Just How Bad are Things Getting for BushCo?

[Stevendsmith]

Once again I'm feeling a giddy rush of optimism that the BushCo edifice of deceit is finally going to come crashing down, that the suicidal apathy, stupidity, and media sycophancy that has kept these deceitful bastards afloat will FINALLY be replaced with righteous anger and action. How can any rational being expect less, given the enormous load of horseshit and mind-bogglingly bad policy the administration has foisted upon this country and the world? I mean, there are a lot of stupid people in this country, but, my god, you have to be a vegetable to continue to support this disaster of an administration. A god damn vegetable. Surely the majority of Americans have awakened from their idiotic slumbers by now. Right?

But I had this same feeling during the SOTU-Niger hoax. Like today, the talking heads were getting surprisingly tough on the administration, the print editorials were scathing and ominous (Rupert Murdoch operations excluded of course). Congressional Democrats were beginning shed their Bush-suckling ways and develop spines. It seemed—to me at least—that the jig was up for BushCo. Impeachment actually seemed possible.

Then all of the sudden. Poof! The hard questions just went away. The blatant and documented administration lies became yesterday's story—an expired news cycle. The media moved on to Kobe and other insignificant crap. Most of the Democrats got back on their knees. The tough Democrats were hamstrung by Republican majorities. All of those "inquiries" and "investigations" came to nothing—again mainly because of the Republican majorities, but also due to a lack of political will. God, it was infuriating! Lies about 9-11. Lies about Iraq. Lies about the Saudi/Bush connections. Lies about who really wrote our nation's energy policy. That was soooo yesterday. Time for vacation.

But once again, BushCo appears to be in very hot water. Congressional vacations are over. Tough questions are coming from both sides of the aisle. The media are getting uppity. The Iraq disaster and the god-awful economy are merging into one ugly shitstorm for the White House. But I’m reluctant to get my hopes up again. You see, I want this to be the beginning of the end for these criminal assholes. I want the remainder of Bush’s term to be marred by failure and abject humiliation and capped off by a resounding landslide defeat. I want the entire corporatist/Bushist/GOP project to be delegitimized painfully and slowly for the entire country to see. Is that possible?

Could this be the beginning of the end for these bastards? Or will the Teflon cowboy and his henchmen ride this storm out like they have so many times before?

[gratuitous]

1. We've certainly been besieged by the morans lately

Usually a good indicator that we're hitting them where it counts.

Mo' tombstones = Mo' bettah

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

5. It's like swatting flies around here.

[Stevendsmith]

7. Not sure I understand your reply

Am I missing something?

[gratuitous]

13. When the Bushistas screw up

Or rather, when the Bushistas screw up and the media notice (a far less common occurrence, since the corrupt Bush administration screws up on an hourly basis), DU seems to get a flood of imposters, trolls, trouble-makers and other interlopers all trying in various ways to distract us from discussing the matter at hand. As our wonderful moderators clear out the trolls, they get a tombstone picture on their profile, and their handle is terminated.

So, when it seems like there are more disruptors than usual, it's a pretty good indicator that Lil George has his tit in a wringer, and his supporters are trying their darnedest to divert attention from it.

[Stevendsmith]

14. Okay

Perhaps I missed it. Did a troublemaker respond to my post or one of the replies? I just thought that I was the "moran" you were referring to. Sorry for any confusion!

Thanks,

Steve

[gratuitous]

16. Perish the thought!

No, I've dispatched a couple of chew toys recently, including one today, in other threads. You're okay, Stevendsmith. For now. Until such time as I establish the Gratuitous Benevolent Dictatorship.

Perhaps I've said too much. Please disregard this post. :hi:

[Stevendsmith]

17. Thanks for that!

Take care!

[rwork]

2. He is trying to wish

the economy well now. If they keep saying it is better, people will begin to believe it.

[RC]

10. They talked it down in 2000, why not?

[SpiralHawk]

3. The Rings of Karma will surround Bush, and the USA

building in strength and intensity from now until well into November 2003, and then culminating in June, 2004. It is going to be a bumpy ride for all of us.

So sayeth the soothsayer, SH



"By making the right choices, we can make the right choices for our future." - George W. Bush

[never cry wolf]

4. Call me naive but

I have always held the belief that in the end the good guys win. Actually, I'll call myself naive because I know it's not true. But this admin is so inept, myopic, single minded and evil that I never could see how they could last. On that I hope I am right as well.

[roguevalley]

21. Ghandi said that sometimes it appears that evil

will be stronger and never end but in the end, good and truth
will prevail. He said 'remember that always'. Who am I to
argue with Ghandi?

[Jack The Tab]

6. This is the first admin to benefit from a completely corporate press...

I do believe that Bush has a high chance of being a one-term Resident, however, we are truly seeing an administration that is virtually bullet-proof when it comes to the press.

Whistle-ass should be drowning in negative press, hounded by inquiries, and plagued by scandal-investigation by now. If this were Clinton, Dems and Repugs would be calling for his head. Unfortunately, our press is co-opted by the big donors that gave him the push to steal the office.

With Blair going down in flames, you'd think our press would at least be sniffing a little harder on Whistle-ass. We don't have that, and we never will. Our press sickens me, as does the complete apathy of the American citizen. It seems unless every single "Independent" voter is evicted, bankrupt and dying, they won't wake up.

The idiots keep watching Big Brother and Joe Millionaire, and will wake up one day with our country in flames.

[Stevendsmith]

9. I Agree

But do you really think Blair is going down. Of course, he should be. But I haven't seen anyone go down.

[damnraddem]

12. The press has long been corporate, just not as tightly controlled ...

by a few corporations.

But this is not a new situation. Early American presidents faced a totally-biased press, biased by the politics of those who owned the papers. The thing was, there were papers with biases on all sides of questions. The controlled press we see today tends to be biased all one way. But Dubya may not be able to keep even this press happy; and may manage to be redefeated in 2004 even with total media support.

[calimary]

8. I'd suggest we help it along a little, then.

KEEP THE PRESSURE ON!!!

CALL YOUR CONGRESSMEMBER. CALL YOUR SENATORS!!! Then, CALL SOMEBODY ELSE'S CONGRESSMEMBER AND SENATORS!!!

Go to www.congress.org and there is a directory for phone numbers (local and Washington DC) for everybody on Capitol Hill.

Call or write your local newspaper, call in to your local talk station or TV news department.

It's a slow-burning fire that needs fuel, otherwise it'll fizzle. Heaven knows there's certainly enough rightwing, pro-Bush machinery out there at work to douse the flames! We have to counter-act that. If our Dems are finally showing some backbone, then we have to provide calcium supplements to reinforce that!

Otherwise, they'll assume nobody cares, and they'll drop it. And start making nice-nice with Georgie-poo again.

[tom_paine]

11. Do not underestimate the Orwellian Madness of Imperial Amerika

Or "Virtual Amerika"

Or "Oceania" (although we aren't quite that bad yet and probably won't be until the reign of George P. Caligula)

[Imajika]

15. There will be good days...

...and then there will be bad days.

"Could this be the beginning of the end for these bastards? Or will the Teflon cowboy and his henchmen ride this storm out like they have so many times before?"

If I had a nickel for every DU post about how this time it is finally the beginning of the end for Bush, well, I'd have a lot of nickels.

Every President has up days, and down days. The opposition has up days, and down days as well.

The problem is, too many people on this forum think that if the press gets tough with the Bush administration for a couple days that it means the media "finally gets it", or that "the worm has turned" or even more hysterically that the "corporate masters have turned on Bush". It is all ridiculous. The media doesn't get anything. They report stories, get a bug up their ass to chase a lead or theme for a week or so - and then inevitably get bored with it...especially if said story does not improve their ratings. I really think many of the forum members here have created for themselves wrongheaded beliefs about the media, who it consists of and how it really operates.

"I want the remainder of Bush’s term to be marred by failure and abject humiliation and capped off by a resounding landslide defeat."

Well, we all hope for that, but don't hold your breath. The media may go after Bush for awhile, but don't get too excited because the press will be all too happy to turn their sights on whomever our Dem nominee is come primary season and beyond. That is what the media does, that's what it always does. If there is no story, the media will attempt to create one. If Bush is the underdog in 04', the media will give him favorable press to make the election coverage more exciting. If our Dem nominee is trailing badly in the polls, the media will be more critical of Bush to try to create the impression that Jr. can be beaten so we should all stay tuned. All this to get ratings and ad revenue. No conspiracy, just the press being the press.

"The Iraq disaster and the god-awful economy are merging into one ugly shitstorm for the White House."

I doubt it. Perhaps Iraq may be getting tricky for the Bush administration just now, but the economy? Other than unemployment, it appears to me that the overall economy is beginning to improve. And if the labor market strengthens anytime soon, Bush will actually have the economy as a net positive. Oh I know, most will disagree with me on that, but either way, lets just say if Iraq and the economy don't get too much worse then Bush could overcome either of these.

"I want the entire corporatist/Bushist/GOP project to be delegitimized painfully and slowly for the entire country to see. Is that possible?"

Anything is possible, but it ain't likely. It is going to be very tough to beat Bush in 04'. I suspect it will be a very close election. Despite all the anecdotal evidence to the contrary posted in General Discussion each day, Bush really does have around 50% of the country supporting him.

"But I had this same feeling during the SOTU-Niger hoax."

And probably the same feeling when ENRON was breaking, and then the entire BUSH KNEW saga, and the Cheney energy papers, etc, etc..

Your expectations are too high. The media will NEVER stay with one of these stories for long unless their is obvious provable evidence of criminal wrongdoing by Bush or Cheney themselves. Otherwise, the press will lose interest and the stories will burn out. Never forget, there are always shark attacks to be covered.

"It seemed—to me at least—that the jig was up for BushCo. Impeachment actually seemed possible."

How so? The Republicans will never allow any Articles of Impeachment to go anywhere in the House? The only way there is even the slightest chance of impeachment is if Bush wins in 04' and the Democrats take over Congress. Even then it is unlikely.

"Surely the majority of Americans have awakened from their idiotic slumbers by now. Right?"

Don't count on it. And perhaps it isn't an idiotic slumber? Maybe, just maybe, we have not done a good job making a case for what we stand for. If our candidates can not give Americans good reasons to vote FOR us, well, we are going to be hard pressed to beat Bush. Don't count on the media for much help.

Imajika

[Stevendsmith]

18. Okay

I agree with many of your points. But you're rather condescending, and you have misrepresented my position on the media. I don't think the "worm has turned" or the "media finally gets it." Those were your words, not mine. And I realize, of course, that today's media is a ratings/profit-driven industry. The question I was asking was, in light of the massive abuses and failures of the administration, can the corporate Bush-sucking media and the American people continue to give Bush a free pass? Believe me, I hold no illusions that the media in this country functions or will in the forseeable future function the way it should in a democracy. You have lumped me in with the wrong group. I don't need a lesson in how the media operates. I see it every day.

Last, this is not "every president." This is arguably the most corrupt and deceitful president that has ever held office in this country. We are in uncharted waters here. Stay tuned.

Steve

[Imajika]

19. Stevendsmith

"But you're rather condescending, and you have misrepresented my position on the media."

Sorry bout' that. I was not specifically aiming my comments at you. Just trying to make the point that the "Bush is going down" posts are always premature, so far completely wrong and likely to always be nothing but fantasy.

"The question I was asking was, in light of the massive abuses and failures of the administration, can the corporate Bush-sucking media and the American people continue to give Bush a free pass?"

And my direct answer is yes.

"You have lumped me in with the wrong group. I don't need a lesson in how the media operates. I see it every day."

Point taken.

"This is arguably the most corrupt and deceitful president that has ever held office in this country."

And when Reagan was in office many swore that he was the most corrupt and evil President ever. And before him Nixon was the most corrupt ever. I rather suspect Bush is more par for the course than anything. I don't even think he is the worst Republican ever.

I think one of the reasons I am not shocked the press doesn't tear Bush up every day is because I don't think he is the monster so many here believe he is. I don't think Bush is evil. I don't think Bush is going to destroy America or the world. I just think Bush is wrong on most issues which is hardly surprising since I believe that of most every Republican and the GOP platform. I expect that in 04' or 08' the pendulum will swing back our way and America will elect a Democrat - whom Republicans will immediately believe is the most corrupt, evil President ever. Politics as usual. Sigh.

Imajika

[Beetwasher]

22. Politics as usual?

Hardly. What ever gave you that idea?

The evidence is to the contrary. What would you call the unprecedented redistricting attempts? The stolen 2000 election? The politicization of 9/11? The energy corruption? The looting of the treasury? An illegal war that's turning into Vietnam II? The unabashed war proiteering? Reagan and Nixon had some of these elements, but not all of them in conjunction with a consolidated media, a war on terror and all 3 branches of gov't. Man, if you think this is politics as usual, I'm sorry to say, you're part of the problem.

[Imajika]

26. Nope, I just don't buy it...

"Hardly. What ever gave you that idea?"

Oh, the fact that I have heard "this is the most corrupt, evil administration ever" about a million times. I hear it from partisan Dems when a Republican is in power, and from Republicans when a Democrat is in power. It's always been that way, and I suspect will always continue to be the norm. When Clinton was in office every Republican friend or family member that I knew droned on endlessly about "the President" being the most corrupt ever. Oh you've heard the litany - Whitewater, TravelGate, FBI Filegate, Monica Lewinsky, blah, blah, blah.... The lot of it nonsense. Clinton made a few mistakes, but those mistakes did not make him the "most corrupt President ever". The real problem these people had with Clinton is that he was a Democrat and he was popular. The more popular he was, the more outrageous these claims of his corruption became - and the more ridiculous the Clinton hating industry sounded.

"What would you call the unprecedented redistricting attempts?"

Politics. Next.

"The stolen 2000 election?"

Not a hot issue for me. Sorry to say, but I think Gore or Bush would have done just about anything to win. Gore had the Florida Supremes, Bush had the US Supremes. Bush had the bigger guns. Had the exact reverse happened we would be hearing about the stolen election from the other side.

Do I think the US Supreme Court should have stayed out if? Ofcourse, they had no business ruling on it at all. But do I think it was all some sort of devious plan? Nope. Politics. All politics. Nothing new. Sometimes it is just worse than others.

"The politicization of 9/11?"

Surprise, surprise. A politician uses a catastrophe to their advantage. Thats not a crime. We may not like it, but such is life.

"The energy corruption?"

How is this worse than any previous administration? Cheney is hiding papers? Seen politicians do it plenty of time before.

"The looting of the treasury?"

Every opposition claims the party in power is looting the treasury. I don't like Bush's spending priorities, but that is always going to be the case when a rightwinger is in power. This won't be the last time we will have a Republican president, and you can bet the next one will squander away our money as much or more than Bush.

"An illegal war that's turning into Vietnam II?"

Oh stop it. Congress authorized this war. We may not like it, but that is just the way it is. No US President will EVER be bound by the UN when it comes to using military force. Clinton wasn't, nor was Bush and the next President won't either if he/she so choses to attack someone somewhere.

"Man, if you think this is politics as usual, I'm sorry to say, you're part of the problem."

Perhaps. I believe is that we are at a fairly critical junction in history - but we have been at these points before, and we will see them again. I do believe for the good of the country Bush needs to stymied and hamstrung in Congress until we can defeat him in 04'. But I don't think this is the end of days. And if Bush wins in 2004 it won't mean the end of Democracy in America or the rise of fascism. It would just mean a further setback for progressive values and the Democratic agenda for 4 more years. America is a big, strong, vibrant country. It will take a lot more than a few years of Bush to do it any permanent damage.

Most of this, "Bush is like Hitler", "Bush is evil", "Bush is the most corrupt President ever" is just a bunch of nonsense in my opinion. We don't like his policies or what his party stands for, but he is not the devil. And quite frankly, we sound silly running around saying such things.

But that is only my opinion.

Imajika

[bpilgrim]

27. yeah but when helen thomas says it...

it's a bit more than an opinion.

"Oh, the fact that I have heard "this is the most corrupt, evil administration ever" about a million times. I hear it from partisan Dems when a Republican is in power, and from Republicans when a Democrat is in power. It's always been that way, and I suspect will always continue to be the norm."

but of course EVERYONE is entitled to one...

"But that is only my opinion."

this administration is imposing a disorder on the world not seen since the imperial japanese...

isn't that the reason yall are supposed to HATE NADER so much...

'there ain't much difference between dems and pubs'

:shrug:

peace

[Imajika]

30. Hmmm

"yeah but when helen thomas says it it's a bit more than an opinion."

No, then it is just Helen Thomas's opinion.

"isn't that the reason yall are supposed to HATE NADER so much"

Huh?

I don't hate Nader. I just think he contributed to Bush being President. Whatever complaints we may have about Gore, America would have been far better off had he wound up in the White House instead of Bush.

Nader had no chance to win, but he seized his opportunity to give Bush a chance he should have otherwise not had.

Imajika

[Beetwasher]

31. Oy vey, you're either in serious denial or severely dishonest

That's all I can say. Yeah, it's all your opinion, but it's not based on evidence, it's based on, well, faith. Evidence points to much different conclusions than you draw. If you don't get it, I'll never convince you because you don't want to be convinced. You're what's known as a true believer...You could also believe the world was flat and say it's your opinion.

[are_we_united_yet]

23. I respectfully disagree with your last para's

I think this administration "is different" and they considerably upped the anty(sp?).

I think there is an agenda at work here to retain political power and influence even if the administration and its allies are voted out of office.

Please don't be offended. It is only my opinion.

[Cheesehead]

28. I concur

I believe that the neocons, the fundies, the Grover Norquist tax resisters, the defense and energy industries, etc. feel that they have everything to lose if Whistle Ass falls from power. They will fight tooth and nail to maintain the momentum they have established over the past couple years. Any Dem administration will blunt that charge (thank goodness). We need to use the same weapons and tactics that have come to bear on Whistle Ass to take back Congress as well so that control is once again progressive.

[JPace]

24. If a democrat wins in 04

we can count on the repugs to dedicatedly hunt
for a weakness in the next administration,
(a Whitewater) (a Lewinski). When one is found
(or invented) it will be in the press on a
daily basis and pounded into the publics unconscious
until the repugs believe we will turn against
the democrat president.

AWOL has hurt this country in so many ways and
yet nothing is pounded on methodically. My
perception of this is that most of the press
is now in the service of the republican party.

I don't believe this is a perception problem,
I believe it is a fact and there are many who
believe the same thing. The press is no longer
the haphazard fumbling thing of the past. There
is method behind much of what is printed now
that serves the right wing corporate America.

[RainDog]

25. belated welcomes to stevendsmith and imajika, and

thanks for the interesting and civil conversation.

Imajika, I would have to differ with your opinion of politics as usual. I think the most apt comparision to the tone of the Bush administration is the reign of terror by McCarthy, politically.

The corruption would seem to compare to Hoover (as well as the economic "go to hell if you're not one of my campaign donor" philosophy.

When, in the history of this nation (I'm asking because I don't totally know, just know what I've read from others) has a president introduced a tax cut when we are a nation at war?

When has a president worked to elide the separation of church and state?

When has a president refused to address the people of this country for such a long time?

The comparison to calling Nixon the worst, etc. could also be seen as a continuation of Nixon's campaign of dirty tricks, since Rove learned his craft via the Nixon crooks.

Nixon also introduced the southern strategy, aimed at recruiting the fundamentalist/racist southerner.

Nixon started a whisper campaign about the man he ran against in CA...he had people calling saying..."This is a friend of yours but I can't tell you my name. I just want to tell you that Jerry Voohis is a Communist."

Nixon/McCarthy tried to label Truman a traitor, and tried to label ALL liberals as traitors. (no wonder Ann Coulter has a wet spot for McCarthy.)

Nixon, laid the groundwork for McCarthy's Lincoln Day speech.

Back then there were "loyalty oaths" --now Bush just declares "loyalty day."

All of this could be just biz as usual for the kleptocrats, except in the way that they stole the election. And they had that Patriot Act all ready to go before 9-11.

And they had that invasion of Iraq all ready to go before 9-11.

We've never had a president, as far as I know, who says he believes in the fundamentalist version of an apocalypse who seems to see himself as an agent of God, either...which is the scariest issue of all about Bush, if this is true.

Some days I think it's true, other days I think he's just manipulating the fundies.

Maybe the issue for me, in seeing this as so corrupt, is that I'm an adult and paying attention since I was so outraged after the election theft of 2000.

maybe that's biz as usual in politics, but it was so blatantly undemocratic that I cannot trust American institutions anymore until I see that they can remove such corrupt men from the highest offices of this land.

[Imajika]

29. RainDog

Good post. Interesting.

You've quite a list of grievences, many I ofcourse agree with.

The problem is that the other side has a long litany of complaints and percieved wrongs as well.

The Presidency is a powerful office. A US President has the power to enormously benefit his/her constituents and voter base, and do great damage to his/her opposition. And Presidents have, do and will continue to use that power. Couple the Presidency with a friendly congress, and well, that really adds tremendously to what any given President can get away with.

So you see where I am coming from, first let me say that I think most if not all electable politicians are dishonest to some degree. I think it comes with the territory. One of the simple reasons being is that to get a majority, almost all politicians do not tell the entire truth about their positions on issues. I will not go into all the reasons why I think they do this, but it is clearly a fact of life when trying to get elected.

The day a politician starts adjusting their views to fit the audience of the day, and this begins very early in any politicians career, is the day they start down the road of being inherently dishonest.

I could go through your list, but I really don't feel like trying to defend Bush and Nixon. I don't care much for either of them so I don't want to be in that position. But much of what you listed is just stuff you don't like. And the truth be told, as a current event following Democrat - you are NEVER going to like what any Republican President does. The problem is, the fact that you don't like it doesn't make something a crime, nor does it make this President the worst we've ever had or the worst we will see in the future. History will bear that out one way or the other, but it will be years before we know what Jr's real impact has been. And the more politically partisan you get, the more outraged you will become at most anything any GOP President does. Infact, I'd bet that every single friend of mine who is a committed Democrat blasts Bush on stuff they would never complain about if Clinton did it, and the same holds on the other side of the political spectrum. It happens often that Bush pursues or continues a policy that was begun or maintained under Clinton, and the rightwing fantatics don't utter a peep. Why not I ask? If said policy was so bad when Clinton pushed it, why is it suddenly not worth talking about when Bush does the same? The answer is obvious. Though they wouldn't admit it, the fact that Bush has an R by his name means all conservative types will tolerate much of what he does since they feel the alternative is worse. It's just politics.

"maybe that's biz as usual in politics, but it was so blatantly undemocratic that I cannot trust American institutions anymore until I see that they can remove such corrupt men from the highest offices of this land."

Be prepared to not trust American institutions then. Bush is bad, but at some point we will have worse. The pendulum will swing back and forth. Take heart in the notion that since we are now swinging fairly far to the right, at some point, it will swing back far to the left.

Imajika

[are_we_united_yet]

20. Stevendsmith

This was well written indeed!