RS: How Bush Destroyed the Republican Party

[flvegan]

The failure of the administration of George W. Bush — and the accompanying crisis of the Republican Party — has caused a political meltdown of historic proportions. In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, Bush enjoyed the greatest popularity ever recorded for a modern American president. Republicans on Capitol Hill, under the iron rule of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, fattened their coffers through a fearsome operation overseen by corporate lobbyists and GOP henchmen that functioned more like an empire than an old-fashioned political machine. "Republican hegemony," the prominent conservative commentator Fred Barnes rejoiced in 2004, "is now expected to last for years, maybe decades."

Now, only four years later, Bush is leaving office with the longest sustained period of public disapproval ever recorded. No president, at least in modern times — and certainly no two-term president — has risen so high only to fall so low. Indeed, Bush's standings in the polls describe one of the most spectacular flameouts in the history of the American presidency — second only, perhaps, to that of Richard Nixon, the only president ever forced to resign from office. And in Congress, the indictment and downfall of DeLay and a host of associated scandals involving, among others, the Republican superlobbyist Jack Abramoff, have badly damaged the party's image. The supremacy of the GOP, once envisioned by party operatives as a "permanent majority," may be gone for a very long time to come.

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/22665562

[sinkingfeeling]

1. I can only hope.

[speedoo]

2. K&R. Thanks for posting this. nt

[Frances]

3. Why didn't the American people blame Bush for 9/11?

If Gore had been President and let 9/11 happen, even if he had not kept reading a kid's book and hidden himself for hours, the Repubs would have impeached him.

I never understood why Americans gave Bush a free pass.

[FiveGoodMen]

4. They just followed the media's lead.

And we know whose side they're on!

[LeftyMom]

5. A taste of power is a great way to see what people are all about.

Well, we saw what the Republicans had in mind for us (okay, WE knew already, but everybody knows now) and said "no thanks!"

[gatorboy]

6. God let's hope so.

Is there a bathtub available to drown the remaining rats in?

[Ghost in the Machine]

7. "How George W Bush lost the war in Iraq and killed the republican party"

"How George W Bush lost the war in Iraq and killed the republican party"


On Saturday, July 14, 2007 Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki made a statement saying that "Iraqi forces are capable and US troops can leave any time they want". http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/5A77F64F-54C5-4524-AC77-7F922532C06D.htm

Right there was mr. Bush's opening to save face in his otherwise disgraceful terms as President. George W Bush should have declared victory in Iraq, using PM Maliki's words, and started bringing the troops home that day.

To say the least, mr. Bush isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, so he didn't act on this. He could have single-handedly ended this insane war, saved his legacy and saved the entire republic party, which is going down as fast as mr. Bush's approval ratings.

The majority of Americans want this war to end, but honestly, there is a percentage of them who don't want to 'lose'. mr. Bush has said many times that "as the Iraqis start standing up, we will stand down. This would have been THE perfect time for him to get out, and look like we had won.

mr. Bush, you could have been seen in the headlines all over the world as a winner. Prime Minister Maliki just gave you a graceful way out, and you totally failed to follow through on it. Now the world will see you for what you truly are. A war criminal and a despot dictator. You just sealed your legacy as, if not the "worst president ever", surely as the "stupidest pResident ever".

You choose to stay at war, as it gives you your cover to complete your domestic agenda at home. That agenda being oppression of citizens, stripping rights and freedoms under the guise of homeland security and amassing dictatorial powers. War is the only vehicle that gives you these powers. Peace is not a plan nor an option for you, is it mr. Bush?

mr. Bush, had you had the intelligence and foresight to end this war using PM Maliki's invitation for our military to leave Iraq, we could have spared Congress a lot of work and grief. Most of us may have even given up talk of impeaching you and just letting you finish out your term so you could go away. That's not true anymore. You have strengthened the resolve of the American People to hold you even more accountable for your crimes.

We, The People, mr. Bush... We, The People, will not bow to your threats and we will not let you rest until you are on the docket at the Hague being tried for war crimes. You have badly 'misunderestimated' the will and resolve of an angry citizenship.

Sleep well, mr. Bush....

http://www.congressunderfire.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=109&topic_id=6&mesg_id=6&page=2

(I wrote this over a year ago)

[Ghost in the Machine]

8. Kicking... since it looks like I killed your thread...

:hide:

[flvegan]

9. Kick because Ghost killed my thread twice.

:P