KRUGMAN SHOWS BUSH NO MERCY: "He's An Insecure Bully"

[kpete]

November 6, 2006
Op-Ed Columnist
Limiting the Damage
By PAUL KRUGMAN


President Bush isn’t on the ballot tomorrow. But this election is, nonetheless, all about him. The question is whether voters will pry his fingers loose from at least some of the levers of power, thereby limiting the damage he can inflict in his two remaining years in office.

..............

At this point, nobody should have any illusions about Mr. Bush’s character. To put it bluntly, he’s an insecure bully who believes that owning up to a mistake, any mistake, would undermine his manhood — and who therefore lives in a dream world in which all of his policies are succeeding and all his officials are doing a heckuva job. Just last week he declared himself “pleased with the progress we’re making” in Iraq.

In other words, he’s the sort of man who should never have been put in a position of authority, let alone been given the kind of unquestioned power, free from normal checks and balances, that he was granted after 9/11. But he was, alas, given that power, as well as a prolonged free ride from much of the news media.

............

But here’s the thing: no matter how hard the Bush administration may try to ignore the constitutional division of power, Mr. Bush’s ability to make deadly mistakes has rested in part on G.O.P. control of Congress. That’s why many Americans, myself included, will breathe a lot easier if one-party rule ends tomorrow.

more at:
http://select.nytimes.com/2006/11/06/opinion/06krugman.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1162781980-HMwP9Hyi2bWgNWR8AvsBsw&pagewanted=print

[Klukie]

1. One party rule....

must end on tuesday or this country is headed for immediate disaster.

[kestrel91316]

17. I am actually more scared about what he will do between Tuesday

and the swearing in in January............

He will have nearly ten weeks to monkeywrench, and trust me, that IS what he will do.

[cassiepriam]

23. Yes Bush has a very mean streak, he may get very ugly

when the Dems win. His style would be to inflict
as much damage as possible in retaliation.

[spooky3]

31. yes, but

if Dems win both houses, and maybe if they win only one, two things happen that will work against that attempt. First, he knows they can and will right his wrongs AND exact a price come January. And, he will know that the voters are on to his BS. He has been given a free pass for 6 years because they refused to hold him accountable, so he did whatever the Rethug machine wanted. If voters send the clear signal Tuesday, enough Republicans will get it, even if he doesn't, that they are putting themselves in the position of being out of power for a very long time if they don't change their ways.

[cassiepriam]

50. You are assuming a rational response.

Bush has never been held accountable for anything in his life.
And he is mentally ill and intoxicated most of the time.
His response most likely will be pathological.

[Lisa]

65. that's what Louis Dubose suggested back in 2000

He warned that things could get pretty nasty "when George W. Bush comes home a loser". At the time, he thought that Bush wouldn't win (and, well, we know he actually didn't!). Dubose was just a bit ahead of the calendar, because his prediction that Bush would be seen as a "loser" will come true, in the historical sense!

"They're keeping lists. Of every insult, no matter how small. Of every criticism, no matter how fair. Of every news clip. Of every joke, no matter how innocent."

http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A78944

[SeattleGirl]

2. Wow, Krugman doesn't pull any punches in this piece, does he?

"To put it bluntly, he's an insecure bully who believes that owning up to a mistake, any mistake, would undermine his manhood--" :wow:

[Kierkegaard]

36. WHAT manhood?

Bushco the Clown is a slave to the socks he stuffs down the front of his flightsuit? This guy is the part you throw away after a circumcision.

:+

[SammyWinstonJack]

59. manhood? george?

:rofl:

[dchill]

64. In George's case...

manhood = adolescent bravado masking fear.

[dchill]

63. "undermine his manhood" - which, you gotta agree...

really can't take much undermining. Don't misunderestimate that fact.

[Metta]

3. Krugman is a true patriot.

:thumbsup: :donut: :donut:

[Raster]

4. Kick it high! I notice that the Times has allowed unfettered access.

Kudos to them. Every American of voting age should read this.
:kick:11!

[BurtWorm]

21. Only for a week, but enjoy it while you can.

(You can even use their archives, going back to 1851.)
http://www.nytimes.com/marketing/freeaccessweek/?excamp=mkt_fawvanity

[blue_in_a_red_state]

5. Awesome!

I truly couldn't have said it better myself!

[SeattleGirl]

6. k&r

[Dudley_DUright]

7. Must read

Thankfully this one is not behind the ridiculous subscription wall. Bravo Professor Krugman. :applause:

[applegrove]

8. Love Krugman. Just love him. Is he ever off? Never.

[zonkers]

26. Never. And he always lays it out in plain speak.

[applegrove]

42. Yup.

[Gloria]

9. KICK

[upi402]

10. Bushler shouldn't drive a vehicle or use sharp utensils

and lets not forget the REPUBLICANS who brought him to power. I love that word, REPUBLICAN, when talking about the lame-ass duck "pResident".

[lyonn]

11. Well I certainly feel bullied by him and his

Is half the population brain dead? If they read this article will their heads spin with the horrible thought that possibly bush lied when he vowed to Protect Us - To Keep us Safe? Didn't bush make sure New Orleans was cleaned up? Has bush's prayers gone unanswered and we are still being threatened by Thousand and Thousands of terrorist?

Let's hope those brain dead get sick to their stomaches and stay home. Just thinking how dreadful things have turned for them, they can't depend on the likes of Haggard or their Great Leader. With faith like theirs they will stumble to the polls and do their bidding of their leader, hell, we all have sinned and come short, But, god will forgive. And, if that fails Diebold has devine ways of intervention.

[BonnieJW]

49. My boss is brain dead when it comes to Bush.

It's so incredible. Here's this rather intelligent man, educated, accomplished, and VOTING FOR BUSH!!!! How can that be? It's an oxymoran.

[senseandsensibility]

12. Please read the whole article at the link

It's great, and it will give you more strength to fight.

[provis99]

13. "insecure bully" love that line!

wonder if Bush sleeps with a teddy bear, given how insecure he is. Does it protect him from nightwares of Democrats opening a can of whup ass on him?

[colorado_ufo]

14. Krugman has been waving the flag of truth for a long time now -

far, far ahead of the majority of the media. He is indeed a patriot and a fearless one, at that.

[tblue]

16. Yes, he has been speaking for us all along. Even about the vote suppression.

He got it before anyone else in the mainstream media, in the US anyway.

[immoderate]

15. K&R

--IMM

[blm]

18. I'm glad journos have been taking shots at the media lapdogs all week.

But then, it was pretty obvious that it was an orchestrated lie machine.

>>>The feeding frenzy over John Kerry’s botched joke showed that many people in the news media are still willing to be played like a fiddle. And if you think the timing of the Saddam verdict was coincidental, I’ve got a terrorist plot against the Brooklyn Bridge to sell you.

Moreover, the potential for vote suppression and/or outright electoral fraud remains substantial.
>>>

[grasswire]

19. this is chilling

"a White House strategist has already told Time magazine that the administration plans a “cataclysmic fight to the death” if Democrats in Congress try to exercise their right to issue subpoenas "

[civildisoBDence]

52. Let's hope it's a fight to the death...

Political death, meaning impeachment.

Not that a bolt of lightning striking these evil bastards dead as doornails wouldn't be nice, too.

Newsprism

[ninkasi]

20. Amen, Paul, Amen

There has never been a more important election in all of my 63 years on earth. I am literally going to be on pins and needles until the votes are fairly, and evenly counted.

[cassiepriam]

22. Bully is too mild. Bush is psychotic and actively using drugs and alcohol.

Personality disorder, mood disorder, substance abuse and addiction.
With psychotic features.

And he is the most powerful person in the world.

[Pacifist Patriot]

24. Entirely too mild. It's chilling, isn't it?!

[cassiepriam]

29. Yes it is. The most powerful man in the world is mentally ill

and drunk most of the time.

[Pacifist Patriot]

30. Quite frankly I think NPD and BPD is epidemic in neocon circles.

I'm not kidding. They all show signs of the Narcissistic and Borderline Personality Disorders.

[cassiepriam]

48. Anyone who runs for President of the US has to be a NPD

to some extent. :)

I think we are looking at a great deal of narcissism
and sociopathy in most of the repugs. Bush is of course
Borderline, classic case.

[PADemD]

54. Birds of a feather...

[omega minimo]

45. And to think some folks wanted to "have a beer with the guy"

[cassiepriam]

47. Yep, Joe Sixpack liked his drinking, wonder how they like it now?

[madokie]

25. I will happily recommend this as it is or should be required reading

by anyone who loves our country.

[malaise]

27. Brilliant

K&R!
Whip them Dems.

[calimary]

28. Damn - I keep getting that "error" message -

"you've already recommended this thread."

Too bad. I LOVE Paul Krugman. He's been onto this murderous, incompetent, arrogant bunch from the very beginning, back when he was truly a lone voice crying in the wilderness (with us "focus group fringies"). I'd like to vote for this one a few more times. Diebold, anyone?

[raccoon]

32. Great post, Kpete. As usual. nt

[Kingofalldems]

33. I call it The Rush Limbaugh Syndrome

I noticed years ago the cons were fake tough guys. Pigboy started the trend.

[ProfessorGAC]

35. And O'Liely Jumped Over Him

O'Reilly is the utlimate fake tough guy. If posed with actually having to physically defend himself, he'd soil his own drawers.
The Professor

[DinahMoeHum]

34. He's right. We don't have a POTUS. We have an obnoxious,

petulant, immature, psychotic 10-year-old brat sitting in an oversized seat wearing an oversized cowboy hat.

:evilfrown:

[FernBell]

37. k&r

[TwentyFive]

38. Is there a transvestite/drag queen term for these fake men who dress up as tough guys?

Transvestite is a term for a guy who pretends to be a woman - but what do you call little rich baby frat boy who pretends to be a man?

[progressivebydesign]

39. "..if you think the timing of the Saddam verdict was coincidental"

"And if you think the timing of the Saddam verdict was coincidental, I’ve got a terrorist plot against the Brooklyn Bridge to sell you." Wow, where did I hear that before? Hmmm... where was it? Oh yes.. I posted that very opinion on DUs GD the other day and was soundly and aggressively attacked for saying so, for saying that Bush & Co. would use it as a milestone (which it is know being termed in the media. Oh, and Bush is also using it at every campaign stop in ALL the tight races.... glad Krugman agrees with me.

I'm SO glad that Krugman gets it. His piece should be required reading, for everyone. Even DUers.

[Nothing Without Hope]

40. ***Free link*** to this great Krugman article:

http://www.alpheratz.net/BushCo/limiting_the_damage/

(In case the wall returns)

[Land Shark]

41. would be best if one party rule ended WEDNESDAY; fast counts are messy counts

[Uncle Joe]

43. I believe Paul Krugman to be a patriot

:patriot:

Kicked and recommended

:kick:

[omega minimo]

44. "would undermine his manhood"

There it is.

It is about dicks after all............. :wow:

[Imagevision]

46. Bush: "bring em on" I've got plenty of sons & daughters to take you on... (sicko)

[beltanefauve]

51. One of the best

and hardest-hitting Krugman pieces I've ever read. Thanks, Paul!

[civildisoBDence]

53. When asked about the civilian death toll in Iraq, DUHbya said,

"30,000 give or take," as if tens of thousands of deaths meant little to such a tough guy.

30,000 or 600,000, Bush could care less.

He's a bully, alright, and one about to meet his match when Congress FINALLY starts fighting back.

Newsprism

[nam78_two]

55. Krugman is the best, k&r/nt

[focusfan]

56. to me giving Bush power is like giving a child power

you know a child would abuse power.Bush is a childish
conniving snivelinglittle brat.his daddy probably never
disciplined him in anyway and he probably was a bully to other
kids because of this.

[For PaisAn]

57. Wow

"he’s an insecure bully who believes that owning up to a mistake, any mistake, would undermine his manhood" That's Bush. And the world has suffered the consequences. I can't wait to see him throw a tantrum when the repugnant ones don't control Congress and the Democrats shut him down.
kick

[mdmc]

58. God

Bless

[earth mom]

60. Go Krugman!

:applause:

p.s. Anyone notice the 3500+ views of this thread? Looks like the freepers are nervous! :evilgrin:

[haymark]

61. KICK

LOVE KRUGMAN

[bloom]

62. I am one who believes that Iraq is going to plan.

it's a totally fucked up "plan" - but I think it's mostly intentional, nonetheless.

(IOW it's not as Krugman says, "owning up to a mistake" - it's not a "mistake" when it's intentional - when it's exactly what he wants. And another thing - I think is makes him worse than an "insecure bully" - and more along the lines of a psychopath/serial killer).

When Bush says he is “pleased with the progress we’re making” in Iraq - I believe him. So of course Rumsfeld is doing a great job. The country is a mess - just like it's supposed to be.


For more about that see:

Iraq: Bush has a plan, and it's working

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HK03Ak01.html


It must be difficult, however to have a successful "plan" and not really be able to brag about it - because I think if people really got it and understood the plan - and that Bush is happy with what he is doing - just like he was happy with the way Katrina went - they would mostly :puke:

Of course the people who think that everything is great over there are delusional - or at least completely duped.

[ailsagirl]

66. ...and that's the NICEST thing you can say about him!! n/t