Being Bush - To Fail With Impunity

[Nordic65]

I'm perplexed by the road to war in Iraq, it's utter failure and the complete absence of any consequences, whatsoever, for any of the people responsible for it. It’s like living in a twilight zone.

It’s been more than two years since the war started and just about nothing has turned out right. And it’s no secret either. Every other day we see yet another damaging article, more billions wasted and more misery. But nothing happens. No uproar, no nothing. As an example, read this article by Walter Pincus in Washington Post (Sunday May 22, 2005) on the Bush administrations attack on Iraq, based on what they knew was spurious evidence.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/21/AR2005052100474_2.html

This should be embarrassing for anyone involved in the decision-making process. But apparently it’s not.

Going back some three years there are enough of these stories to make your head spin. But in the public mind they simply don’t accumulate. They are just ignored - day in, day out. It’s almost like witnessing a collective “see no evil, hear no evil” psychosis of epic proportions.

There has to be an explanation to this behemoth of a false cognitive resonance between Bush and some 60 million Americans. Inquiring minds want to know why?

[jimshoes]

1. That simple fact alone

is proof positive that there exists a power structure so vast in this country that once the choice was made to anoint the dim son as the heir apparent for president in 2000, that absolutely no dissent would be tolerated from any quarter and any and all challengers to any facet of his reign would be quashed with all the speed and swiftness that the complex of actors in this power structure can bring to bear. And as we have all seen it is considerable.

Also it seems to me that the only way to bring down this administration is going to be in the court of public opinion. The truth must be disseminated to the public by whatever means is at our disposal and that is to say it will not happen through the corporate media. We must awaken the masses to the travesty that is the bush presidency.

[Nordic65]

2. That's possible

But I think the power structure you're mentioning is surprisingly small. Problem is, they controlling just about every major part of the media - thus making it possible for the Regime to stop the dissents it their tracks...

[jimshoes]

3. Actually I think it involves the media

but also the entire "military industrial complex" that Ike warned us about. And in that respect it is very considerable. They know where they want to drag this country (I refrain from using the word lead) and they will not stop until the treasury has been drained dry. It is about money. Always money.

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Don't have answers, but this is W. Bush's life story --

failing with impunity. It, as we know, didn't start in the White House.

[CBHagman]

5. Excellent point.

He is always rewarded for minimal effort and dubious "accomplishments." Remember when he painted himself as "a reformer with results," even though, as governor of Texas, he didn't really have much power.

He was also materially rewarded, despite being something of a screw-up at business. I guess the millionaire status came because of the investment in the Texas Rangers, which was hardly some triumph of business acumen or hard work.

Regarding the administration's obvious incompetence and mendacity regarding Iraq, I think they get away with it because starting a war is the macho thing to do. Running up the body bag count somehow counts as being tough on terrorists, even though there's no proof that this is going to have any other long-term result than...more deaths, probably more enemies.

The media doesn't do nuance. They like showy speeches and marching troops. (Yeah, I know; sounds fascist.) I guess it gives them a sense of purpose.

[DeepModem Mom]

6. Well put, especially re. the war --

war is not only macho, it is almost always perceived as patriotic, no matter how misguided or badly run, so is difficult to oppose.