For my money, Bush the Lesser’s finest moment came in the aftermath of 9/11, when he said the appropriate response was to “go shopping”. That had it exactly right. Keep calm and carry on. Live the sort of normal, peaceful lives that made al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and ISIS jealous. Don’t let the terrorists terrorize us. Illegitimati non carborundum.
If only he’d had the courage of his (dubious) convictions and followed his own advice. But when he got back to the White House, Cheney started whispering in his ear, and it was all downhill from there. Gutting civil-service and union protections in the federal bureaucracy as part of a massive reorganization that gave us the TSA and many other assaults on our civil liberties. Ramped-up intrusiveness from the surveillance state. Color-coded anxiety provokers. Two multi-trillion dollar wars against the wrong enemies! (No, Saddam Hussein was not behind 9/11, and no, Osama bin Laden was not hiding out in Afghanistan.) Normalization of lying.
So yeah, there was a massive assault on the American way of life, but 99.9% of it came from within, and those supposedly “jealous of our liberties” must be rubbing their hands in glee to see what we’ve done to ourselves.
“Boundless his wealth as wish can claim; / Despite those titles, power and pelf, / The wretch concentered all in self,/ Living, shall forfeit fair renown, / And, doubly dying, shall go down / To the vile dust from whence he sprung,/ Unwept, unhonored, and unsung.” From The Lay of the Last Minstrel: Sir Walter Scott.
Trump recently had part of “The Art of the Deal” read to him (this was actually the first time he’d heard of it!), and decided to try to get credit for a “peace deal” that had been in the works for over a year. (Trump also likes to take credit for things that took place in the Obama administration, and the Washington administration, and everything in between………)
Richard S Russell Premium Member over 4 years ago
For my money, Bush the Lesser’s finest moment came in the aftermath of 9/11, when he said the appropriate response was to “go shopping”. That had it exactly right. Keep calm and carry on. Live the sort of normal, peaceful lives that made al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and ISIS jealous. Don’t let the terrorists terrorize us. Illegitimati non carborundum.
If only he’d had the courage of his (dubious) convictions and followed his own advice. But when he got back to the White House, Cheney started whispering in his ear, and it was all downhill from there. Gutting civil-service and union protections in the federal bureaucracy as part of a massive reorganization that gave us the TSA and many other assaults on our civil liberties. Ramped-up intrusiveness from the surveillance state. Color-coded anxiety provokers. Two multi-trillion dollar wars against the wrong enemies! (No, Saddam Hussein was not behind 9/11, and no, Osama bin Laden was not hiding out in Afghanistan.) Normalization of lying.
So yeah, there was a massive assault on the American way of life, but 99.9% of it came from within, and those supposedly “jealous of our liberties” must be rubbing their hands in glee to see what we’ve done to ourselves.
Bookworm over 4 years ago
“Boundless his wealth as wish can claim; / Despite those titles, power and pelf, / The wretch concentered all in self,/ Living, shall forfeit fair renown, / And, doubly dying, shall go down / To the vile dust from whence he sprung,/ Unwept, unhonored, and unsung.” From The Lay of the Last Minstrel: Sir Walter Scott.
robnvon Premium Member over 4 years ago
Nice timing, dickhead.
Ontman over 4 years ago
Empathy. What’s that?
librarian4hire over 4 years ago
When he spoke at the Pentagon today, he lied AGAIN about he and his people going to Ground Zero to help.
And his idiot followers will believe him. That’s worse than his lies.
I’ve never despised anyone like I despise this vile, venal, power-hungry, lawless, self-centered, pig-ignorant* pustule.
*Apologies to the pigs.
Dtroutma over 4 years ago
We were attacked by Saudis, funded by Saudis, led by a Saudi. RIght, never forget.
NeoconMan over 4 years ago
Never forget 9-11. The day the terrorists won.
Darsan54 Premium Member over 4 years ago
Dear gawd, did Trump think Taliban leaders would actually come to the US????
Godfreydaniel over 4 years ago
Trump recently had part of “The Art of the Deal” read to him (this was actually the first time he’d heard of it!), and decided to try to get credit for a “peace deal” that had been in the works for over a year. (Trump also likes to take credit for things that took place in the Obama administration, and the Washington administration, and everything in between………)