Iraq signs new Constitution. You can blame Bush for that.
by JohnHuang2
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Keep in mind we're dealing with people who have no history of tolerance whatsoever. Principles such as the rule of law and respect for other views -- indeed, even the idea of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, pluralism, a Bill of Rights -- are, at best, alien to these people. As are pluralistic compromise and acceptance of other religions. To say these people are unschooled in tolerance is an understatement. Needless to say, building pluralism where none has ever existed isn't easy. The notion that Bush could just wave a wand and create it out of whole cloth among people who've never known or practiced tolerance seems hopelessly naive. Even teaching these people basic civility was always a tall order. I mean, in the past, oh, say 20-some odd years, who have these people picked to lead their party? Carter, Mondale, Dukakis, Clinton, and now, John F. Kerry, who attacked Bush Sunday for using the War on Terror as a campaign issue. I rest my case. Kerry, furious, vowed to make the War on Terror his top campaign issue.
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But why are Democrats so difficult to civilize? Why are they so angry, irrational? Well, take a look at how Bush has handled postwar Iraq, for example. Here was a perfect chance for Bush to screw things up. Instead, he's stubbornly refused to screw things up. The most pressing need for Democrats is for Bush to fail there, but do you think Bush even cares? Of course he doesn't. Bush, indifferent to their plight, prefers success. Hopelessly out of touch with Tom Daschle, Bush aims to win the peace. Meanwhile, cunningly, he is stonewalling Quagmire at every turn, and shows no sign of letting up -- witness the historic signing ceremony Monday. Rather than seizing the opportunity to stumble, the President got all 25 members of Iraq's Governing Council to sign the landmark interim constitution, threatening to push Iraq into all-out freedom, self-rule and free elections. (Bush is forever fomenting freedom, the rascal! Then again, he has to get it off his chest). The signing, a painful setback for Quagmire fans, ended what looked like a promising deadlock after Shiite leaders balked last Friday.
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"Here we are today standing in a historical moment to lay the strong foundation for rebuilding a new Iraq," declared Governing Council President Mohammed Bahrululum at the signing ceremony. (Hey, what's the matter with this guy? Doesn't he read the New York Times? He should try sounding more 'conflicted.' More 'nuanced'. Where's his "Intellectual Fluidity"?) Kerry attacks Bush's Middle East policy as imperialist meddling in Mideast affairs. Bush's imperialist meddling would create the first Arab democracy in the Middle East. (Kerry also accuses Bush of being too disengaged in the Middle East. Or of having no Middle East policy). Hailing the document, which includes a Bill of Rights, Bahrululum added that the new Iraq will be a "free, democratic Iraq that protects the dignity of the human being and protects human rights." (Hmmmm. Animal rights groups aren't gonna like this).
So lemme get this straight: First, Democrats kindly gave Bush 6 months to turn Iraq into Quagmire, or total disaster. Then it was 9 months. He's not only missed both deadlines, but, here at home, Bush isn't much of a failure either. On economic policy, his tax cuts have worked to inflame the economy, sizzling at 6 percent growth these past two quarters, further enraging Democrats. (Bush is the culprit behind this whole darn recovery, trust me. His fingerprints are all over it).
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When Bush took office, he was handed the perfect recession. Then he turned around and ruined it. With tax cuts. And more tax cuts. (The poor recession never had a chance. First, Bush surrounded it. Then he choked it off. Then, using overwhelming force, he killed it. How twisted and sick!) Ask yourself: Is this any way to treat a defenseless recession? Check out the very incriminating bill of particulars: Bush, by drastically cutting taxes, incited a booming economy; aided and abetted a rebound in consumer confidence; planned and instigated soaring home sales; deliberately encouraged booming factory output, soaring productivity, vaulting capital spending, swelling work weeks, surging profits, mounting retail sales and other wrongdoing; ordered, instigated or otherwise aided and abetted escalating Family Net Worth ($44.4 trillion currently -- see Larry Kudlow's latest); willfully deprived millions of Americans of joblessness. According to Kudlow, "since the end of 2002, 1.8 million more people have gone back to work." Outrageously, most of these jobs are fueled by tax cuts -- outsourcing of dollars Democrats believe legitimately belongs to government in Washington. Bush's policy of *Outsourcing* money back to those who earn it, away from the federal government, is an outrage, Kerry believes. Outsourcing wealth to the private sector which produces wealth -- away from the federal government -- is bad for the federal government, Kerry thinks. (Scandalously, it makes government in Washington less material to our lives). Making government less material to our lives inherently is bad policy, Kerry believes. Bush flat-out doesn't believe in the power of government to affect our lives, Kerry charges. (Kerry also accuses Bush of making government too powerful, affecting too much in our lives, blasting the U.S.A. Patriot Act, key tool in the War on Terror, as nothing more than Bush's attempt to make government all-powerful!)
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Kudlow notes that "the number of Americans" currently working "now stands at 138.3 million, an all-time high." (More people are working on Bush's watch than on Clinton's watch. Another sign Bush is a Miserable Success!) But wait. That's the Household Survey, not the 'Payroll' Survey. Experts consider the Household survey's reliability highly debatable. It's so highly debatable, that government and experts rely on the Household survey to calculate the official Unemployment Rate, currently holding steady at 5.6 percent, which experts consider dangerously high, jeopardizing Bush's re-election. Indeed, in 1996, the official Unemployment Rate stood at 5.6 percent, which experts consider incredibly low, assuring Clinton's re-election. (Kerry wants to raise taxes on factories and businesses that way they'll hire more. More bankruptcy lawyers).
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Meanwhile, in Dallas, Texas, Bush complimented Kerry for his strong opinions and firmly-held beliefs in a speech Monday, noting that "Senator Kerry has been in Washington so long that he's taken both sides on just about every issue." (hmmmm . . . not so sure I agree. Truth is, you always know where Kerry stands on issues. For at least several hours. Then he changes positions. Again.) Bush charged that Kerry, a liberal whom the media says isn't a liberal but a moderate with a liberal voting record that Democrats say Republicans are citing to paint Kerry as a liberal, has two different positions on Iraq. But that's not exactly fair. Kerry has a firmly-held, clear-cut position on Iraq -- and 3 others. All firmly-held. (Kerry says Bush duped Kerry into voting for war. Or that Kerry didn't know he was voting for war. Or that Bush ate Kerry's homework?) But don't get me wrong. Whatever you do, don't underestimate Kerry. John Kerry is a very effective opponent. Of John Kerry.
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Then again, don't forget the guy's got combat experience, is a war hero, a highly decorated veteran, who won Purple Hearts for injuries in battle, the Bronze Star Medal, you name it.
Oh wait -- that was Bob Dole I was thinking about.
Anyway, that's
My two cents...
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