Does Bush love America?

[theriverburns]

I mean, this black and white, right and wrong, "with us, or agasint us" thing we have here is rudimentary. But it can't be that simple. The truth is more complicated than that.

Are the Cheney's of the world really just pillaging America for thier own short term gain? That they have no love of this country and are in politics only to rob us? That is too simplisitic an anwer for me.

Could it be that there are reasons for the decisions made by neo-con's that we aren't privvy to? The peak oil? The Euro? Or is it that the neo's are just disconnected from reality? That they mean well but ther version of good is only what is good for the top 1%? Is it that they really believe that "their" idea of America is virtuous and beneficial? I mean, noone can really believe that Bush and Cheney sit and laugh in sinister tones like Boris and Natasha on the old Bullwinkle show after raiding the widows and orphans fund. Can we?

I hate their policies. But, are they really that evil? Who's missing what?

[Davis_X_Machina]

1. Too simplistic?

The first requirement for a theory is that it 'saves the phenomenon', i.e. it explains what we observe.

The theory that 'they have no love of this country and are only in politics to rob' us explains what we observe.

[theriverburns]

5. I can't see that

"The theory that 'they have no love of this country and are only in politics to rob' us explains what we observe."

You have the majority of our (un)elected federal officials criminals rather than followers of mistaken, but well intentioned ideoloigy?

I have a brother in law who believes he paid his way through a $40,000.00 a year college working part-time, summers at the campus pizza shop. He thinks that "everybody ought to pull themselves up by their bootstraps" the way he did.

He means well. He also believes that "anyone can do it if he can". That his father was wealthy is irrelevant. And possibly even more evidence of the truth of his accomplishments and deservant affluence.

[Davis_X_Machina]

8. "America"

to them isn't a country, it isn't a polity, it isn't a piece of geography or a set of ideals.

It's a collection of rules and structures that have enabled themselves to grow rich and powerful.

To the extent that that collection of rules and structures is "America", they love it.

And when that collection of rules and structures no longer enables themselves to grow rich and powerful they break the rules, or leave the country, and go offshore.

The instant their loyalty to the real America, the polity, the set of ideals, what the rest of us mean by "America" requires any sacrifice, it's Devil take the hindmost.

Cicero knew the type two thousand years ago: Patria est ubicumque bene, "Their 'country' is wherever they can do all right."

[HEyHEY]

2. Yes

But he doesn't love the ideals of America.

[lovedems]

3. I think your 2nd paragraph describes this administration to a tee.

If they cared about the future they wouldn't be rolling back environmental laws, creating huge budget defecits, robbing the middle and lower class so the corporations can make more money. They wouldn't have one ounce of a desire to make us hated and feared throughout the world. I don't think they sit and laugh, I think they simply don't care about anyone who doesn't back them financially. They are doing as much as they can to take care of their corporate whores in the event they are not re-selected. This administration is simplistic. It is simplistic to a fault.

[Skittles]

4. Bush is doing to America what he did to Texas

f***ing us royally. There is nothing patriotic or noble about what these thieving, lying bastards are doing to America.

[coloradodem2005]

6. Yes he loves America. Corporate America.

The Neoconservatives have no right to say that we don't love America, for disagreeing with them. Considering how much he has hurt us, and I almost believe that it is intentional. He loves corporations. He hates Americans, therefore he hates America.

[pasadenaboy]

7. Bush loves himself, primarily

that's why his daughters are so emotionally needy.

[AntiCoup2K4]

9. Junior loves two things and two things only

Money and power. That's it. Not America, definitely not Jesus, not his fellow man, probably not even pickles and the kids.

[delete_bush]

11. Whoa!

How weird, I didn't read your post first, wasn't trying to be argumentative!

[delete_bush]

10. Shrubbie loves one thing and one thing only

And that is the ability to have an entourage of psycophantic ass kissers on call 24/7 to fetch cheeseburgers for him.

Incurious George does not have the ability to conceptualize the America of the founding fathers. Daddy has been covering for him all his life, he has no sense of self.

Remember, the best thing about his job is that he doesn't have to answer to anyone.

He's too stupid to be evil. Evil is only the end result, the collateral damage.

[DicklessCheney]

12. Bush loves America like...

Bush loves America like a fox loves hens.

(I'm trying to couch everything in barnyard terms so the lurking conservatives will understand.)

[leesa]

13. Perfect DicklessCheney. I can see him licking his chops now

Welcome to DU.

[PaDUer]

14. Grand theft

in the open with everyone watching and getting away with it.

[oostevo]

15. JFK wrote this piece about

the United States Senator as a trustee who takes into account the needs of the country first. He mentioned in it that both political ideologies think that their beliefs will lead the country in the right direction and they therefore pursue legislation based on these beliefs.

This probably hold true with many Republicans (though we all obviously think they're wrong), Republicans are sure that their ideology is what the country desperately needs.

Sadly, I cannot say that the Bush administration falls under this belief system (legislator as trustee). I've seen far too much self-service instead of public service to think that the welfare of America is a primary factor in the decisions of the Bush administration.

(Sorry -- I've been looking for the JFK piece, but I just can't find it anywhere. I know it exists though, I just read it a few days ago)

[theriverburns]

16. That's kind of what I meant.

"the United States Senator as a trustee who takes into account the needs of the country first. He mentioned in it that both political ideologies think that their beliefs will lead the country in the right direction and they therefore pursue legislation based on these beliefs."

Thanks, you phrase it better than I could hope to.

Once I'd have believed that the Republicans truly believed that they were leading the country on the right direction. I have a hard time believing in absolutes. But now, with the huge debts, the outsourcing, this immigration thing, the pharmeceutical giveaway--the Pugs aren't even following their core beleifs of lower taxes, smaller gov and pro-American business but simply greedily grabbing what is good for a very small group of wealthy CEO's. What gives?

[rman]

17. Maybe not evil enough to laugh like that,

but surely evil enough to raid the people.

Since they themelves do belong to the top 1%, it pretty much amounts to them being in politics to rob us.