundraiser while New Orleans was drowning.

She said it was like this - if my son was caught shoplifting - I, as a parent would be held responsible, and in her opinion, that was unfair. I said - " As a parent, I set the tone right? If I taught my son how to shoplift, or that it was okay to shoplift as long as you did not get caught......then I SHOULD be held responsible for his actions....because I set the tone of his behavior."

The conversation ended up quite ugly.

[shoelace414]

6. his appointments run all the various federal agencies

how things the people he appointed screwed up not his fault?

[whosinpower]

8. She stated

that he could not possibly control all aspects of government - that people under him made mistakes - but those mistakes should not be piled onto Bush himself.

My rebuttal was quite simple - The President sets the tone of government - he leads and they follow. There must be some responsibility on his part, for his leadership, or lack thereof for the failure of his crew.

[shoelace414]

9. not only that.. HE HIRED ALL OF THEM

they all report to him.

[fooj]

2. Actions have consequences.

Period.

Peace.

[JuniperLea]

3. to the extent that the government is responsible

which means there will be a ton of finger pointing and blame gaming so he can wriggle his putrid ass out of this.

[ThoughtCriminal]

4. If you asked him what those Federal mistakes were

he could not tell you.

If you asked him if he personally made any mistakes, he would not be able to speak of any.

I guarantee you, he is pathologically incapable of edmitting error. Ever.

[Bobbieo]

7. To Thought Criminal

You are correct in your evaluation of the situation. It will end up as "It's somebody else's fault!" It always is with addictive personalities like GW Bush. I wish more people could see through it but maybe you have to live with one like him to understand what he is thinking and doing.