Now, what I should be doing is some research. I should snoop around on the insightful blogs I'm aware, digest their perspective, see if I have anything to add, and then write about it.
But it seems so friggin' obvious. What president can hope to do well politically when he's promoting a war that he doesn't seem to be winning? Do these guys really think that voters will generously overlook the realities of a failing strategy (be the cause every so worthy) because this small (and shrinking) clique clustered around the Potomac want us to trust them?
To be honest, I'm amazed that the goodwill to Bush has lasted this long. It's hard to think of any line of policy that's been successful. He can try to take credit for the economy, but a) it's not so strong as to make anybody that reassured, and b) libertarians wouldn't give anyone credit for it; and liberals certainly wouldn't give it to Bush. Other than that, I seem to remember just a lot of complaining about other people - the environmentalists, the pro-choice activists, the LGBT activists, activist judges, the cut-and-run activists.
For all the talk of accountability, it seems that a fully Republican government isn't capable of actually accomplishing or agreeing about much; or really being in favor of anything but vague, self-evident rhetoric about values and patriotism.
Not that the Democrats have cut such a fine figure, either. But at least you get a sense there's something going on there, that these are people who are alive above their necks and below their waists. You know that even though John Kerry can't find his way out of a rhetorical paper bag, it's because he's thinking too much, not because he's avoiding thought. You may have a visceral dislike for Hillary Clinton, but you know she's got drive and determination. And even though you may have been disgusted by Bill Clinton, you knew that behind that insecurity was a man who passionately wanted to leave something good behind; and still does.
What we seem to have in the Republican establishment (with some honorable exceptions) are a small group of people who are either driven by power for its own sake (Rove, Cheney) or completely lost in their efforts to not get caught in their own (very human) inconsistencies. You have to imagine that Republican congressional leaders are at this point close to shell-shocked over revelations that make them look bad by association. Aside from chiming in with Bush's bellyaching about activist-this-and-thats, what's left for them to do?
In short, the Bush era is so over. It's to the point that the Democratic majority leader(s?) should just ignore him and work with their fellow Republican legislators to create a more adult, mature, constructive tone to contrast with what has become a lame-duck presidency two years before it shoulda. I somehow doubt that Cheney's summons to his Hill offices are quite as terrifying as they used to be.
Politics is at its rock bottom, but that means there's a great opportunity to reform it. And we can only wish them all - Republicans, Democrats, Independent, and Socialist - the best of luck.
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