What Bush would do if he were president

[MrBenchley]

A brutal piece by William Saletan on the close to Hatefest 04:

""Since 2001, Americans have been given hills to climb and found the strength to climb them," said Bush. "Now, because we have made the hard journey, we can see the valley below. Now, because we have faced challenges with resolve, we have historic goals within our reach and greatness in our future."

Recession. Unemployment. Corporate fraud. A war based on false premises that has cost us $200 billion and nearly a thousand American lives. They're all hills we've "been given to climb." It's as though Bush wasn't president. As though he didn't get the tax cuts he wanted. As though he didn't bring about postwar Iraq and authorize the planning for it. All this was "given," and now Bush can show up, three and a half years into his term, and start solving the problems some other president left behind.

My favorite moment was when Bush touted the No Child Left Behind Act. No more social promotion, he promised. "We are transforming our schools by raising standards and focusing on results. We are insisting on accountability."

Wasn't this speech, full of unfulfilled promises and appeals to good character, basically a plea for social promotion? Isn't that the message of the entire Bush campaign? Shouldn't the president have to show results, too?"

http://www.slate.com/id/2106214/

[MichiganVote]

1. What a crock

"...when Bush touted the No Child Left Behind Act. No more social promotion, he promised. "We are transforming our schools by raising standards and focusing on results. We are insisting on accountability." "

He sure as hell never would have made it through school without it.

[bryant69]

2. Show results?

Look at the house President Bush lives in and the nice clothes he's able to provide for his family. I mean President Bush has done alright for himself, and with all that nice stuff, he must be a very successful and smart businessman.

Or else maybe the game is rigged.

Bryant
check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[scarletwoman]

3. It's a GREAT piece! I was planning on posting it, but ya beat me to it!

Brutal is right -- beautifully so!

Some more snips -- but y'all really ought to go read it at the link:

Except he already is president. He already ran this campaign. He promised great things. They haven't happened. So, he's trying to go back in time. He wants you to see in him the potential you saw four years ago. He can't show you the things he promised, so he asks you to envision them. He asks you to be "optimistic." He asks you to have faith.

<snip>

Why will these things happen? Because resolve brings good things, and we've maintained our resolve through bad times. "Having come this far, our tested and confident nation can achieve anything," said Bush. The bad things that have happened while we've stayed resolved show that good things will happen if only we stay resolved. :eyes:

sw