Down but Not Out - After Katrina and Scooter, whither the Bush administration?

OpinionJournal.com ^ | October 29, 2005 | Michael Barone

[gpapa]

BY MICHAEL BARONE
Saturday, October 29, 2005 12:01 a.m. EDT

Whither the Bush administration? Two months ago, just before Katrina hit New Orleans, the administration had a game plan that it seemed to be, more or less successfully, executing. Since then that plan has been blown away by hurricanes meteorological, political and, yesterday, legal. In late August, Congress seemed primed to extend the earlier Bush tax cuts. House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas seemed ready to push some form of Social Security reform through his committee and the House. John Roberts seemed headed for easy confirmation to Sandra Day O'Connor's seat on the Supreme Court. Iraq, at least in the minds of administration officials, was moving in the right direction, with new Iraqi security forces coming online and the constitution heading for approval in the election scheduled for Oct. 15.

[ImphClinton]

He is silent on Able Danger. Silent on Hillary's illegal fundraising, Bills Perjury, Kerry's outing of a real Covert CIA Agent. Silent on McDerrmot's sliming his administration.

Just how many vetoes has he signed?

0. Nada. Need I say more. His Father (Great Wimp, no new taxes) is best buddies with Clinton. Sometimes the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree.

Don't get me wrong he is far better than Gore, Kerry or McInsane. But he is a Wimp and scarred to go after his enemies even when they are destroying his administration. Scared to nominate Pro-Life Judges as he promised. Why no indictments against the Clintons or even an investigation over them or the damage they left at the White House (no W's on Computer keyboards and porn mixed into the paper on printers and copiers, stolen items). Because he is a Wimp and scared to offend the DemocRATS.

[Ramius]

I'm sorry your boy Kerry lost. Get over it.

[ImphClinton]

You mean that J F$#%$ Kerry I said should be indicted for actually outing a CIA operative.

Surly you do not believe the Miers nomination was correct. Even the Robberts nomination is highly suspect. Were they in the mold of Thomass and Rehinquist. I think not.

[Ramius]

OK... my comment was unfair... but jeez... you're even drunker than I am. :-)

You're complaining about a whole bunch of irrelevant stuff. G'nite now....

[antaresequity]

Failure is part of the human experience...

Bush is getting a boat load of experience...

Miers Was a BUSH FAILURE....

Deal with it...

Here are a few others: Steel Protection, Failed Borders, Campaign Finance, Medicare Drug Crap, Spending Sprees, Affirmative Action, Inactive Posture on 2'nd Ammendment...etc etc etc etc etc...

He aint the Golden Boy I thought he was or you think he is...

Time to start thinking about the Union and its Borders, Language and Culture; time to start thinnking a little less about politics, politicians and political parties...

[nathanbedford]

Speaker Dennis Hastert has done an excellent job of holding House Republicans together for seven years with between 221 and 232 Republicans--only a few more than the 218 needed for a majority. But the glue that has held those majorities together is money. The House and Senate leadership seem to need help from the White House to enact visible spending cuts. So far they haven't gotten much.

I too have written such e-mails in my head. The problem is not really that George Bush would not read them but that he would not heed them. The problem with George Bush is that he is not primarily a conservative, he is primarily a Christian, and he does not have a calculus and that is congruent with yours or mine, even though both of us might be Christians.

George Bush sees partisan politics as petty and ultimately meaningless. We see partisanship as the indispensable stuff of freedom. At election time the Bushes will hold their nose and dip into partisanship. But it is not in their essential nature to wage war for tactical political advantage.

George Bush wants what Bill Clinton wanted: To fashion a legacy. He does not want to be remembered as the man who cut a few percentage points from an appropriation bill but as the man who reshaped Social Security. He wants, above all to be the man who did his Christian duty. I've come to the conclusion that the Bushes see politics as squirmy, fetid. It must be indulged in if one is to practice statesmanship but it is statesmanship alone that that is worthy as a calling.

They are honest, they are loyal, they are patrician. They would've been admired and respected if had lived among the founding fathers. But it is Laura Bush and Momma Bush who really and truly speak for the family and who tell us what they are thinking and who they are. There's not a Bush woman who does not believe in abortion. They believe in family, they live in loyalty, they believe in the tribe, but they do not believe in partisan politics.

I believe it is time for us to decide no longer to be used by the Bush family as useful idiots and instead to begin to use the Bushes as our useful idiots. I say this with the utmost admiration and respect for everything the Bushes stand for. Who would not be proud beyond description to have a father or an uncle who was among the youngest of naval aviators to fight in the Pacific and to be twice shot down? Not a stain or blemish of corruption or personal peccadillo has touched the family(except for the brother whom I believe was cleared of bank charges). They are the living embodiment of all that is good and noble in the American tradition.

But they are not conservative

[MNJohnnie]

Yeah. Right. Dream on Mikey. Guess they all have missed the fact he is President until Jan 2009. So keep dreaming Bush is "Down".

[MNJohnnie]

caryatid Since Sep 11, 2005

Welcome to Free Republic. So which one do you work for? DNC? Moveon.org? Answer?

[MNJohnnie]

Inactive Posture on 2'nd Ammendment

Right, that is why the Assaults weapon ban was ended. Gee sorry you cannot dictate that Bush only do 100% what YOU want. Sorry, there are not enough of the 100%ers to elect a Dog Catcher, much less a President. So either learn to deal with the reality that you are only one small part of coalition or go third party. Cause the Conservative Base is NOT real interested in joining the 100%ers in their quest for Political irrelevance.

[upcountryhorseman]

This administration has a wonderful opportunity to scrap the present tax code and push for a simple federal sales tax. Also, this is the time to push for total control of
the borders. This would energize "The Base" and respond to
voters' basic concerns.

[MamaLucci]

Loved your e-mail. Could have written it myself. Bravo.

[caryatid]

Welcome to Free Republic.

Sincere thanks for the friendly welcome!

If you boys want "closed communion" why don't you start your own site?

So which one do you work for? DNC? Moveon.org? Answer?

I'm on the side of the angels, boy ... and, always on the side of truth and facts. Always have been ... always will be.

I looked at your personal information. Some time I would reallly love to hear your thoughts on peace vigals or encouter groups

peace vigals or encouter groups

Again, sincere thanks for the warm welcome ... and for my laugh of the day LOLOLOLOLOLOL

Sincerely ...

caryatid Since Sep 11, 2005

Brace yourself, boy, I am here to stay.

[MNJohnnie]

After Katrina [ Harriet Miers ] and Scooter, whither the Bush administration?

If you are unwilling to be fired upon, do not fire first. The above statement is purposless in regards to the thread under discussion. It's a sort of statment that can only be posted by someone looking for a fight.

[sydbas]

Welcome to Free Republic. So which one do you work for? DNC? Moveon.org? Answer?

Ha ha you are so smart aren't you? Give me a break. Yea right I work for the DNC because I said get over Hariett Miers. If you think I'm going to run and hide because you accuse me of a moveon or DNC member you're nuts. Why didn't you just call me a Bushbot? That would really make me scared. Not!