Marty Kaplan: W: "My Government"

[baldguy]

I heard this on Stephanie Miller this morning:

Here's how W is defending the Dubai decision: "The more people learn about the transaction that has been scrutinized and approved by my government, the more they'll be comforted..."

For a moment, set aside the "trust-me" part of this, and focus instead on the "my government" bit.

If he'd said "my administration," I wouldn't have blinked. "My cabinet" would also have raised no hackles. If he really wanted to use the word "government," then how about these pronouns as antecedents for "people": "their government" or "our government."

But no, he said "my government." I don't think that's just a garden variety Bushism, a trivial malapropism. I think it goes right to his understanding of who he is, and who we are. It's not a Freudian slip; it's an Orwellian siren, an anti-democratic red alert.

more:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20060223/cm_huffpost/016224;_ylt=AhEl0iE7ADlFGW6Qa0aMnBId6sgF;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--

You might ask "Who cares?" The thing is, Kaplan is right: Bush sees himself as OWNING THE GOVERNMENT. It's his to do with what he will AND WE HAVE NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT!

It's a question of SOVEREIGNTY - you know, that big word duhbya has infamously stumbled over. Well, it actually means something. Bush is not a sovereign - he's merely a caretaker. And he's a pretty shitty caretaker at that.

[bryant69]

1. Yep

The wiretapping scandal and the new flack about the data mining project prove it. Bush doesn't believe there should be any limits to his power whatsoever and if the is blocked in anyway, he just goes around and does it another way.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[atreides1]

2. He Does

He became the sole owner of the US government when the congress abrogated it's rights by voting for the Patriot(Enabling)Act without even so much as a glance, and then giving him the authority to use military force when HE felt it was needed.

Even though congress put some requirements on the use of force, they have yet to call this administration to answer for its total disregard of those requirements.

So with the permission of the US Congress, BushCo was given ownership of the government!!!!!

[proReality]

3. He's always used first person...

Everything is "his" toy to play with. Just look at "his" collection of little tin soldiers that "he" can move around the globe.

He's having such a tremendous amount of fun in the play house that I feel there will be a real temper tantrum when he's required to put everything down and walk away from "his" lovely little toy box.

[RobertSeattle]

4. I think it is OK, if a foreign leader is in the same conversation

But just it alone is air-oh-gant.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/11/20051101-18.html

Bush: ...told the Prime Minister my government would work very closely with the Belgium government to help the people of the Congo realize their full potential.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/01/20060117-1.html

THE PRESIDENT: Inside joke here, for my team. (Laughter.) First of all, I was more than happy, and my government was more than happy to help Argentina with the IMF crisis.