Forget, if you can, the sad fact that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is an incompetent political hack.
And forget, if possible, the equally sad fact that President George W. Bush – Gonzales’ boss and patron – is a lackluster leader who has lost the faith of the American people and the confidence of even his own party.
Put that aside because in a political world where perception is reality and illusion rules the roost, Bush and Gonzales still win.
Bush is a stubborn man. That is an irrefutable fact that both friends and foes accept as gospel. When he is pushed, he pushes back. Like any political animal he is most dangerous when cornered.
The Democratic opposition in Congress, however, is about as stalwart and brave as a lemming on the run. When Bush pushes them, they give…and then give some more. Oh sure, they talk a good game but when push comes to shove they back down.
Bush, for all his failings, is not stupid when it comes to street rules in a political fight and he senses weakness in the Democratic Congress. They can posture all they want but – in the end – they lack the courage or the unity to make the hard decisions.
Bush will win the battle over funding for his dirty little war in Iraq. He will veto the bill which sets a timetable and Democrats don’t have the votes to override. He will get his money and American troops will still be dying in Iraq when he leaves office on January 20, 2009.
Bush doesn’t care what the American people think or want. He will do whatever he wants because, in his mind, he has absolute authority to do so. It doesn’t matter that, as President, he fails to carry out the will of the voters.
But the Democrats fail as well. They swept into power in 2006 on a promise to change the way things are done in Congress. Like most political promises, the winds of change died when the polls closed.
Sure, the Democrats talk a lot. They posture even more. They hold hearings and press conferences and town meetings but still fail to deliver when it counts. Bush knows this. The Democrats don’t have the guts to impeach him or even force his hand on Iraq. He holds all the cards and any good gambler knows you can’t win when you bet against the house.
The same is true for Gonzales and his future as attorney general. He may be the most unqualified occupant of the office in history, which is saying something when you follow John Ashcroft in the job, but he is the President’s man and Bush has decided that his man will stay…no matter what.
A lot of Bush’s appointees have left office in scandal but none have left because of Congressional pressure. Some ran afoul of the law and others left because the President had no more use for them.
Yet the architects of Bush’s incredible march to power and control remain: Karl Rove still calls the political shots, Dick Cheney still delivers a war machine and Alberto Gonzales continues to dismantle the Constitution.
All the Democrats can do is whine, bitch and moan – and they do a great job of all three. It’s good, I suppose, that they can at least be good at something.
34 thoughts on “While Democrats posture, Bush keeps on winning”
On Monday, Bush said Gonzales “went up and gave a very candid assessment, and answered every question he could possibly answer, honestly answer, in a way that increased my confidence in his ability to do the job.”
That statement clearly demostrates the monumental arrogance of George W. Bush. He couldn’t possibly be that stupid. He just doesn’t give a damn what anyone thinks or says. He has been like this his whole life. Until he became president he has gotten away with it because of the power of his family. Have you noticed that you have never heard of those who grew up with him or were involved with him as a young man or went to school with him as you would with any normal person? No testimonials from former teachers or friends. I’ve never heard of anyone who claimed to be his “friend.” Only a few who were pressed into admitting they knew him or were associated with him.
Karl Rove will go down in history as one of the great genius’ that have masterminded installing an incompetent, obnoxious, mentally deranged person in the position of ultimate power. Bush was camoflaged just like Hitler was and packaged to the people as something totally different than what he is. Rove did such a great job that one third of those people still believe it.
I believe it is this absolute arrogance that frightens the democrats. They know they can ram a war funding bill with mandates to withdraw the troops down his throat because if he does not sign it his so-called war in Iraq will be over, immediately. No money – no war, the troops have to come home – now! But they cannot predict what Bush will do if they do that. It could be anything from a complete mental breakdown and withdrawal to Marshall Law or nuclear bombs. I think they are afraid to find out and possibly subject the nation to a war with our own president. This may be why they refuse to impeach Bush. Instead, they choose to try and control him as much as they can until his term ends.
Bush has never been denied or had to take responsibility for anything. None of his “accomplishments” have been acquired honestly. Twice he was “made” the president – not elected by fair and honest elections. He knows that but considers that as it should be. That is the way things are done. As president he has continually demonstrated a total disregard for right or wrong or what is best for the country and its people which is a presidents job. He has lied every single time he has opened his mouth and done whatever the hell he wants to do. Congress can pass all the laws they want but he will attach statements to them that he will not obey them. That is who he is and he believes he has the omnipotence to do it. He doesn’t believe in god he believes he is god. He doesn’t consider himself the president. He always refers to himself as the “commander in chief.”
George W. Bush is the most arrogant person on this planet and that makes him the most dangerous because of his position as the president of the United States of America.
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It doesn’t make much sense to me to impeach Bush and make Cheney president.
Read Dennis Kucinich’s HR 333 here..
He’s done his homework.
My apologies to you Eric if you’ve taken my commentary as a “personal” attack. I still stand by my convictions that we need to commence impeachment proceedings against the Bushistas immediately if not sooner. There will be no comparison to the charges levied against Bush/Cheney as compared to Clinton’s impeachment based on a sexual tryst with an intern and the associated lying under oath etc. I consider Clinton’s impeachment situation truly a “tempest in a teapot”.
Since we don’t know each other personally nor have any knowledge of what each of us do everyday in everyway to support the cause of freedom and to resist the forces of evil shadowing this great nation, there would be no reason for me to infer that you are a coward etc. I was figuratively discussing what it means “not” to confront the despotic forces at the gates of this once great nation and that we owe to all those that have given their lives throughout history in either the defense or establishment of freedom to do so.
I don’t believe that marches, protests and other public displays in D.C. or generally any place else will make a difference. Stop the War protests etc., although better than nothing will not stop these mattoids, but impeachment will. We must believe in our hearts that we shall prevail regardless of vote counts etc. I do believe if protesters marched around the state offices of their elected “republicrats” making a public display of their reps lack of action on behalf of their constituents then something might get done. Congessional Reps and Senators don’t like being in the spotlight. How many times in your lifetime have you seen any local news coverage concerning either Congressional Reps or Senators offices being picketed for any reason. You haven’t. I write, I call, I show up when they come to town. They know who I am and they wince because they know if they recognize me from the audience for a question that I’ll reach down their throats to their buttholes and then turn them inside out with my succinct questioning. I also compliment them publicly and via email or the phone when they do some good.
As far as I’m concerned 99 percent of them are sleazeballs that are “on-the-make”! So keep the faith my friend and we’ll each do things our way and we shall prevail. You aren’t my enemy nor I yours. We are both in the same situation, so “We must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly, we shall all hang separately”…Benjamin Franklin 1706-1790
Your friend in liberty and justice for all…
Carl Nemo **==
p.s. April 28th is targeted as National Impeachment Day…! So call your reps, slap on your bumper stickers, call your reps giving them support and get the message out. It’s going to roll across this nation and slam into D.C. like a tsunami ! We the People have had a bellyful of their ongoing nation-wrecking duplicity.
http://www.a28.org/
http://www.conservativeusa.org/megalink.htm
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/
I have been arguing the same as you since Democrats took over control of congress, especially after Rep. Jay Inslee and Sen. Patty Murray implored the Washington State Legislature to put off calling for impeachment. They were attacked by the pro-impeachment crowd that called them traitors, pro-Bush sycophants and other derogatory terms.
I have long felt that a failed impeachment movement could, probably would, cause Joe Lieberman to switch to the Republican Party, thereby turning the Senate back to Dick Cheney and his neocon goons. Not smart thinking.
You mentioned the cost of the unwarranted Clinton impeachment, but could have also argued that that stupidity by the right interfered with all efforts by Clinton to pursue Osama bin Laden and alQaeda. Whenever he tried what he was legally allowed to try, the right screamed “Wagging the dog, wagging the dog.” The GOP Congress never gave Clinton the legal authority to go after alQaeda with troops or the money to conduct such operations, but now blame him for the 9/11 attacks that Bush was warned about but did nothing to try to prevent.
On the other hand, impeachment proceedings wouldn’t necessarily be bad, if handled properly and at the exact proper time. As it is now, Bush is in position to issue blanket pardons to cover all criminal deeds relating to his administration, just like his daddy did to pardon all the uncharged criminals associated with Reagan’s Iran-contra subversion in the ’80s. including Daddy Bush himself. A case of impeachment would prevent Bush from pardoning anyone, as stated by article II, Section 2, of the US Constitution.
Let’s hope the Democrats find a way do it properly.
Eric and others are always saying that impeachment won’t work because there are not enough votes to convict, and that misses the point.
This most-criminal-ever administration will do ANYTHING to avoid having any one of the Big Three give testimony under oath, and that is precisely what impeaching Gonzales would lead to; the Decider swearing to outright lies, under oath. Need more be said in favor of the impeachment of Gonzales?
Joe Lawrence
Just because Alberto Gonzales is not qualified to be the Attorney General, that he has lied to the Senate, his memory went on vacation, he is still a good friend of bush. With that said and that bush doesn’t see what Al did as being all that bad, Alberto Gonzales will remain as A.G. The Democrats can object until they are Blue in the Face, it means nothing to bush and he will do as he pleases anyway.
Ten years from now or even less, Democrats will still be kicking each other in the rear, for not Impeaching bush as wanted by so many.
Taking One Day at a Time
Our inaction as a people in the threat of losing a democracy can and should be compared to the Holocaust – before it actually began; How quickly we forget how tyranny creeps into a society, and somehow we as individuals always think it will affect “someone else” when in fact it is impacting our lives at this very moment! (And even more importantly, the lives of our children and grandchildren…)
Inaction guarantees that it will get worse, and once the Neo-cons and Christian fundamentalists seize power in a manner that quashes all else, what laws and actions will the “new regime” adopt to further enslave the people? The mega-churches are already selling video games that depict Christian-soldiers attempting to convert ALL they come across, and then get points for murdering those whom refuse to convert. The propaganda machine is already at work; Pat Robertson loyalists run most of the most important governmental agencies – including the Justice Department, so where exactly does that leave the average American? Is there another Holocaust in the making? History tends to repeat itself, especially when an entire population is distracted and unable to grasp the depth of the deception(s).
We should all remember that within the Bush administration, they see nothing but black and white; there is no in-between, and you’re either for them – or are against them, and that includes being added to a terrorist watch list if you’re identified attending a peaceful protest! We know the FBI has abused its powers, as well as the entire Justice Department. To add insult to injury, the Supreme Court has been stacked with Bush supporters; so in essence, his take-over of the government is almost complete.
Attack Iran, declare martial law to curb the attacks that are guaranteed to occur within the continental United States and BINGO – democracy is lost in one fell-swoop.
To answer those who do not believe impeachment is the answer, I believe impeachment proceedings supported by investigations that are real – unrestricted and mandated by Congress is the only way to save this democracy. Google the changes made by Bush to the martial law doctrine and then ask yourselves why – and call your representatives and demand that Bush be impeached! If “we the people” do not stop this march into complete and utter tyranny, who else will?
I was out there demonstrating against the “war” before it even started. I was berated and even threatened on campus by other students when I spoke out against invading Iraq 4+ years ago. Holy hell, I cannot believe what I am reading here.
Steve:
If you don’t have the courage to use any available, legal means to try and change the course of this nation, then please step aside and allow those who do have the courage of their convictions to do so.
No different than what the White House does, even so far as using an exact soundbyte taken right from White House press conference transcripts. No different!
Furthermore, I for one, and some I know who are against both the war and against impeachment as a tool to end the war (but not necessarily against it after the soldiers are home!), absolutely do not think all action is futile, as implied.
Carl:
Tactically we can look at the impeachment process as a delaying tactic to slow this nation-destroying Bush juggernaut down.
Impeachment will not slow them down from continuing their insane actions. The presidency is not put on hold during the proceedings. In fact, impeachment will actually distract from specific goal of bringing our soldiers home! Clinton’s impeachment proceedings took almost three months from articles to acquittal. That was for one person on minor charges, compared to what would be charged in the case of the president and vice-president. Meanwhile, the country is more distracted from the plight of the soldiers than they are now.
But forget all that…this is absolutely sickening. It’s one thing to have one’s dedication to this country questioned by the pro-illegal war side, but to have it done by others who are supposed to be against the war is just disgusting. You people are no better than the members of the administration…its just that instead of unquestioning compliance to what the White House says, you just want unquestioning compliance to whatever you say. As soon as someone questions, you break out the “courage of convictions” and don’t you love your country BS.
Some in congress and in the world at large seem to feel that impeachement with no chance of winning is a waste of time – I say you’re chicken shit.
No battle worth fighting for can be over before it starts – and isn’t it better to go down in flames having fought a good fight than to explain to history why you huddled in a corner, frozen by fear of failure, and did nothing while your nation was raped and killed?
If you don’t have the courage to use any available, legal means to try and change the course of this nation, then please step aside and allow those who do have the courage of their convictions to do so.
And if one more conservative implies this war is the will of some God or another, I’m gonna vomit on his/her shoes.
Sandy –
With great respect may I suggest that you’re off by one …
“I saw this one world order creep into the Republican Party through Bush 41 and that did it for me”
For me it was Ronnie Ray-Gun … allow me to quote the late, great Blaze Foley from his song “Oval Room” – which he dedicated to Ronnie Ray-Gun –
Oval Room
By Blaze Foley
(Ode to Ronnie Ray-gun)
In his oval room, in his rockin’ chair
He’s the president, but I don’t care
He’s a business man, he got business ties
He got dollar signs in both his eyes
Got a big airplane, take him everywhere
Got his limousine, when he get there
Everywhere he goes, make the people mad
Makes the poor man beg, and the rich man glad
He’s the president, but I don’t care
Ooh, Ooooooh, Ooh
At the factory, never been so slow
Got a big fourth down, ninety nine to go
And down on the farm, nothing growing there
But the debts they owe and their gray hair
In the desert sand, and the jungle deep
He thinks everything is his to keep
He’s a real cowboy, with his makeup on
Talks to kings and queens on the telephone
He’s the president, but I don’t care
Ooh, Oooooh, Ooh
He’s a movie star, if you stay up late
And he’ll search your car, if you don’t look straight
In his Oval Room, in his rockin’ chair
He’s the president, but I don’t care
“they had better DOUBLY hope ‘she’ has an even better one!” – having faced the wrath of a woman, I can only hope that if there is a God, that God is a “he” – if not – hell will be a far better place to spend eternity! (plus, most of my friends will be there!).
…each morning I wake to a repeat of the previous day – each day a new jury is in on the verdict of the existence of some ‘god’ – and each verdict reads the same: there just can’t be. No ‘god’ would continue to permit this death spiral for our country and our planet to continue.
…as for the comment I read somewhere above about how those guilty should hope ‘he’ has a good sense of humour, they had better DOUBLY hope ‘she’ has an even better one!
LFTL
I grew up believing that a strong balance of Republicans and Democrats was needed for a successful nation. We had Business on one hand and the working force on the other. I saw this one world order creep into the Republican Party through Bush 41 and that did it for me.
I have been a member of the working class my entire life and learned that my wages went up when the product was successful. A blend of both gave me a chance to save for my retirement.
Somewhere the corporations became greedy as did the Republican congress and then the Democrats wanted a piece of the future and fell in behind the development of the one world order Empire.
Working in Congress can be a grueling life but when it began to look like a successful empire, they jumped right in. Power! Power! and to hell with American freedoms.
The American people never knew what hit them. We can’t win this war but we can learn from it. My hopes would be to dramatically down size the government and return the tax money and allow the people to chose their own laws at the state level. Those damn prohibitions could then be voted on and stop the religious right from trying to change our U.S. Constitution.
I’m tired of being told that Americans are too dumb to make their decisions. We need another choice.
Watching the way this country is falling-apart, I don’t believe for one minute you are over-reacting.
Whatever the “plan” is, it’s working like a charm, and I simply make the point that these charlatans will use any and all means at their disposal to achieve their goals. I don’t pretend to know exactly what their end-game is, although I’ve been pretty successful in predicting most of the moves of this President.
When was the last time in American history that many in the worldwide community believed that our President was mentally ill? When has the United States had such a negative world view? Is there a President in US history that has been such a dismal failure – and actually is feared by much of the population (domestic & abroad)?
I don’t know where we are going, but it’s scary to see how damn fast we’re getting there – and how little real opposition there is to actually bringing this episode of subversion and treachery to an end.
What you describe above to me represents treason, literally and legally – and is not only an impeachable offense, but also punishable by death in a US Court of Law.
Sandy what you are saying may be true, though there are several people serving jail sentences right now who would argue they didnt get passes.
My question is, if it is true, then why don’t the Democrats do anything? Myself, I believe it is a lack of good old fashion intestinal fortitute. They are as bad as the administration is in so many ways….It is all politispeak to the nth degree. What use is it harping on the current administration when the current Congress is useless to provide the leadership they so vehemently claim they would do if elected? The amount of pork attached to recent legislation is not Republican pork.
If we are honest, they are all pretty much professional politicians who look solely to be relected using whatever means necessary. As far as the current administration taking over, believe it or not there is still a seperation of powers in place and though somewhat tarnished and bent, the last time I looked the Constitution is still in place.
Sandy –
I’m an American, I’m an Eagle Scout, I’m an Airborne Ranger, and I kneel to no man. Never have, never will.
If the neocons have found a unified voice in their false-found “faith” then we the people (not the sheeple) need to do the same. Not in some “faith” or “belief” but in knowledge.
Christ was a man of peace, he gave us one new law, to love our fellow man as we love ourselves. He didn’t tell us to love Christians (the concept hadn’t been invented yet, remember – Christ was a Jew), he didn’t tell us to ONLY love those who held the same beliefs that “we” do, he told us to love everyone.
In order to love someone you need to know and understand them, you need to accept them, and you don’t start wars with those whom you love, know and understand.
Knowing this (I’ve read it – could probably cite chapter and verse if pressed) I can honestly say that, if there is a God and there was a Christ, many of those who claim to follow Him (Bush, for example) are false prophets, as they are not being Christlike (peaceful). Again, from my reading, I recall being warned against false prophets.
Shit – even Dylan said “sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace” –
If you can prove to me that there is a God (and the words still out on that question for me), then I will kneel before Him/Her – but I will kneel to NO mortal being.
Bush/Cheney/Rove/Rice/Rumsfeld could all use a five to ten year vacation – with a lovely bar filled view (iron, not cocktail) – for the ill they’ve brought to this world. As for their claimed beliefs – if there is a God that crew better hope he’s got one heck of a sense of humor …
Peace
Steve
The Bush Administration has been given a pass on every single lie and corrupt action he has done for one reason. He was appointed by the neoconservatives to build an Empire with America on top. The Religious Right joined up and developed their own theocon group to help lead the Empire as a Christian Nation.
The Neoconnservatives will furnish the power for this empire and the Theoconservatives will impose their own rules. It leaves America vulnerable to every crank and abuser of the people found under these groups.
If one is either an Empire Builder or a Christian it could be their last chance at reaching their ideals. The only way to bring about the Empire is to destroy the Constitution and the Theocons know this is their only chance. Freedoms are on the list for both groups to destroy and then rebuild under a new set of laws.
If you think I’m over reacting just visit any of the Conservative sites on Google. There is only one set of rules for America. We all must submit to our government.
The argument that it would be useless to impeach Bush/Cheney because there are not enough votes in the senate to convict is only an excuse created by the democrats to avoid doing it. In my previous post I offerred what seems to me to be the real reason. Maybe that’s it and maybe not but there is a reason no one is talking about.
If an impeachment trial was held there can be no doubt that every senator would have no choice but to convict. Even with Roberts presiding, the facts of what they have done are a matter of record and under direct questioning where they will not be able to evade answering they will not only convict themselves, they would have to lie. The lies are what will do them in.
As they stand before the public to answer they will not be able to spin anything. They must answer yes or no. They must explain why. They will reveal themselves. A watching public will demand their removal. Any senator not voting to convict will be through in politics.
The point is, an impeachment trial will not simply be a listing of the few facts that the spin has made questionable such as whether it was best in the fight against terrorism to bypass court orders to wiretap and that excuses it. OK, now lets vote. A trial would require proof that the wiretaps were actually legitimate. Records would have be produced. We all know what that would show. Agents within the various agencies would be called as witnesses. That would reveal criminal wrongdoing by a multitude of Bush loyalists and undoubtably set in motion a dismantling or restructuing of several agencies. That may be one of the fears that democrats have. Exposing the entire government as corrupt. If the trial were properly conducted, I have no doubt that would be the result. Could the average John Q. Public handle that? How many of them even know that Bush has attached signing statements to every piece of legislation pasted in the last six years stating he will not obey the law? And there are many other things that would be revealed. By the time it’s over the public would see power mad criminal dictators at the helm of the nation. No senator could support them.
IMPEACH THE BASTARDS!
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