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Right-wingers and their media enablers love to accuse progressives of ignoring the things that Bush has "done right".
My question to you, the reader, is this:
What, if anything, has Bush done right? And by whose standards?
That last point is very important.
For example: According to most observers, the invasion and occupation of Iraq has been a disaster on steroids: for our economy, for our reputation abroad, for our military readiness, and most especially for the Iraqi people. But I suppose that if you are an employee or CEO of Halliburton — which has officially bailed out of the US and Iraq before the newly-installed Democratic Congress had the chance to level penalties against it for its illegal dealings with Iran — the invasion and occupation of Iraq has been just groovy, especially if you own Halliburton stock.
Similarly, Bush's handling of Hurricane Katrina (both before and after the storm) has been roundly condemned by even the normally Bush-enabling GOP/Media Complex. But if you're a Republican looking to see enough black Democratic voters leave New Orleans and environs to tip both the city and the state into the GOP column, or a real estate developer eager to sell or rent to higher-income (read: white) people, Bush's malignant neglect is a good thing.
So let's play the game. What things do you think that Bush has "done right" — and by whose standards?
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Fitz is STILL the man!
As for the rest, TEAM FDL ROCKS!
ZeD☼
Hi Phoenix Woman!
He stood on the god damn pile of rubble and yelled through a bullhorn. . .that was it.
Well, he hasn’t dropped a nuke on anybody.
Yet.
Does that count?
Great question. The only thing about which Bush is not utterly wrong is immigration. And of course there he’s completely at odds with his party.
But he hasn’t really *done* anything about it, has he?
BuggyQ @ 5
Darth probably has the keys.
Iraq, War of Terror, Destruction of America’s Laws and Liberties, War of Religion over Secularism…done right, by Al Queda and the American Taliban’s standards.
Actually, Blue Dido, he *has* done something. On the wrong side. Look at the INS raids on the Swift plants.
I’m not sure I can even give him points on that one. Though you’re right–his *stated* policy isn’t completely boneheaded.
BuggyQ @ 5
Fixed.
W. has done lots of good for the drug industries, the food industries (including cattle—no testing for mad cow, etc.) the energy industries and anything else that heretofore had been regulated for the public good.
RevDeb @ 11
No CEO left behind!
Bush has managed to maintain one of the most producive brush ranches in all of Texas, despite a job that keeps him away at least 50 percent of the time. That’s right by brush rancher standards.
He has done a mighty fine job destroying the GOP and government as we knew in the last century. : (
PLEASE.
Don’t show a picture of this creep.
Just put his name in bold bright letters.
As my father use to say – “The man is a puke and who wants to look at puke?”
Oooh! I’ve got it! He’s managed to unite virtually the entire world (except for 28% of Americans) in opposition to his policies.
That’s good, isn’t it? In a bass-ackwards way.
This is the kind of post that Teddy would excel at.
probably gonna be said any number of times in any number of variations but here is what the president has done right
he’s informed us as a whole that “neo con” means “neo fascist”, he’s united the country from one fairly well spilt down the middle concerning political affiliation into one decidedly progressive
bravo
lolo @ 14
Only time will tell if he’s destroyed the GOP. That would be a major positive accomplishment.
EPU’d (and now off topic, sorry)
jayt says
May 9th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
Joe Scarborough just mentioned (barely) that the U.S. Embassy in Iraq was “rocked by thunderous explosions” as Cheney was there visiting.
Funny how those little things, like the embassy being shelled while the Veep was there, just don’t get any MSM play.
The only thing a Republican in office is good for these days is….nothing. And their supporters aren’t any better either.
Well he did get Laura pregnant once.
lolo @ 14
Beat me to it. He’s destroyed any hope of a permanent Republican majority. No one else could have done that.
I’ve had this conversation with myself a few times. I think you could say that the removal of the Taliban was done mostly right. It was done at low cost of both blood and treasure and turned out to be widely popular in Afghanistan.
But, to use a tennis analogy, after breaking serve, the administration failed to hold serve. Bin Laden was left at large, and attention was shifted to the catastrophic Iraq invasion.
And other than that, there’s nothing. Government is bigger and less effective. Seasoned professional civil servants have been driven out of their jobs, replaced by incompetent privatized cronies. THe Constitution has been trampled. Laws governing the environment have been circumvented. The Justice department has been despoiled for political gain. Deficits have grown. Income distribution has worsened. Health care is worse, and more expensive. Productivity gains have been turned into executive comp, with wages falling in real terms, as well as investment of retained earnings in capital stock. The military has been broken, perhaps for a decade or more. It’s going to be at least fifteen years recovering from all the damage that has been done.
Oh, and then there’s the destruction of America’s image in the world, and it’s position as an honest broker advocating democracy and human rights.
I could go on. He’s got nothing. Not the conservative principles that the wingnuts claimed to espouse, nor the good government principles that Democrats have pursued.
jayt @ 19
Did they bother to mention the directive to US Embassy staff to wear flack jackets and helmets when outside of the embassy or in buildings not bomb-proofed? This is INSIDE the Green Zone. Or did they leave that little tidbit out too?
Well, remember the “Do Not Call” list? — so that telemarketers wouldn’t call and ruin our family dinner time? George W. Bush valiantly put a stop to that.
And uh, there, uh, was {yeah} stamping out STEROIDS IN BASEBALL!!!.
And I haven’t seen one “human-animal hybrid” since he took office.
OK… I thought I would contribute to this dicussion by providing the LIST of “in focus” priority areas as identified by the shrub WH:
Budget Management
Defense
Economy
Education
Energy
Environment
Gulf Coast
Health Care
Homeland Security
Immigration
Iraq
Medicare
National Security
Pandemic Flu
Patriot Act
Veterans
Now I can honestly say that I have no idea what he has or has not done on “Pandemic Flu” but his grades on all the other “focus” areas ranges from REALLY REALLY NEGATIVE to ZERO. So, in answer to Pheonix Woman’s question, Zilch.
ceo @ 22
Ahem, things done well not things that attempt to disprove Darwin wrong through personal example!
He brought BlackWater back from the brink of extinction to become the largest mercenary company in the world.
He’s robbed from the poor and given to the rich.
His killed thousands of non-whites and given whites the opportunity to die glorious deaths while killing.
He’s covered up his alcoholism quite well.
And he believes in God.
That’s the Republican mandate.
ceo @ 22
Not sure that should be considered a positive by ANYONE’s standards.
he could do the right thing and quit, then deliver himself to the hague.
jayackroyd @ 24
He has been an inspiration to trust fund kids and failures everywhere.
He has also been a boon to coloring book and crayon manufacturers.
He brought the issue of My Pet Goat to world attention.
I think he’s destroyed the myth/notion of American exceptionalism; it hasn’t been internalized yet, but the rest of the world gets it and won’t let Americans claim that ever again.
Bush’s accomplishments:
-given oil companies record profits
-gave ‘his base’ (the richest in USA) millions of dollars in tax cuts
-enabled private companies to increase profits by allowing them to ignore environmental concerns, consumer safety and worker safety
-kept the minimum wage stagnant throughout his presidency
-gave Pharmaceutical companies increased
profits by letting them write the bills and not allowing imports
I’ll post this and we can all add to it
What has he done right? NOTHING. Now I’ll read your post, PW.
he’s taught us that any baffoon can be president.
also,
he ripped the scab right off the wound and exposed an incredibly corrupt political system.
Jackroyd,
Yeah, I was hoping that war with Afghanistan would stop some terrorism. But even then I held my nose, because there had been nothing that Bush had failed to screw up.
With the entire world behind him, there was a chance he would do something right.
Nope.
.
Hey Gang!
Sorry I’m late. Who zedded while I was out?
Loo Hoo @ 37
rimshot!
You can go to my list about what didn’t go so well.
http://www.netrootsmass.net/Hugh/Bush_list.html
Phule @ 12
His base
RevDeb says
May 9th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
Did they bother to mention the directive to US Embassy staff to wear flack jackets and helmets when outside of the embassy or in buildings not bomb-proofed? This is INSIDE the Green Zone. Or did they leave that little tidbit out too?
Funny you should mention that.
Because *they* didn’t.
Things done well by Little Boots:
He has enriched his base (The Haves and The Have Mores).
He has taken significant steps to eviscerate the entire government so that Grover can wash it done the tub.
He’s destroyed the Constitution for the authoritarians.
He’s destroyed most regulatory agencies so that big pharma, big agra, and big oil can poison us without any checks and make money doing so.
Scarecrow @ 23
Looks like lots of them are going to jail too. Sweet
He caught the largest fresh-water perch in the world!!!
/ChannellingHarrietMiers
Well, he’s made sure that nobody will ever be impressed by a Harvard MBA degree again, and from my life experience with MBA’s, that’s probably a good thing.
He’s done what he could to promote global warming by flying Airforce 1 on an almost daily basis. That’s great if you don’t mind ice shelves melting and if you know how to swim.
jayt @ 20
I’ll see your “OT sorry” & raise.
Pardon the interruption, but has anyone mentioned Russert’s breaking into NBCNat. News this eve, & that segment replayed on Olbermann’s program, with announcement that:
11 Repub. congressfolk held a hour-plus(?) meeting with dubwa, condi, & I forget who else, at the White House this afternoon, [trying to talk sense into them in bigtime’s absence??? over the size of the hole they’ve dug for their party]
please ’scuse interruption in your regular programming, not to mention free translation above of what “really” happened. (if it knocks the socks off Keith, I’m not far behind, heh)
jayackroyd @ 24
Yet, even there, it seems to be the case that the Taliban remain in control of large portions of the country (as far as it can be called a nation, rather than a collection of tribes), with poppy harvests as bounteous as ever, still exclusively destined for illegal – and by consequence, extremely profitable – use, rather than as a source of legitimately therapeutic relief in medical establishments.
Adie @ 50
Not a word about it on CNN’s site.
raven @ 33
yeah, that was my point on his not holding serve. But depriving bin Laden of access to a state’s resources was a real accomplishment.
By far, the worst president ever. Buchanan and Harding look good by comparison. It’s pretty shocking that he got two terms, but, of course, it’s not clear that he actually won either election.
He brought us together, energized the left, strengthed our appreciation for the Constitution, the rule of law, fairness, honesty, integrity, honor. He forced many of us to relearn who we are and what we stand for.
I know what he did. He brought all the mistakes of Texas to the other states so we could make more mistakes here.
raven 52
It seemed to be an NBC exclusive, and just popped out without warning on evening news. I took it more seriously when the Russert tape was replayed on Keith’s show.
Breaking???
George W Bush.
The Less Than Zero President.
http://images-eu.amazon.com/im…..2.LZZZZZZZ
Remember that movie, featuring coked up trust fund babies bumbling cluelessly through life?
He’s made life easier for comedians. They don’t have to come up with jokes. They can just show his speeches.
Scarecrow @ 54
I like that one!
He got rid of the Constitution. It was old anyway.
He managed to become a war president so that he could expand presidential powers/slash civil rights to a complacent population.
Which reminds me. I remember reading once that he said of his father that GHWB blew it because he was a war pres and didn’t expand pres. powers and that he wouldn’t make that mistake. But I’ve looked and can’t find that quote. Anyone remember it?
Hugh @ 58
Ding !
Scarecrow @ 54
plus plus (doesn’t seem to like the sign)
OT — How much of somebody else’s post can you use on your own blog if you put it all in a box and show the link where you got it from?
Adie @ 56
Fascinating. First that little group of “friends” from Texas having a personal meeting with him, now this.. they and I may disagree deeply on many issues, but it might be reassuring to at least pretend to believe they understand the gravity of the situation.
(Or, they’re afraid of losing their seats on the gravy train. You choose)
Porsupah @ 51
You know, I think it would have been more precise to say that the administration took the afghan arabs out of power, who were very unpopular there. Pushing bin Laden back into his caves did have a positive effect. Now, I think bin Laden’s threat is overstated. And I think that one of the more egregious things Bush has done is the relentless promotion of the al qaeda brand in a constant drumbeat of fearmongering, attempted to equate a few thousand illiterate guys in caves with the German threat in WWII and the Soviet threat during the cold war.
Blue Dido @ 6
I agree. He sold out on his own immigration policy when he went balistic on terrorism. He cut off ties with Vicente Fox, who was his good friend, and basically couldn’t stand up for immigrants and at the same time say he was protecting our borders. So he sold out, and didn’t do anything. And of course his party won’t help him because, as mentioned in the previous thread, they’re busy promoting their racist agenda.
Commander Guy has the record for most presidential vacation days. Plus he is the Worst President in history.
Blue Dido @ 6
Well, he did do the bizarre “guestworker” legislation, which allows employers to employ undocumented workers for slave wages but doesn’t allow them to sue — not if they want to avoid having The Law come after them.
Clusterfuck has been a uniter- not a divider. That was special.
SnarKassandra @ 64
Watch what digby does. A lot or a little (but not all) depending on what you intend to say — which is the point. But don’t ever use all of a copyright article.
In my book he gets no credit for Afghanistan. Politics dictated that any president after 9/11 would have to get rid of the regime sheltering our attacker. He did that.. he may even have done that correctly (by using proxies). But then he dropped the ball.. and the country is now heading back into hell’s hand basket. “Doing” something without follow through is the shrub way. Failing to follow through as a leader renders valueless the initial action.
SnarKassandra @ 64
The lede paragraph should be enough to give a taste, assuming it is a well written lede.
How about the creation of the WHIG? OSP? Maybe it doesn’t count since that was his ‘brain’ at work,….not really him.
He couldn’t even choke on a pretzel.
He may have actually lucked out with Ben Bernanke running the Fed, but while Bernanke is a capable man, he has to work with the mess Bush gave him.
He bestowed Karl Rove, Dick Cheney, Alberto Gonzales, Donald Rumsfeld, and Condoleezza Rice on a grateful nation. How could the last 6 years have been possible without them?
Hugh @ 58
I remain in awe of the quality of the Onion’s writers; that they’ve managed to remain able to craft satire out of this reality is an accomplishment not to be underestimated.
(I still wish they hadn’t been quite so damnably accurate with their article early on in his reign: ‘Bush: Our Long National Nightmare Of Peace And Prosperity Is Finally Over’)
Porsupah @ 64
B.
OT: Think Progress has something on the Russert story.
Did he appoint Fitz?
0
I really didn’t care that much about politics until Bush came along and started screwing everything up.
Sort of OT. And can I say how much I love the expression “Little Boots”?
Anyway. On KO tonite they showed footage of him in KS, no jacket, sleeves rolled up, of course. (How many here predicted that costume?) Sure seems to me that for a guy who supposedly spends so much time exercising he can’t quite pay attention to the Preznint Bidness, he sure does have quite a beer-belly.
I’m just sayin’.
Giving credit where credit is due, he did give us the Federal Do-Not-Call list. As far as I know, he still hasn’t managed to fuck that one up yet.
What does “Little Boots” mean?
In re my 50:
Look guys. I’m not kidding. Breaking news of sorts. I copied headline below directly from MSNBC webpage, but would have to switch servers to open the video myself.
Someone please look, UPPER RIGHT CORNER, if only to prove to me I’m not nuts, not that that has nothing to do with my present dilemma, harumph!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/
He as done nothing right for the US…. next topic:
I trust everyone is hounding her or his Reps and Senators demanding that Bush/Cheney is told unequivocally that he/they may not attack Iran, no matter how pushy Israel is that we should do so! It would be disastrous for the US.
1. Iran is so big that the only way to do any real harm would be to nuke it, and it would need so many that the resultant radioactivity would probably kill us all.
2. That radioactivity would waft across the Gulf and render inoperable whatever oil installations Iran had not taken out. (Can the US operate in any form as it does now if all the Gulf oil is gone so that te whole world is competing for about half of the available.)
Does Bush/Cheney have any idea how long Iran’s borders are with countries where we either need their assistance — Afghanistan, or where it would be pretty damn disastrous for us actually to be at war with them — the Iraq/Iran border.
Bush/Cheney seems incapable of logic, but surely the Pentagon has someone with guts in it, unlike Powell or the present CDS, who will say, “Mr President, all our present forces` in Iraq will probably die if you bomb Iran. To attack Iran would thus be both a tactical and a strategic grave mistake.”
High-tech and communications wrecked the USSR and the Cold War. Since Russia has 60% of the world’s oil reserves, our attack on Iran and the resulting loss of the Arabian Gulf oil would reverse that ‘victory’ and hand world hegemony to Russia.
All that would be the result of going on being suckered by A**AC on behalf of Israel.
Iran does NOT have nuclear weapons and cannot do so for about ten years.
Israel HAS NUCLEAR WEAPONS. Israel is not a member of the NPT — Iran is. Iran is not populated by Fascist immigrants; Israel is.
Pakistan has nuclear weapons. Pakistan is the home of Fundamentalist Moslems. Pakistan’s dictator has a very fragile hold on power. Pakistan’s head nuclear scientist gave away a massive amount of his know-how.
THe US must make some sort of accommodation with Iran because we badly need that country as a balance against all the other lunacy which is brewing.
Remember, Iranians are not Arabs, but Caucasians like us. (Another reason Israel hates them so.) They are not “big on” their Semitic Moslem neighbors, the Arabs.
Frank33 @ 68
That’s an important point when it comes up in a conversation, I no longer have to guess. The media still has trouble with this. I always thought that it would be helpful and establish a better perspective if reporters began all their reports: George Bush, the worst President in our history, said today . . .
But if you’re a Republican looking to see enough black Democratic voters leave New Orleans and environs to tip both the city and the state into the GOP column,
What ticks me off the most about this (and all the other things he’s ruined) is that he gets away with it. We see it happening, we scream and yell…and yet, he gets away with it.
yellowsnapdragon @ 80
oh thank heaven…. sigh *adjusts foil hat*
Remember this song? War what is it good for…absolutely nothing
http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyr…..r/war.html
War, it ain’t nothing but a heartbreaker
War, it’s got one friend
That’s the undertaker
Ooooh, war, has shattered
Many a young mans dreams
Made him disabled, bitter and mean
Life is much to short and precious
To spend fighting wars these days
War can’t give life
It can only take it away
Ooooh, war, huh
Good God y’all
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again
War, whoa, Lord
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me
War, it ain’t nothing but a heartbreaker
War, friend only to the undertaker
Peace, love and understanding
Tell me, is there no place for them today
They say we must fight to keep our freedom
But Lord knows there’s got to be a better way
Ooooooh, war, huh
Good God y’all
What is it good for
You tell me
Say it, say it, say it, say it
War, huh
Good God y’all
What is it good for
Stand up and shout it
Nothing
Jayackroyd@24. I mostly agree with everything you said. The only thing I have more hope in than you do is our standing in the world.
I know that we have been delivered a fatal blow by our government, but I know that America can recover. The people of America, I believe, (and everybody living elsewhere, please correct me if I am wrong) are still respected internationally. I think we need to (and are) especially sensitive to how other countries/cultures perceive us.
We’re good people, and we need to prove it. Travel and take exchange students if possible.
Adie @ 87
KO highlighted this on Countdown.
NY Times has meeting with scared Redubyacans.
Does this count??? /s
“RUSSERT: One congressman said, “How can our sons and daughters spill their blood while the Iraqi government goes on vacation?” The president responded, “The vice president is over there to tell them, do not go on vacation.”
Nola Sue @ 84
Maybe the beer belly was a bullet-proof vest
tw3k @ 63
We could have “come together” with Gore as Prez.
jayackroyd @ 66
That’s fair, yes. Central government’s always been very weak in Afghanistan – it’s much more of a loose coalition of tribal states.
As far as a current global threat goes, I’d concur – the current Taliban isn’t an effective entity beyond its own locality. Still, one wonders how widely scattered ObL’s considerable bank balance has now been spread – though even that might pale in comparison to the billions in soft money tossed around in Iraq. ObL continues to serve as a figurehead for both sides, it seems, quite effectively in both roles.
Scarecrow @ 94
-uh- -yeah- I know…. *reaches for paper bag. puff-puff-puff*
thanks Scarecrow…..
ohgoodie-fodderfornewnightmares……
Loo Hoo @ 92
We got away with that after the 2000 election was stolen. The rest of the world thought that the people of the US weren’t that stupid. But after the 2004 election debacle, the world citizenry was no longer convinced that the American people were worthy of their respect.
We’re going to have to go a long way to regain the respect of the rest of the world after the Bush Crime Family leaves office.
LS @ 96
Independent Iraqi Government, my ass.
Pope-a- dope takes minutes out of his busy trip to Brazil to condemn abortion—Newspersons went CRAZY!! NEWS NEWS NEWS>
He’s on the verge of turning over de facto control of a formerly-sovereign nation to three or four global oil corporations for the next 30 years, till that nation’s only valuable natural resource has been depleted. Someone or something’s going to be rolling in the dough as a result of that for the next few decades, eh? But the high-rollers won’t be in Baghdad, near the oil – nope, London, Amsterdam and New York will be the place to look to get your cut of one of the world’s most naked grabs at a nation’s assets for private gain. If they succeed.
Somehow this newly-dawning realization has stunned me – I didn’t understand how huge the stakes are in the oil fields before this, but now that I do, I seem to see right through all the empty rhetoric (”political” in Cheney’s code-speak from his news conference in the Green Zone today meant “oil”) coming from the Executive Branch. The part I cannot grasp without horror is Congress quietly following along in the wake of this British Empire-size plan to rape the resources of Iraq – to the windfall benefit of a handful of global corporations which would soon be more well-funded and powerful than many, many nations in the world. This is beyond fascism.
http://www.handsoffiraqioil.org/
Adie @ 87
Adie we blogged it at the end of the last thread. 11 GOP talk to Bush about Iraq.
SnarKassandra @ 86
Little Boots is what the name Caligula loosely translates as. Caligula was one of the worst emperors of Rome. DO NOT watch the movie as it is not suitable.
Here’s a legitimate question right.. if shrub has done nothing right (a sentiment with which I completely concur), then why does 28% of the electorate still like him? In other words, I’m interested in knowing what they think.
Is it because they hate us more than they hate what the president is doing (and therefore screwing the libruls is more important than saving the country)? Is it because they support the president on a single issue (say abortion)? Do they like the idea of having a millenialist in power more than they like the the idea of having a leader that delivers results? Are they so indifferent and amoral that they’re happy so long as they’re getting tax cuts, to heck with everything and everybody else? Are they genuinely scared into acquiescence? Or are they just plain stupid?
BTW, in case you needed a reminder:
Bernie Goldberg is a f*cking moron.
He’s going on about how his friends who are ordinary liberals, not far leftists, go into Bush Derangement Syndrome any time Bush’s name comes up.
Jeebus, you dork, when all your centrist friends on either side of the aisle think Bush is an embarrassment and an idiot, at what point do you clue in and realize they are not the ones out of sync with America??
Loo Hoo @ 93
A couple of years ago an old friend of mine came over from England to visit. He was looking forward to some good, no-holds-barred verbal fisticuffs with all the Bush supporters. He was quite disappointed to find I didn’t know any, and that all my American friends and family were actually really nice people.
Having said that, the damage this idiot has done to the US’s image overseas is incalculable, and I think it will go down as the biggest of his many f*ck-ups.
Adie — the KO segment, including the Williams interview of Russert, is now up on Crooks and Liars.
What has Bush done right? Is this a trick question?
Scarecrow @ 110
My comment @ 95 has the NYTimes story and names some more of teh Repub congress critters.
Scarecrow @ 81
Yes as US Atty. And yes to investigate the Plame leak under recommendation from Comey (I think?)
fdl is such a wonderful place to go. I just wish you could be a little less carpy. It somewhat trivializes the worth of your effort especially when it comes to Bush. You tend to treat him like some bad cartoon character. The guy is an unbalanced medicore dangerous lifelong failure who outdebated Gore and Kerry.
Please take a little more systemic approach to the problems Bush presents and represents. He is a member of a compromised generation. Let’s move on.
Bush has not only reached to goals of the Project for the New American Century, the US Chamber of Commerce, the Henry Jackson Society, the American Enterprise Institute, the Federalist Society, (in other words every right wing group. etc,.but taken them further than they ever dreamed they would go.
He has taken over every federal prosecutors office, most Federal Judges, and the Vatican (conservative catholics) now control the supreme court. He has bankrupt the United States of American!
In other words he has achieved every right winger’s wet dream.
kathleen @ 98
true
strips a plus sign out even with code tags
Porsupah @ 99
Actually Osama’s money is not the big money. That comes from the Saudis to fund radical madrassas and mosques throughout the world and it is billions.
sorry for interrupting, guys.
meetings like that, w/ multiple [scared Redubyacans] openly approaching that guy who inhabits the bigwhitehouse, along with condiments & rovers, well…, in OH, that’s considered a significent crack in the dike.
But then, maybe we tend to get a bit giddy at the slightest bit of good news…..
Just go on wit’ yer bidness, I’ll stay awhile & [read faces]….
pow wow @ 104
On that note, you might want to watch this account of Iraq’s existence as a created state, and the region’s impact on global affairs, including World War One:
Rob Newman’s History of Oil
I’d suggest that from Bush’s viewpoint he (aided by a Republican Congress) has probably accomplished pretty much everything on his personal checklist. Consider:
* Get Saddam.
* Reinforce military presence near the big oil pools.
* Tax cuts for wealthy crony class, with a splash to the six-figure earners to confuse the issue.
* Establish new legal precedents (or at least assertions) to further entrench the Economic Hit Man class. Turn said EHMs inward on the US as needed.
* A second term to validate everything in the history books (and to one-up Daddy).
* Game established rule of law whenever it stands in the way of getting through the checklist. (really more of a tactic)
And that’s it. Bush completed this list around 2005 and now he’s just watching the clock until the quitting bell rings.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 111
What has Bush done right? Is this a trick question?
Yup. One of those annoying ones for which there is no correct answer.
Adie @ 91
How many “pivotal” or “defining” moments can one administration have until they get knocked off their axis? Or knocked on their asses?
For other south/central Texans, the leading edge of the storm looks to be in western Bexar co. right now.
Lou Costello @ 29
that bothers me almost as much as our MIA habeas corpus. i will make calls tomorrow morning re habeas corpus. as soon as pelosi became speaker i sent her a note saying my very highest priority was to restore habeas corpus.
left dc in 72 @ 114
In other words, this is a totally inappropriate topic for this site.
[Variant #2, yes, Pachacutec? Heh.]
Adie @ 50
Has anyone heard any news about Cheney since the bomb blast? Maybe they were celebrating and preparing to select his replacement.
kathleen @ 122
Well, I think we’re up to 147 or so. Hugh?
Phoenix Woman, you’ve put into words what I have often thought. GWB is not the unsuccessful twit that he is perceived to be. We just didn’t understand the agenda. So, looking at it through Grover Norquist’s eyes, he’s been quite successful.
Unfortunately, he put so much energy into establishing a permanent repub majority and raiding the US Treasury that he didn’t even do the minimal amount of planning or governing.
Thus, America is finally waking up and they don’t like what they see.
He’s shown very well how quickly a country can throw off all those quaint ideals and get down to torturing, killing, searching without a warrant, eavesdropping on its citizens w/o warrent, and again infiltrating peaceful rallies and Quaker meetings.
He’s the Lord of the Flies in action.
(Note: I’m not saying any of this is right. But showing us how thin the veneer is, well, that’s useful to know.)
lolo 105, and others…
thanks… We share the ‘puter here, & I rarely get to see threads at that time of night. sorry for makin’ a fuss. *blush*
i’ll still take that meeting as a glimmer of “good news.” they would NOT have done that, unless they’re scared witless for the party & their own jobs, heh.
Scarecrow @ 127
Well, I think we’re up to 147 or so. Hugh?
170
Hugh @ 117
Very good point. Yet there’s barely a word uttered about, let alone against, the House of Saud.. even Pakistan’s leadership – yet another nuclear power – was quickly cuddled up to by Bush & pals, with similarly marginal disagreement over the non-interference zone established last year, effectively ceding territory to the likes of AQ.
I will address this question from a contrarian view. I argue that W is a success.
Look at it from the sweep of the last 27 years. That places us in the Reagan Morning in America.
The thesis was – government is the problem. It is that simple all else will follow.
Now let us forward to 2000, W is appointed and is faced with a successful budget, a successful FEMA and generally a successful government (I will arguably allow welfare reform into this group).
What does he do? He destroys the budget surplus in a starve the beast experiment, he turns all operations of the civilian federal government into an arm of the RNC, including the DOJ. He turns the military into an outsourcing playground for war profiteers and mercenaries
From the Reagan/Norquist perspective – how can you not call that a success?
Now from the Cheney perspective – W has advanced the unitary executive beyond Nixon’s wildest dreams. With the aid of the 105 – 109 congress Congressional powers have been eroded to the point where any congressional action is viewed as anti-government = anti-American and still with a president in the 30% positive rating a veto cannot be overridden
How is that not success?
Now from the religious right perspective not a single candidate for any office – beyond the municipality – can even be considered without professing a christianist faith. Cannot be considered without having reservations about Rowe v. Wade that destroy the whole point. Cannot be considered without even making an argument about evolution and I am not just referring to Republicans.
By these measures George Bush is wildly successful
MarkH @ 126
He lived. They even issued a propaganda statement saying that he was defiant in the face of it, refusing to leave the premises of the building outside which the bomb detonated, even while others were evacuated. Big Time. War hero. All guts and grit.
jayt @ 102
You’re assuming they’re going to listen to Cheney. I don’t think they’re going to. I think they’re going to thumb their noses at Bush and Cheney and then fly off to London for the summer.
samimnot @ 120
So pretty much a replay of the Reichstag fire and the ensuing rise of fascism, yes?
lolo @ 105
well, they are on the right track, let’s hope they had some balls and told him his impeachment is at hand
you guys know, it wasn’t the democrats that forced nixon into retirement, they were republicans that marched in there
for a real patriot, your president nor your party is as important as your constitution
now, russert claimed they implored him because they might loose their seats in the next election
that’s the wrong avenue they needed to take, they needed to tell him in no uncertain terms he cannot get away with what he’s done, they needed to give him ONE chance, rescind his depraved policies or be held to a trial of impeachment
now I said this before and I’ll say it again
WE NEED TO DEAL
there are republicans that are DISGUSTED with what this president has done to this country, there are other republicans that do NOT want to loose their office
we can deal
we can guarantee them no support for progressives that might run against them, we can give them pork, we can give them seats on committees
we can deal
our country CAN NOT WAIT, nor can the Iraq, nor can the Iran, nor can the middle east, NOR CAN THE WORLD
I am telling you, we can gather enough republicans that will climb on board, this depraved moronic administration is responsible for them loosing power in the most brutal and embarrassing defeat in modern politics…they are MORE then willing to throw these criminals under the bus
we need to show them the way to keep their seats, Pelosi, Reid, feingold, Murtha, lehey and others can have sit downs with the republicans that are patriots and the republicans that will have a tough fight next election
we have to deal
and don’t forget the side benefits of this type of relationship
we can look forward to bi partisan legislation if we chart this course
now, some might claim this won’t work
one never knows, do one, we would have NEVER thought they would insist on an audience with this administration to tell him he has absolutely NO credibility
we can do this, we can deal, and we have to try
Does anyone else think that Bush is just plain bored being the prez? He likes all the pomp and stuff but he just seems so disinterested. At heart he is just a frat boy with an attention span of 3 minutes.
dakine01 @ 123
How far north is it going?
About 18 months ago, my daughter said to me, “I am ten now. I think I am hold enough to know two sides of a story. Please tell me ten good things about Bush.” We have now been working on this question fsince then. We have come up with a few things, but no where near ten.
1) He asked his father and Clinton to be the Tsunami ambassadors.
2) He recently sent Bill Richardson to Korea.
3) He appointed minorities and women to positions of prominence (even if he didn’t listen to them).
OT – positive experience…I just saw about 5 fireflies for the first time this year!!!
Loo Hoo @ 93
Abducting students may be rather dicey.
Can we just invite them?
/s
____________
Yay for fireflies!
LS @ 141
OT-FYI- Lakisha’s gone
Twain @ 138
I agree although I think you overshot the mark by about 2 minutes 45 seconds.
MarkH @ 126
OMG, get outta my head!!!111
Litle boots = Caligula
Frank Probst @ 135
actually the entire event is a red herring, they are already NOT going on a 2 month vacation, cheney had to make up an excuse because the suadi’s summoned him yet again
BTW, did somebody remember to set out some fly strips and bug bombs? Sure looks like there was a hatch overnight, yes?
Little Boots = Caligula
Hugh @ 131
170
Jeez. good thing I’m not a candidate. I’d flub the questions: How much is a loaf of bread? A gallon of gasoline? The number of Bush outrages?
solai @ 143
Who is Lakisha? I’m a little afraid to ask.
Rayne @ 136
Ahh, too ugly to dwell on!
Besides, that gets into the other current power center in the White house, Il Dicko…
SnarKassandra @ 139
It looks like it is extending to above Waco although west of their now. The line is running north-south but moving west to east.
Listening to the Mike Malloy Show, and they’re sayin the Iraqi Guminit voted today to tell US Forces to get out.
Anyone see this anywhere?
Bush’s finest moment: when he threw out the first pitch in Game 3 of the 2001 World Series. The kevlar vest was a bit much, but he stepped up and delivered a strike that sent a terrific message that “we are going to get on with our lives.” Such a shame that it’s pretty much been nothing but major league fuckups since then.
Hugh @ 77
*snort*
Didn’t read all the comments, but it looks like quite a few people have already offered the assessment I was going to make. Bush has done everything right, by the standards of the people who subverted our entire political system to put him in the White House.
New Orleans is cited by so many on the left as evidence of incompetence. It is nothing of the sort. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the government performed exactly as the “conservatives” have been saying it should perform — it did nothing. (Douglas Brinkley, who knows a thing or two, put it this way: “The absence of a plan was the plan.) We’ll be seeing the same thing in Kansas, I’m betting. They have done what they set out to do.
How long do you think it will take to undo the damage that Bush has done? An optimistic guess would be about a generation. What parts of the progressive agenda do you think will be enacted while we’re engaged in damage control? Pretty much “none.” We’ll be lucky if we can hold onto Social Security. Basically, even if no Republican ever gets elected to any office ever again, they will still have set the agenda for the next couple of decades. That’s a pretty good trick, if you think about it. Morally reprehensible, but tactically pretty impressive.
LS @ 141
I was going to ask if they were in the country legally but fireflies are summer for me and summer is supremely indifferent to weasely little widgets who call themselves the Decider.
Twain @ 138
I think he was expecting a ceremonial position and was stunned when he had to actually do ‘hard work’.
Rayne @ 125
Looks like that’s what it is. I was going to say WHATEVER, to 72 but didn’t want to come off as carpy.
paulo says:
I could be wrong and that’s what I thought at first too but I think that’s incorrect. One congress critter was quoted as telling Bush his “district was prepared for defeat”. I took that to mean defeat in Iraq. Again, I could be wrong.
SnarKassandra @ 86
In Latin “Little Boots” is written as “Caligula”. (now that is snarkish!)
Scarecrow @ 54
Totally. Good on you, Scarecrow.
The one thing that loyal bushies will claim that he has done right is tax cuts. But even by their standards, he’s failed to close the deal. Tax cuts are supposed to come with cuts in spending, and the elimination of those dreaded government bureaucracies. Instead, he’s created an incredibly massive federal bureaucracy in Homeland Security. His unleashing of incompetent cronies and political shills instead of career professionals (and I’m not just talking about the DOJ, either) has arguably cost us a bundle.
Anyway, he has no real domestic agenda anymore. At this point, can you imagine him getting any significant domestic legislation off the ground? From now on, his political triumphs will be with the veto pen. As for his past, I’m sure he’ll always remember himself on the pile of rubble in Manhattan, with a bullhorn, shouting that we will get the people who did this to us. But it isn’t considered a success if you just say that you’re going to succeed.
tw3k 145
BOO!
I like the stretched out daylight savings time.
Cheney’s saying the game is on.
Bush told Saudi’s we’re not leaving Iraq.
Condi said we’re not leaving Iraq.
35,000 more troops to Iraq by end of year.
Iraq government voted 2/3 for U.S. to leave.
Repubs are telling Bush to leave.
Dems are telling Bush to leave.
What is wrong with this picture?
Roddy McCorley @ 157
Actually, they’re supposed to be bringing about fifty house trailers to Greensburg. For the tornado victims. In the middle of tornado season. Logic? Not so much.
Subway Serenade @ 154
It was on last night’s jon elliott show on air america
Lakisha is from American Idol. I apologize for bringing it up.
It is not an appropriate topic for this site.
Adie @ 130
No fuss Adie. It is Great News!
Hugh @ 131
170
There we go – Bush has kept Hugh out of trouble…
solai @ 170
Everyone needs some entertainment, I watch gardening shows to chill out.
LS @ 151
American Idol contestant.
I’m a little embarrassed I know that.
My wife watches it….yeah, that’s the ticket…
The “do not call” list
Ed*ard Teller @ 172
There we go – Bush has kept Hugh out of trouble…
LOL and probably true
lolo
yer sweet. ;->
Well, I can tell you something George W. Bush has done very well.
Do you really want to know??
He is great a staging the Greatests Photo-Ops in the World, be it an aircraft carrier or New Orleans City Hall. That is his Talent. Pretty Awesome!
He’s proved that he screwed the National Guard so thoroughly that the country cannot forget.
Georgesimian @ 67
I sometimes wonder if he doesn’t have a skull and bones type sisterhood with other leaders in the world who have ripped off their people.
Frank Probst says
May 9th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
You’re assuming they’re going to listen to Cheney. I don’t think they’re going to. I think they’re going to thumb their noses at Bush and Cheney and then fly off to London for the summer.
You mean after The Boss stormed the break room?
Well, maybe the 144 who voted for a timetable for the U.S. to get the f**k out might take a stroll…
Subway Serenade @ 154
Someone (Katrina vanden Heuvel?) mentioned it on Scarborough Country tonight. It was shortly after that when Michael Reagan’s regurg of repug talking points forced me to leave the room.
I really hope that he doesn’t get his $500 million library and Center for George W Bush studies in Dallas. I don’t know how I could stomach going to that city ever again if he does…
Ed*ard Teller @ 172
There we go – Bush has kept Hugh out of trouble…
We don’t know this.
The only thing Bush has not (yet) accomplished is the permanent republican majority. It seems further away than ever. But does anyone believe they’ve given up on this??? There is way too much at stake. So, since we all agree that they’ve been magnificently successful at their hidden agenda, how do you think they’re gonna grab this last brass ring?
Iraq wouldn’t sell us any oil before the invasion.
Now we’re
stealingtaking all the oil.Some folks are never satisfied.
Found it at Alternet
Look at Al Quaida’s stated goals
GWB has united our enemies
Galvanized opposition against our allies in the Middle East
Reactivly decimated our military and economy.
Blub @ 183
Dallas is a really gross city anyway. Go to Austin or Corpus or Galveston. Much more fun. :)
Scarecrow @ 54
And he made a hero out of Cindy Sheehan!
Bob in HI
“The vice president is over there to tell them, do not go on vacation.”
I mean why would you folks want to get out of the hell on earth that the Bush administration worked so hard to create for you Iraqi folks? Show some appreciation would you!
Cheney’s visit sounds like one more effort to blame the Iraqi’s….for the hell on earth that we have created via the “illegal” invasion of Iraq!
Somehow Cheney has conveniently forgotten that he/we illegally invaded their country, sent in too few troops, dismantled their military and police,(hello Mr. Paul Bremer) made sure there were plenty of people without jobs began to privatize the oil, kicked down doors, took the lid off of years of built up anger and hatred, torturred, raped, and now Cheney wants to know why the fuck you Iraqi folks can not get it together!
hmmmm
Sounds like typical psychopathic behaviour to me!
Adie @ 165
lol :)
AZ Matt @ 178
Yeah, but you can’t give him the credit for that — that’s all kkKarl. (shudder)
OT but of sad interest.
I am not a Tammy Faye fan, thought what she and her husband Jim did to the faithful was bad. However, it is sad that she could not overcome her cancer. Decidely more money is needed to do the research.
Link
PLovering @ 186
Uh – PLovering?
Iraq’s oil exports were controlled by the UN. The US embargoed direct importation of Iraqi oil.
He’s been good at lulling certain segments of the country into trusting him; thereby, suckering them into enlisting in the military to fight Cheney etal’s Global War for Oil. He’s the Deflector, Distractor.
SnarKassandra @ 189
Ding!
one of the dullest ‘urban experiences’ in my experience is a place called “the bottoms” (IIRC)
Kansas CIty was more interesting (but not much)
Scarecrow @ 23
Don’t count yer dead ReichWingers afore you’ve croaked ‘em. ‘Tis a noble goal to be sure; destruction of ‘conservatism’ but the enemy is protean and will need many applications of stick.
Let us get to whackin’ on ‘em.
Dubya has succeeded in driving home to the American public that we better start a crash program to eliminate our economy’s reliance on petroleum extracted in the Middle East!
Jimmy Carter tried to do that in the late 1970s. When he failed, he declared that the Persian Gulf was a zone of paramount importance to the security of the U.S. See discussion in Andrew Bacevich’s The New American Militarism.
Not that Dubya intended to do this in fact. But if the morality of a course of action is judged by its outcome, rather than its intent, Dubya comes out OK on this one point.
This discussion of “what Bush did right” reminds me of a discussion on a computer newsgroup several years ago. The question was, “What has Bill Gates & MicroSoft actually created, rather than buying or stealing?” The answer was: “the Blue Screen of Death”. Sounds like something George might want to do.
1. Made his Daddy look good by comparison.
Hell, W. makes Nixon look good by comparison.
2. Destroyed the Republican Party for a generation.
3. Discredited Ralph Nader’s nonsense about there not being any difference between the Republican and Democratic parties.
4. Re-established the pending Clinton-legacy regulation of diesel engine emissions that he initially cancelled.
There are a couple of things under the radar that we should investigate and draw attention to at some point, while they are still in power:
The North American Union (Canada/US/Mexico).
Trans-Texas Corridor (a 10 lane super highway system that goes all the way from Mexico (it will be route 69) to Canada.
He has so gutted the military that many Americans now believe six guys delivering pizza could take out Fort Dix.
dakine01 #168 said
But KS is a Republican stronghold or whatever. Earlier this year in AR we had a couple of towns hit hard by tornados..they were about 100 miles from Hope AR where over 8,000 FEMA mobile homes sat having never been used for Katrina aftermath. Bushco refused to release them to a Democratic Gov/ State.
SnarKassandra @ 168
On Crooks and Liars.
kathleen @ 98
indeed! and the supreme court and
dogdoj would be looking much prettier.LS @ 202
Eeeek! (Runs screaming from the room.)
I thought of what he has done right from Osama Bin Ladens perspective. OBL said to Peter Bergen that he would like to witness “the U.S. become a shadow of its former self” (heard this interview with Bergen on Talk of the Nation before the invasion.
Bush has granted OBL is wish!
Subway Serenade says
May 9th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
Reached by phone in Baghdad on Tuesday, Al-Rubaie said that he would present the petition, which is nonbinding, to the speaker of the Iraqi parliament and demand that a binding measure be put to a vote. Under Iraqi law, the speaker must present a resolution that’s called for by a majority of lawmakers, but there are significant loopholes and what will happen next is unclear.
Even though it is, at this point, non-binding, there 144 votes in favor of the petition, which is more than 50 per cent.
Maybe Cheney went over to tell them to take a real *long* vacation.
despairing @ 203
Thanks for that one….
Fern @ 207
Sorry.
I’ve given a lot of thought to this very question over the last year or Two, and I can honestly say, that apart from those with an obvious agenda (as mentioned in the FDL article above) I cannot think of ANYTHING good that this President has done!!
Seriously, even with 2 of the worlds evilest men at your side (Cheney and Rove) Bush has still had ample opportunity to do at least some good.
But he fails on each and every single occasion.
Why has he failed to do any good for the nation or the people? There are many reasons, First of all Bush has not the leadership ability’s, he hasn’t the intelligence and I also believe he doesn’t really give a damn.
1)Leadership.
George W Bush is not a leader, he never has been and he never will be.
And for proof of this you need look no further than the Two major catastrophes (Katrina and 911.) that happened on his watch.
911 saw Bush sit in a room full of children with a blank look on his face until someone, ANYONE, came and told him what to do.
Any true leader would have politely excused him/her self from the room and said “Right, I want to know exactly what has happened and how… NOW”
I could go on about his failings as a leader but I think most people realise the fact.
Katrina was a real and open opportunity for Bush to save his Presidency, but instead of taking charge and mobilising Buses, trucks, mobile communication centres, mobile Hospital units etc. Bush CHOSE to not do anything.
He sat on his hands and did nothing and then blamed the Mayer or the State Member of Parliament. If there was a time to show your any sort of a leader those Two occasions gave ample opportunity.
But Bush not only failed the tests, he showed the world just how incompetent he really is.
Intelligence.
I honestly believe that Bush is not intelligent enough to see what needs doing and how to go about doing it.
I believe he keeps himself in his bubble because he is overwhelmed. He has used the term “White Noise” that he Say’s he Blocks out.
We can see how he manages the Iraqi Invasion. I’m quite sure that Bush doesn’t even understand the intricacies involved.
George W. Bush was put into the White House because he could be manipulated.
Neo-Cons who have been gradually furthered their power and agenda over the years, where it all came to an Apex, with George W Bush.
They had in place the machinations, the media etc. and now have in place a not to bright frat boy who will easily sign off incredibly insensitive laws and who doesn’t really give a damn to anyone or anything other than his own luxury.
America was meant to be this Nation that was new and apart from the traditional Kingdoms of old. It welcomed people from other nations and put in place a Constitution that was meant to prevent future leaders from doing whatever the hell they wanted to do.
A Democracy where everyone had the right to vote and where individuals had the right of law behind them.
Now, sadly, these greedy selfish corruptible power addicted men are destroying all that the USA was meant to be.
Has George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States of America done any good during his Presidency?
I don’t believe he has. But he has done enormous damage. He has given Generations of Americans real enemies. He has given generations of Americans debt. He has destroyed Americas reputation world wide and believe me when I say this, much of the world dislikes the US.
kirk murphy @ 195
You can’t be serious.
Shit, the meters still aren’t working.
despairing @ 203
Tee hee!
LS @ 211
Isn’t that contemplated to run through Dallas? :P
One other deserving mention for GWB’s accomplishments (from the evil and nefarious point of view, that is). America is now unable to extricate, at least until 2008 or 2009, from a never ending war against an enemy that can not be defined nor found nor defended against; and also an enemy whose actual and real threat is dramatically disproportionate to the drain on American treasure that has resulted from the fight against it. This reality was purposefully and carefully crafted and is a gift to the Halliburtons and Blackwaters of the world (which I might add is relocating to Saudi Arabia to avoid American taxes…the ultimate flipoff to the American public which is enriching them!).
Kathleen @ 208
Ding!
Coincidence?
hmmmmm
OBL “would like to witness the U.S. become a shadow of its former self”
Bush has granted Osama Bin Laden’s wish!
Eureka Springs @ 204
I understand what you’re saying, but I don’t think he’s doin’ folks any favors by giving ‘em trailers in this time of the year. When I’ve lived in tornado areas, trailers have been called tornado magnets. I don’t think I’d be wanting to stay in a trailer in Greensberg, KS right now after what has just happened up there.
jayt @ 209
I think this story requires some serious consideration in Blogistan. I would hope it makes it to the front page here.
Perhaps a Snark Attack from TRex
I hate to keep veering OT, and I’ve read thru the comments, mostly diligently. It’s just such a painful subject I can’t stare at it too long for fear of retinal damage. (Although, without becoming too much of a Scarecrow groupie, I like his answer!)
So on the question of Big Time’s last-minute overseas jaunt, I still don’t rule out Wayne Madsen’s report that Cheney was to have been outed as a DC Madam caller. Again, just sayin’.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Texas_Corridor
Nola Sue @ 221
Are you thinking he might stop in dubai, phone in his resignation and re-emerge as the halliburton CEO again?
Here is a musical response to the question.
despairing @ 203
lol
solai @ 224
Doesn’t that mean he gutted everybody’s brain too?
Trading Sammy Sosa.
Standard bearer: The Cubs.
Correction to #216: Just Halliburton (not Blackwater) is relocating. Internation Herald Tribune business section 3/11/07
OT ~ BREAKING: Conservative Dems expected to vote with GOP to give Bush unfettered blank check on Iraq tomorrow @ ABlog.
Just because he smiles, doesn’t mean he is mad.
This guy is quite mad… Very mad… He becomes more isolated in his madness every week. How much longer before everyone realizes he is so completely a megalomaniac there is no hope with him at the helm, much less cleaning out the mop closet.
He is quite mad.
Subway Serenade:
That Alternet article you cited is very interesting.
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/51624/
Hugh @ 158
I forget whether it is the boy or girl firefly that has the light! Go towards the light baby go towards the light!
Kinda says it all
AZ Matt @ 194
Messner said her daughter and her daughter’s friends were taking care of her while her husband, Roe Messner, builds churches.
Sheesh
By my standards, Bush only did one thing right, he did not bomb Canada… But his influence on the 25% of canadian voters who have authoritarian personnalities, Bush has been quite beneficial for Harper(canadian prime minister), and Dumont(Neocon from the ADQ).
One out of two, we are lucky!
Scarecrow @ 184
We don’t know this.
-um- I just read Hugh’s list. Bravo Sir!
You may credit yerself with one more bookmark ;->
I have thought about this very subject many times. It occurs to me that the odds of him getting EVERY decision wrong are not believable. A chimpanzee flipping a coin would have come up winners more often. I can only conclude that this is by design. I can not fathom to what end but I would speculate wealth / power are involved.
Chronicling Bush scandals has taught me a couple of things.
First, you can almost always create a series of links that will take you from one scandal to any other. It reminds me of well a criminal enterprise. Not everyone knows everyone else but there is always someone who knows someone and within 2 or 3 steps you have the whole sick crew.
Second, all roads lead to Rove. I mean I know I was supposed to know this but the more I look at things the truer it is.
Third, Rove used the Interior Department as his own little piggybank. Since Interior is also heavily connected to Jack Abramoff, I don’t need to draw you any pictures.
Fourth, Donald Rumsfeld was a seriously dangerous dude and I’m not thinking about Iraq.
Fifth, in any story about the Justice Department the odds are high you are going to run into a protege of Orrin Hatch.
Sixth is the incredible sense of entitlement all these people had while they were looting the government. They beat their breast about how patriotic they all are even as they are dumping a vet from a wheelchair so they can sell it for scrap. It’s just this image I have of them. They didn’t actually do that but they certainly would have if anyone had thought it up.
dakine01 @ 223
None of it would surprise me. Or he ends up on a long-term vacay w old chum Ken Lay. I sensed years ago that Cheney’s VP term would not end traditionally. Either he’d plea health problems, or something. It ain’t right. Something just ain’t right.
Cheney found running around naked in Baghdad!
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/….._0509.html
Roddy McCorley @ 157
A modest proposal:
For as long as the Iraqi oil meters are out of action, so also should be all meters at the gas stations of oil companies deriving benefit from the situation.
Lou Costello @ 228
OT ~ BREAKING: Conservative Dems expected to vote with GOP to give Bush unfettered blank check on Iraq tomorrow @ ABlog.
Oh man. If that happens, i wanna see every single Democrat’s name who votes that way carved into stone, so as to never forget, to never forgive, and to never see another penny from real Democrats.
jayt @ 231
Personally I think the Progressive Blogsphere should be making some major noise about it, considering the MSM’s deafening silence.
Maunga@88, excellent comment!!! PW Rocks!!! I had to step out on the last thread, whew, it takes awhile to catch up on the thread!!! Maunga, that is Scary!!! It gives new meaning to Wag The Dog!!!
I’ve asked this very question to my “conservative” friend who always replies, after an uncomfortable pause, “tax cuts”!!! After I stop screaming, I ask him, “Under which President did your personal portfolio grow more, Clinton or Bozo?”, to which I get another uncomfortable pause. The only thing I can think of that Bush has done right is…run for office, if by that you assume stealing the vote is acceptable. Campaigning ’til the cows come home is all he can do. Once in, he can’t back up an ounce of rhetoric with governance. We’ve been screwed since the get go.
rwcole 103
mexico city officials who voted to legalize abortion should no longer be allowed to receive communion according to pope………and he’s worried about all of the catholics jumping ship to evangelical protestant churches.
also on newshour–afghani govt called moratorium on all military missions—can only engage when fired upon, due to great number of civilians killed lately……and govt working on talks with taliban……
if not for bush—no firedoglake. we all met because of him……his own actions brought about his own doom, so to speak…….
Kathleen@231
It’s the girl
jayt @ 242
Oh man. If that happens, i wanna see every single Democrat’s name who votes that way carved into stone, so as to never forget, to never forgive, and to never see another penny from real Democrats.
They will be on tha majority of Americans shit list!
Nola Sue @ 221
So on the question of Big Time’s last-minute overseas jaunt, I still don’t rule out Wayne Madsen’s report that Cheney was to have been outed as a DC Madam caller. Again, just sayin’.
dakine01 @ 223
Are you thinking he might stop in dubai, phone in his resignation and re-emerge as the halliburton CEO again?
Nola Sue @ 239
None of it would surprise me. Or he ends up on a long-term vacay w old chum Ken Lay. I sensed years ago that Cheney’s VP term would not end traditionally. Either he’d plea health problems, or something. It ain’t right. Something just ain’t right.
i think you’re onto something
dakine01 @ 106
But the story itself is fascinating. Cassie – if you can get a copy of the PBS series I Claudius, please do. tells the Caligula story without the, um, dirty parts.
oooooopppss wrong quote–
my 246was supposed to read rwcole 103
mexico city officials who voted to legalize abortion should no longer be allowed to receive communion according to pope………and he’s worried about all of the catholics jumping ship to evangelical protestant churches.
also on newshour–afghani govt called moratorium on all military missions—can only engage when fired upon, due to great number of civilians killed lately……and govt working on talks with taliban……
if not for bush—no firedoglake. we all met because of him……his own actions brought about his own doom, so to speak…….
Helen @ 250
I never saw the PBS show, I was just thinking of the movie and its rating or lack of rating.
Rayne @ 136
ding!
Nola Sue @ 221
So on the question of Big Time’s last-minute overseas jaunt, I still don’t rule out Wayne Madsen’s report that Cheney was to have been outed as a DC Madam caller. Again, just sayin’.
I’d be very surprised if Cheney’s heart would withstand such a ‘meeting’. Going even further…..how should I put this….I think that ship has sailed.
Helen @ 250
ooo execellent viewing, you will LOVE it, Cassie.
dmac @ 246
Not a bad thing, perhaps. If they can accept being just a part of the power structures, such as they are, it could lead to a more lasting peace than eternally battling each other. Anathema to some, I’m sure, but consider the British government and the IRA in Northern Ireland thirty years ago, and contrast to the present day.
Blub @ 183
I would never darken the door of a town that has anything whatsoever to do with GWB.
Here’s how the nuts will defend Bush, based on my arguments with a co-worker:
Kept US safe after 9/11.
deposed Taliban, Hussein, went on offense.
Drug coverage to seniors.
Cut discretionary spending.
Cut taxes.
defended traditional values.
I know the reality, this is just what they’ll say.
Hugh@237, I want to expand on Points 3&5!!! On point #3, Besides Abramoff, Interior deals with most of Big Oil’s shenanigans!!! And, on #5 I would add; Or a Regent Grad and/or Federalist!!!
McKay and Iglesias hopping mad, pushing for the “frog march”
http://seattletimes.nwsource.c…..um09m.html
PLovering @ 213–
kirk murphy @ 195 –
PLovering @ 186 –
Iraq wouldn’t sell us any oil before the invasion. –
Uh – PLovering?
Iraq’s oil exports were controlled by the UN. The US embargoed direct importation of Iraqi oil.
You can’t be serious.
Shit, the meters still aren’t working.
Your assertion “Iraq wouldn’t sell us any oil before the invasion” remains seriously non-factual. Your assertion remains seriously incorrect.
Save for oil exports shipped via time machine, Iraq exports prior to the 2003 American invasion and occupation are not affected by post-war conditions.
Assertions to the contrary would raise serious questions regarding one’s comprehesion of causality and temporal sequences.
kirk murphy @ 142
Abducting students may be rather dicey.
707
Are there any phone booths in Dallas for the library site.
john in sacramento @ 113
Yes to US attorney, but with reservations. Peter Fitzgerald (Senator in IL; no relation) looked far and wide for a prosecutor outside of IL to clean up the corruption in IL. He found Fitz. Karl Rove said NO NO NO, you have to pick an IL insider (now we know why). So Peter Fitz announced, on Mother’s Day 2001 that Pat Fitz was his nomination. Peter Fitz recently said that he did that because he wanted the WH to challenge him publically. They did not. So, the WH does not get much credit for that.
re: the Plame investigation. I don’t know for sure, but I am pretty sure that the WH had nothing to do with that. The whole reason that Comey appointed Fitz is that Ashcroft recused himself. Why? Because it became abundantly clear that Karl was lying to the FBI. Karl had previously worked on one of Ashcroft’s campaigns. So I cannot imagine that he WH had any say there either.
solai @ 253
Nola Sue @ 221
So on the question of Big Time’s last-minute overseas jaunt, I still don’t rule out Wayne Madsen’s report that Cheney was to have been outed as a DC Madam caller. Again, just sayin’.
I’d be very surprised if Cheney’s heart would withstand such a ‘meeting’. Going even further…..how should I put this….I think that ship has sailed.
Doesn’t rule out his pimping for friends, though.
Or for his enemies.
dakine01 @ 252
Oh yeah – I was tricked into going to see the movie when I was in college. I was MORTIFIED, I tell you. I had seen the PBS show and thought, oh cool, that was a great story!! YEESH.
FDL fans: For an unending list of accomplishments check out the pure genius of Belaqua Jones, satirically exposing the ugly reality about George. Scroll down to May 6 for a real kernel of truth, and get a glimpse of the real nightmare behind the “throne”. Open Letters to George Bush
Parents need to take more responsibility for the actions of their children, Poppy and Babs.
Helen @ 264
Good background. thanks. It was a facetious idea to give Bush credit. Everything “good” here has been ironic — something he never intended.
Lou Costello @ 229
Well.. one in the Senate certainly. Woops. He’s a member of the 1 member CFL party…
He’s taken his own life in his hands to demonstrate to others the dangers of snacking on pretzels unattended.
Blub @ 107
I’ve thought for some time that the most basic motivation for the wingnuts and neocons is, as you suggest, an abiding hatred for liberals and all things liberal; i.e., true wingnuts are total reactionaries. As often stated on the liberal blogs, anyone who strays from the wingnut position on any issue is thought to be a liberal. We all know their visceral hatred of Bill Clinton, which may have caused the Bush crew to disregard the outgoing Clinton team’s warnings about the New Terrorism back in late 2000 and early 2001. That’s pretty unrestrained hatred (along with an extra-heavy dose of incompetence). Obviously, the wingers have other motivations and issues, and you have mentioned a few, including abortion and other “cultural” issues. FWIW, my view is they are reactionaries and rejectionists. And it blinds them to policies they would dislike if those same policies were formulated or implemented by liberals.
Helen @ 264
I always kind of suspected that Ashcroft, theocon though he is, brought at least the tiniest hint of personal integrity to his job… something quite beyond the moral standard of the current incumbent.
shinkandhammer @ 140
Sounds like she’s working on becoming another Cassie! (*g*)
Good project!
Bob in HI
mayan @ 271
Dang, never realized that it was a good deed before!
Dear America:
Can we please have no more rich, spoiled, lazy, tantrum throwing brats for president.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 276
I second the motion.
Suetonius has what passes for the history of Caligula. He has 6 chapters on Caligula as a good emperor and 13 as a monster:
So much for the prince like, the remainder as of a monster is to be told.
I found this site which has the text in both Latin and English:
http://www.romansonline.com/sources/stn/IndxCa.asp
George Bush reminded us that votes do count, unless they don’t, but also fired up most of the people on this blog tonight.
Blub @ 270
I sincerely doubt this is going to happen. Even brain-dead conservative “Democrats” can read the polls. A blank check would be political suicide.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 276
I bet Her Majesty was really glad to get outta DC last night…
kirk murphy @ 261
You can’t be serious.
Shit, the meters still aren’t working.
Your assertion “Iraq wouldn’t sell us any oil before the invasion” remains seriously non-factual. Your assertion remains seriously incorrect.
Save for oil exports shipped via time machine, Iraq exports prior to the 2003 American invasion and occupation are not affected by post-war conditions.
Assertions to the contrary would raise serious questions regarding one’s comprehesion of causality and temporal sequences.
—————————————-
Paul Bremer was sent to Iraq in 2004 to set up multi-national corporate control of all oil resources.
Bremer’s brief was to steal everything in sight.
In every picture or video of the queen, that I saw, she looked absolutely disgusted.
Part of the Bush legacy will be the interests who benefitted under Bush trying to recreate him. Bush’s failings need to be hung around the neck of every Republican candidate in the US for the next 30 years. Evidence? look how they’re canonizing Reagan-when by any rational measure, he was an abject failure who should have been impeached for Iran-Contra.
After 9/11 he immediately brought Muslim-Americans into any rituals. I have Muslim relatives and I had been frightened for them. This was a relief.
I can’t think of anything else.
I bet Her Majesty was really glad to get outta DC last night…
I read that she takes her white gloves off when she eats. Probably a good thing, ’cause I bet the barbeque sauce from the WH Hog Roast would be a bitch to get out.
Queens are fussy about stuff like that, ya know.
Cheney on the Iraqi Parliament taking a two month recess: “They’re a sovereign nation”
That won’t fly either.
Thanks Subway and jayt for highlighting that alternet article about the political situation in Iraq – it’s much more in depth than I realized when I scanned its opening paragraphs earlier. A very interesting perspective, and original reporting, on the situation in Iraq. Makes me really wonder who’s trying to kid whom…
Also found a link there to a new Matt Taibbi article about the latest Iraq Supplemental proposal(s), from which this excerpt comes:
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/51657/
We need some serious catch-up on the behind-the-scenes plays we are being subjected to about now. But it really does feel like some unvarnished truth is suddenly starting to be revealed about the situation in Iraq, in large part due to the efforts of the Iraqi people themselves.
Jayt #286, choking on my Sprite…
Frank Probst @ 280
It is so difficult nowadays to know what is real and what is spin hoping to create reality.
late nite
LATE NIGHT !
New Thread
solai @ 283
Hehe.. this is run trust fund baby that annoys even every other trust fund baby he’s ever come into contact with, including the Queen herself. I mean..look at that his cabinet. Abu? Condi? He’s pretty chased away the Ivy League/Prep School/Country Club set.. started with them, but they left quickly enough (O’Neill, Donaldson, etc etc).
js454 @ 216
Blackwater is relocating to Saudi Arabia?
Eureka Springs @ 291
jinx
AZ Matt @ 279
Fired up? Wake up folks.
President Bush created the world’s largest protected marine area March 31, 2001, designating as a national monument a 1,200-mile-long chain of small Hawaiian islands and surrounding waters and reefs that are home to a spectacular array of sea life, senior administration officials said last night.
Other than that — nothing, ziltch, nada.
greenwarrior @ 295
Halliburton is now domiciled in Dubai. I can’t wait for a Dem Congress to send a Dem president a bill that outlaws the awarding of military contracts to that particular FOREIGN company
lolo got the ZeD☼
There’s a new
Thread
And Kobe is there too! Hurry up pups.
RonD @ 284
Amen. I could not agree more. Bush isn’t an aberration in the Republican Party. He is its worthless heart and soul.
greenwarrior @ 295
See my correction in 228. Just Halliburton.
How many Republican fascist admins will it take for the American electorate to realize where their bread is buttered, or is the publics taste for bigotry, hatred, and racism just too strong.
Cozumel @ 287
So is shrub’s mind.
I can think of one thing: he designated a huge area of the sea, offshore of Hawai’i, as a protected nature reserve (or similar terminology).
Which makes up for about 0.01% of the pure evil that he’s done in every other area.
Oh yeah, a couple of other things: to stand as a vibrant example for generations to come, of why elections really are important, why electing a moron to high office is a very bad idea, and why the GOP should never be trusted with anything more critical than organizing a tiddleywinks competition.
pow wow @ 288
So this is the neo-cons’ brilliant strategy to seize control of the oil the neo-cons forbade Iraq from exporting to the US.
US to Iraq:
Give us your oil, or we’ll take our war and go home.
The corporate ghouls who destroyed America’s hospitals and clinics are cynical amoral murderers.
But they are very, very good at what they do (theiving)
The Bushies/neocons/megacorps are cynical amoral murderers destroying our nation (and the planet).
Unlike the corporate ghouls, the Bushies can’t quite get the theiving part right.
Heck, the Bushies can’t even make competent threats.
Give us your oil, or we’ll take our war and go home.
I think he has done an amazing job at somehow keeping himself from facing any consequences.
Frankly, he looks like an idiot, but he must be pretty cunning to manage to get away with it. I’d be in jail by now.
Oil guys love him.
Military guys love him.
Defense contractors love him.
Insurance companies love him.
Real Estate sellers loved him.
Refi guys too.
What’s not to love about $500k homes when six years ago they cost one quarter to one half as much?
Nuclear reactor companies love him.
Nuclear bomb guys love him.
Alito and Scalia and Roberts and Thomas love him.
Hey, if you’re Limbaugh and O’Reilly you really love him.
Whew. What a load of shit.
I confess that I think he has done one thing right by my lights: signed the Prison Rape Reduction Act of 2003.
Can’t think of anything else, though.
From a radical lefted legged athlete’s perspective, I will give him this: (and I have said this before) Not since Slobadan Milosevic got the ball rolling for the future (2004) gold-medal winning Bosnian Sitting Volleyball Team, has one man done so much to give so many, around the WORLD, the OPPORTUNITY to compete in the Paralympics. By the 2016 Chicago Paralympics we should dominate.
U. S. Eh?
Leg
Thank goodness for Matt Taibbi. He homes in on the very issue that has so stunned me, and focuses on the complicity of the Congressional Democrats in this Bush/Cheney-drafted proposed “colonial robbery” of the Iraqi nation:
I think this may start to explain my reaction to Dick Durbin’s apparent lack of empathy for the average Iraqi in his Senate floor speeches: this is just the sort of “hydro-carbon law” such a seemingly pitiless approach could lead one to support. I’ve been missing that huge piece of the puzzle. How do we stop this travesty of a “benchmark” and allow the Iraqis to keep their own oil?
Much more background here from Michael Schwartz:
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/51572/
Elliott @ 255
Best to watch with Aunt Betsy, however, so you can talk about it.
Bob in HI
dan @ 166
You must not work with computers. This hair brained idea caused a huge amount of effort to be wasted that could have been spent elsewhere. Kinda like a mini-Y2k effort on short notice.
And after it was over, I spent days trying to get rid of the hundreds of meetings in my outlook calander that had reappeared magically due to microsoft’s rushed outlook patch to deal with this change.
He’s done everything right. If you’re name is Al Capone or John Gotti then Bush has done a sterling job. A .
A few people have already mentioned the “Do Not Call” list, so I have nothing new to add. Except…
You could easily come up with a longer list of things done right by Nixon than by W. Amazing.
Did they serve Cheney beans for lunch?
Loo Hoo @ 93
Hello, This is my first post to you all. I live in Sweden and have been here for 13 years.
People still show respect when they find out that I am an American. I think that it is important to state, that I am half Italian so most people do not assume that I am American. I encounter hostility because of how I look.
If people engage me in conversation, it quickly demonstrates that they have no understanding about why Bush is president. He is so obviously a disaster. I point out that he may not have been elected legally. Why is he then still in power, is the the next question.
When I visit the United States I am heartbroken about how many cars still pollute the environment. It is hard to get a drivers’ license here and hard to own a car. There are nearly as many bike paths as there are sidewalks. Right now when the weather is warm, nearly everybody is riding a bike. I miss my friends in America but it is so hard to be there. Barbara
He gives hope to all, draft-dodging, cocaine snorting, whiskey drinking, latent homosexual, retards* everywhere.
(MOD NOTE: FYI, you might be unaware this is not an acceptable word at the Lake)
Well, as far as pure death and destruction, what with wars and plain old neglect, Shrub is up a couple of orders of magnitude against ol’ Osama. So from the Grim Reaper’s viewpoint he rates quite excellent.
Ok, by MY liberal, democratic standards and I have openly acknowledged this accomplishment for all of Bush’s term:
He got Tommy Thompson out of Wisconsin. Thank you , George. It’s the ONE thing you’ve done for me.
George W. Bush has lowered taxes; defeated the Taliban; presided over the greatest economic growth in the history of the USA since Reagan; gone on offesne against the Islamo-Fascist enemies the USA faces. He’s done a great deal right. And History will judge Dick Cheney and him very well…
RevDeb @ 101
Sorry this is EPU. There is a plethora of subjects that will need both addressing and redressing before you regain your former stature in the world’s eyes, mostly to do with the immage of “dumb and dumber” and “violence” that you people project to the world through the export of so-called “American Culture”. The rest of the world has in one form or another experienced that and finds that culture wanting. In your whole country, is there any monument to scholarship (outside Jefferson’s memorial)? How often are artists, musicians, philosophers, educators, or historians celebrated on your stamps and coins. How many actually recall honoring the best and brightest and enabling those who expand the horizons of awareness.
As long as there are those whose religion’s call for love is hate, whose view of the world is distorted by lies, where lies are the basis of justice, where exclusion is the acceptable norm, where evil poses as “the good” and your children wreck war crimes camoflaged by honorability; the world will see you for what you are, not what you “believe” yourselves to be.
There is a way, but first you must stop the lies, look in the mirror to see what is actually there, and only then can you begin to rebuild your name in the world, your reputation now is a immense mountain that stands in the way of your goal, it might be surmounted but that will take everything you have to do so.
All the best…….
MARS, bitches!
Oh yeah, and switchgrass too. I just shove that into my gas tank nowadays. What a great idea!
What, if anything, has Bush done right?
MASSIVE HUMAN SACRIFICE
And by whose standards?
SATAN’S STANDARDS
He’s the motherlode of comic material for Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.
George knows how to handle a chain saw. The only problem with this prowess, is that he gutted the constitution, the military and the treasury with it. But the brush looks great.
1. Damage to the US’s reputation, respect and influence abroad, is much greater than most Americans – everyone who relies on the US MSM for news – yet realise. Some of it can, at least in theory, be undone by a new president fairly quickly, but when Bush was RE-elected full recovery became impossible, for at least a generation and perhaps for very much longer.
The question of whether Bush stole the election(s) is irrelevant; the numbers who voted for him were bogglingly large regardless. IMO a new Dem administration’s first priority – even before dealing with electoral corruption – should be the reinstatement of pre-Reagan era media ownership controls.)
2. I’m surprised that no-one has mentioned the good Bush did by doubling the price of oil and ensuring that some of the world’s largest reserves of oil remained largely unexploited at a time when the world’s greatest contributors to anthropogenic global warming were still in denial. The headline BUSH INADVERTENTLY SAVES PLANET, which I first dreamed up several years ago, may yet form part of a historian’s assessment of the Bush administration.
I think that “What has Bush done right and according to whose standards?” is the wrong question. Whether what he has done is “right” or “wrong” is subject to interpretation.
A much better question, much less subject to interpretation is, “What has he done well?”
Well, the average IQ of Texas had a big spike. I guess that’s one good thing
ceo @ 22
Aughhh! And look at the slacker offspring today!
donotcall.gov?
By appointing AbuG, he made Ashcroft look good.
LibertyLee @ 322
Fixed for the spooftroll.
Sticking to what Bush has done “right”, not what may have gone right during his time in office, or as a result of decisions made for him…. That’s difficult. I think that agreeing to trust another to pick out appropriate dress for public functions was the only thing he’s done “right”. Other than that, every action and utterance has been wrong in some way. Of course, demonstrating that money can buy power, regardless of how retarded and morally bankrupt one is, has given hope to an entire generation of redneck luddites. That might be considered “right”, if extending the vision of the wingnuts past their next 12-pack of piss is a good thing….
Only temporarily, it drops again whenever he goes back to Crawford…