Posted on 11/30/2008 12:42:27 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Amid the cold gusts of winter, Republicans will soon be ushered out of power after controlling Congress, the White House, or both for 14 years. Here's a further chilling thought: Since 1896, with only one exception, when a party has taken over the White House, it has held it for at least eight years. The exception is the Jimmy Carter Democrats, retired after a single term in 1981. And it would be churlish to hope that Barack Obama will recapitulate the ineptitude and foolishness of the Nobel laureate from Plains.
So it could be eight years on the outside of the White House looking in for the GOP. It certainly looks like at least four years out of power in Congress as well, given the sizable Democratic margins. And the fact that Republicans will be blamed for an economy in free fall, and won't get the credit they deserve for successes in Iraq and the broader war on terror, hardly helps the GOP's prospects for a quick comeback.
Can Bush do anything in his last weeks to change this dynamic? It's hard to see how he can affect the economic narrative at this point.
But he could do his party--and the nation--a service by reminding Americans of our successes fighting the war on terror. He did address the achievements in Iraq and Afghanistan in a fine speech at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, last week, and he can do more along those lines. In particular, he can continue to pay tribute to the successes of the Army and the Marines on the ground, and explain that the task must be finished in both theaters. He can address issues like getting ROTC back on elite campuses (a position Obama also favors). And while he's at it, perhaps he could tell various admirals to stop moaning about how difficult it would be to deal with the pirates off the coast of Somalia (isn't keeping the shipping lanes open a core mission of the Navy?) and order the Navy to clobber them. If need be, the Marines would no doubt be glad to recapitulate their origins and join in by going ashore in Africa to destroy the pirates' safe havens.
Meanwhile, we seem to have al Qaeda mostly on the run (though not defeated). Here at home we haven't had a second attack, and in the West generally, it's over two years since a major attack. Bush can make the broader point that being on offense has been a successful strategy, and that the best form of public diplomacy is making it clear that joining the jihad is a losing proposition.
In addition, Bush can explain to Americans just how his administration's detention, interrogation, surveillance, and other counterterrorism policies have helped keep us safe. If he lays out the case for them publicly--as his appointees are surely doing to their transition counterparts privately--he'll make it easier for the incoming Obama administration to back off rash promises and continue most of the policies. This would be a real service to the country. It would also force a rethinking, by those capable of rethinking, of the cheap and easy demagoguing on issues like Guantánamo and eavesdropping. Over time, Bush might even get deserved credit for effective conduct of the war on terror.
As it happens, a Rasmussen Reports survey last week found about half of U.S. voters say the United States should not close the terrorist detention facility at Guantánamo, while less than a third think it should. So, on this and other war-on-terror-related issues, Bush's positions are reasonably popular--even though the Bush administration has done very little to make its case. Attorney General Michael Mukasey did a good job of laying out the argument for the administration's conduct of the war on terror in remarks to the Federalist Society a little over a week ago. Bush should take up this cause.
One last thing: Bush should consider pardoning--and should at least be vociferously praising--everyone who served in good faith in the war on terror, but whose deeds may now be susceptible to demagogic or politically inspired prosecution by some seeking to score political points. The lawyers can work out if such general or specific preemptive pardons are possible; it may be that the best Bush can or should do is to warn publicly against any such harassment or prosecution. But the idea is this: The CIA agents who waterboarded Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and the NSA officials who listened in on phone calls from Pakistan, should not have to worry about legal bills or public defamation. In fact, Bush might want to give some of these public servants the Medal of Freedom at the same time he bestows the honor on Generals Petraeus and Odierno. They deserve it.
Obtain Husseins Birth Certificate.
“Loose” the prisoners in Gitmo.
Have Patrick Leakey arrested and executed for treason.
That is not a good sign for 2012.
he could pardon two border patrol agents
If he says anything that would harm the media image of Bush the Buffoon, they won't broadcast or publish it. He's covered this many time, but it's not "news", not when we can admire our Beloved Leader, Affirmative Action President-for-life-Elect Obama.
There's quite a few more up there besides "Leaky Leahy" that I would add to that list.....
That's Obama's policy.
Kristol is an idiot. BushI was a one-term president, having lost to Bill Clinton.
Hello?
Bush was from the same party (ostensibly) as Reagan.
The party kept the White House for 12 years.
You're right. I was considering the question only from president's terms, not party terms.
And it doesn't matter anyway, because the Republicans stand no chance of ever regaining the White House or Congress. Once Obama and McCain legalize all the wetbacks, a permanent Democrat (Socialist) Congressional majority and presidency is assured. I just don't see how that can be avoided.
Have Barey Frank arrested for receiving money for bribes.
Kristol speaks from the RINO wing of the GOP which gave us McCain. McCain was a lot like a rerun of the Bob Dole/Bill Clinton contest. It wont be long and Kristol will be back at advocating who the new frontrunner should be for the GOP.
And Kristol can be counted upon to identify somebody who should be avoided at all costs.
In that way, he's helpful.
"Chonny and Wooty choin me to announce aur nomeenachun for
Best Elecshun Night Purformance By a Pukeneo."
"Aur nomeenachun goes to Fox-teevee's Billy Kristol for his great act,
'I Know Nothing About This 2008 Republican Potty Disaster.' "
"Watta tshowman dat puke Billy ees."
"Tank you Arnie, baby. Tee-hee-----us pukes flacked Wooty and
Chonny and caused major Republican Potty losses. Oh vell, c'est la vie."
In short, Kristol needs to just go away.
"Wooty and Chonny join me to tank Kvistol and da pukeneos
for all dey haf done for de Republican Potty."
"Da pukes financed and flacked meeny losing Republican Potty campaigns.
Den dey transferred trillions of US dollars into da Muddleast."
" Dem pukes gave Ameereeka amnesty and saddled us with meellions ofWorld lowlifes wit multiple identities who haf destroyed our economee."
"The pukes screw up everyteeng dey touches. RINO losers Wooty and Chonny choin me to say tanks. "
I hope GWB gives Rush Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Haven’t Kristol and his neocon allies done enough damage to the GOP over the last eight years? Why should anyone in his right mind listen to them now? The New York Times knows what it is doing by employing him!
We have witnessed the disastrous results of these disturbed conservative-haters and abortion worshippers---the pukeneos---let loose on our political system.
Course, it's hard for dumbheaded nincompoopneos to figure it out, so let's be clear: David Frum, Michael Gerson, David Brooks, little Billy Kristol and his Daddy, Dumbo Douglas Feith, Rooty Ghouliani, Lieberman, and all the disgusting pukeneo cabal need to stay away....far away.
The pukes should not get anywhere near the Repub party, or try influencing the leadership.
The nincompooneos kicked so/cons to the curb, and are obsessed with religious cleansing.
Worst of all, the stupeneos led us over a cliff into Iraq......transferring massive amount of US wealth into Mideast hellholes (and into the pockets of war profiteers). Chief Puke, Richard Perle, is actually going into the oil business in Iraq-----thanks to blood spilled by young Americans, and his cut of trillions of US tax dollars.
Pukeneos also foisted amnesty on the US, saddling us with millions of drug runners and criminals undermining US ntl security........and conniving Third World lowlifes using multiple stolen identities who have destroyed our economy.
Now, if the conservative-hating pukes don't like conservatives and the conservative Republican party----that's too frickin' bad.
Bingo! Unfortunately, the neocons never go away. They just switch sides!
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