Annoyed with Bush and Why

February 20, 2007

Bush annoys because he:

Uses terrorism for political gain, wrapping his announcements in the flag. This fear mongering keeps Americans mentally paralyzed and compliant. They think he must know best and believe he will do the right thing. Their trust has been misplaced.

Mislead us into Iraq by making even sensible people support him because they were afraid. He counted on their ignorance and fear to do what he wanted which was to attack Iraq and keep us there indefinitely. This keeps war contractors wealthy and helps control vast reserves of oil.

Ignored battlefield developments in Afghanistan for the past two years. Now, the enemy the Taliban and Al Qaeda have reestablished themselves with an effective command and control supported by illegal drugs and Pakistan. Bin Laden is still “on the run” and Bush has said he doesn’t care. In 2006 he disbanded the unit hunting him.

Mismanaged the occupation of Iraq so there is now a fierce civil war and our troops are caught in the middle. The costs to support American presence is approaching a trillion dollars when the Administration first claimed the war would cost less than 10 billion dollars.

Ignored then mismanaged the Katrina catastrophe. That natural catastrophe was magnified by his neglect and incompetence. The devastation is still readily apparent, with homes and lives in shambles compounded by a staggering and unprecedented crime rate in New Orleans. Billions to contractors are unaccounted for by his administration.

Neutralized laws he does not like by using “signing statements”, thereby  limiting individual rights under the Constitution.  Now he says he does not need a warrant, listen to phone conversations, read emails, open mail or make arrests.

Created an authoritarian administration supported by Republicans and the Christian right, thereby dismissing traditional American democracy as quaint and old fashioned.  He does not believe in checks and balances and neither do his political supporters. They want a government under their control, with no criticism and unlimited power.

Vilifies detractors and critics by using the executive branch as a weapon against them all the while claiming criticism is American.

Hides behind national security when confronted with lies and excesses, thereby using fear to get away with Constitutional crimes.

He has dismissed habeas corpus as an impediment to his goal to control and to “fight the war on terror”. Asking why am I are being imprisoned is no longer a right. Now, any American can disappear if designated a terrorist or national threat and this can be done without proof.

Wasted tens of billions of dollars by giving them to war contractors friendly to his administration such as Halliburton and its subsidiaries. Those contractors control the Iraq war as much as the “generals on the ground’.

Treats our soldiers as pawns in his political games, not thinking of them as real people. He still refuses to give them the appropriate armor, weapons and training for combat. The result has been hundreds of additional battlefield deaths.

Taken away or limited medical benefits of our war wounded, placed them in inadequate and unlivable facilities, shortened benefit coverage and increased out of pocket expenses while feigning praise of their sacrifice to our country.

Used military might and threats as the first step in “negotiation” because he personally fears direct talks with adversaries. His current North Korean disarmament plan is very similar to the Clinton plan which he and his supporters criticized years ago as appeasement and therefore ineffective and dangerous. Except now, we are certainly faced with a Korean nuclear threat when there was none before.

Most Americans know deep down, that something is "not right" with the country and our democracy. Their uneasiness changed Congress last fall and they continue to tell pollsters that Bush’s way is the wrong way.

Unfortunately, Bush and Republicans continue to attack our Constitution and they unrelentingly use terrorism, war and fear as cornerstones of their war against America.