01.02.06
Bush’s amazing year
Imagine a president who starts his second and final term in office with high approval ratings and a congress with his party in both the house and senate. Imagine the “political capital” he’d be able to spend. Now imagine how horribly wrong it’s gone for President Bush.
- He tried and failed to reform social security.
- He signed a bill to protect Terry Schaivo and demonstrated to U.S. citizens that when it comes to placating the religious right the administration can get things done in a hurry even if they spend most of their time bickering about really important things.
- He returned from vacation early to fly over New Orleans after hurricane Katrina and then told Michael Brown the now discredited head of FEMA “Brownie, you’re doing a heck of job.” Compare this to his three visits to Florida, even handing out ice to victims, after their hurricanes. It might be because Florida’s electoral votes were so important in 2004.
- He successfully appointed one Supreme Court justice only to retract the nomination of his lawyer because most everyone, even in his own party, seem to consider her an unqualified example of cronyism.
- Mr. Bush has completed the year by telling us that he’s only protecting citizens from terrorism when he breaks the law and taps their phones. It’s only suspected terrorists he assures us, but the fact is, there is a legal way to do what Mr. Bush has done but he apparently considers himself above the very law he has committed to uphold.
It’s actually amazing, looking back, at just how successful George W. Bush has been at wasting his “political capital.”