Could we have done better?
This is the question now being asked, post-Katrina tragic fiasco, of us, the people of this country. We could sit around and ponder this question and provide answers and glibly shrug our shoulders and say, I don’t know, no, I guess not. Or it could be redirected at the leaders of this country, as it should be, and not foisted upon the average person who is the one who ultimately pays for natural disaster and the incompetence of leadership.
The question is being asked for one reason: to deflect criticism away from George W. Bush. The most helped man ever, the innocent schoolboy who makes us break quickly from sternness to laughter, since how can we be mad at him for long, and make us say, aw, shucks, we can’t blame you. Poor W, he’s had to deal with one catastrophe after another—he’s doing his best. How can you blame him?
George W. Bush, who’s just a regular guy like you and me, trying his best, who is also behind the grand war planning and conquest of Iraq and the neocon dream of reshaping the Middle East. The innocent bumbler, the great FDR-like reshaper of American policy. Who is the real W? We don’t know, because he’s all image, and not even the same image. When caught off guard about big events, he’s like a scared child trying to find the mere words to speak. When given time to prepare, he turns into a heartless viper willing to lash out anyone who dares contradict him.
He’s the white-knuckled teetotaler that people would love to have a beer with. He’s the cowboy who doesn’t ride horses. He’s the anti-elite elite. He’s the Texan from New England. He’s the nation’s CEO who has failed at every business he’s ever been involved with. He’s the idiot who went to Yale. He’s the Christian who helps the rich and starts wars. He’s the regular guy who has known only a life of privilege. He’s the Washington outsider whose family has been an integral part of the inside for three decades. He’s the education president who doesn’t read. He’s the uniter who’s a divider. He’s the average joe kind of guy who is in perfect physical shape and takes month-long vacations. He’s the accountability president who has escaped personal accountability for DUI, drug use, and insider trading, and who has never held anyone in his administration accountable for anything. He’s the visionary who can never see anything coming.
So, back to the question of, could we have done better? In a nation that refuses to self-examine anything because doing so is “girly,” let’s now contemplate. In a nation that has taken power away from its citizens and made us feel more powerless about events that happen around us, let’s now pretend we’re in control. In a nation with supposedly bold, fearless, unquestionable leaders that require our flag-waving support and gratitude, let’s turn it back on us. In a nation where the only sacrifice required of us for the greater good is to buy stuff, let us feel the pain of those in charge.
This is the end sum of people who have spent their careers convincing us that government is evil and just wants to steal your money. They want it smaller and smaller and smaller, because it means less taxes and fewer eyes overseeing their malfeasance, even if it means a government that can’t protect its citizens. They’ve warned us for years (especially during the Clinton 90s), through farfetched scenarios, about the secret machinations of evil government—how its jackbooted stormtroopers want to take away your privacy, your right to bear arms, your right to read the Bible, your right to drive cars, your right to hate minorities—and about the wasted money, the gross incompetence, the heartless bureaucracy. Now, the wasted money, the gross incompetence, the heartless bureaucracy of government has been exposed, under their watch, and we’re asked, could we have done better?
Thousands are dead. A city has been, effectively, leveled. Destruction and disease and displaced people are what’s left. We’re left without convincing leadership. And anyone dares ask, could we have done better?
When thousands are left dead, and government’s bungled response is to blame for many of these, it’s time to stop defending people solely on party lines. Now is the time for truth and accountability. I don’t care which party these politicians belong to. If they’re culpable, they need to be held accountable.
The biggest question of all, which, after thousands of deaths on his watch, is the most painful one of all to ask, and, really, the only question we should be asking ourselves: George W. Bush—could we have done better?
The question is being asked for one reason: to deflect criticism away from George W. Bush. The most helped man ever, the innocent schoolboy who makes us break quickly from sternness to laughter, since how can we be mad at him for long, and make us say, aw, shucks, we can’t blame you. Poor W, he’s had to deal with one catastrophe after another—he’s doing his best. How can you blame him?
George W. Bush, who’s just a regular guy like you and me, trying his best, who is also behind the grand war planning and conquest of Iraq and the neocon dream of reshaping the Middle East. The innocent bumbler, the great FDR-like reshaper of American policy. Who is the real W? We don’t know, because he’s all image, and not even the same image. When caught off guard about big events, he’s like a scared child trying to find the mere words to speak. When given time to prepare, he turns into a heartless viper willing to lash out anyone who dares contradict him.
He’s the white-knuckled teetotaler that people would love to have a beer with. He’s the cowboy who doesn’t ride horses. He’s the anti-elite elite. He’s the Texan from New England. He’s the nation’s CEO who has failed at every business he’s ever been involved with. He’s the idiot who went to Yale. He’s the Christian who helps the rich and starts wars. He’s the regular guy who has known only a life of privilege. He’s the Washington outsider whose family has been an integral part of the inside for three decades. He’s the education president who doesn’t read. He’s the uniter who’s a divider. He’s the average joe kind of guy who is in perfect physical shape and takes month-long vacations. He’s the accountability president who has escaped personal accountability for DUI, drug use, and insider trading, and who has never held anyone in his administration accountable for anything. He’s the visionary who can never see anything coming.
So, back to the question of, could we have done better? In a nation that refuses to self-examine anything because doing so is “girly,” let’s now contemplate. In a nation that has taken power away from its citizens and made us feel more powerless about events that happen around us, let’s now pretend we’re in control. In a nation with supposedly bold, fearless, unquestionable leaders that require our flag-waving support and gratitude, let’s turn it back on us. In a nation where the only sacrifice required of us for the greater good is to buy stuff, let us feel the pain of those in charge.
This is the end sum of people who have spent their careers convincing us that government is evil and just wants to steal your money. They want it smaller and smaller and smaller, because it means less taxes and fewer eyes overseeing their malfeasance, even if it means a government that can’t protect its citizens. They’ve warned us for years (especially during the Clinton 90s), through farfetched scenarios, about the secret machinations of evil government—how its jackbooted stormtroopers want to take away your privacy, your right to bear arms, your right to read the Bible, your right to drive cars, your right to hate minorities—and about the wasted money, the gross incompetence, the heartless bureaucracy. Now, the wasted money, the gross incompetence, the heartless bureaucracy of government has been exposed, under their watch, and we’re asked, could we have done better?
Thousands are dead. A city has been, effectively, leveled. Destruction and disease and displaced people are what’s left. We’re left without convincing leadership. And anyone dares ask, could we have done better?
When thousands are left dead, and government’s bungled response is to blame for many of these, it’s time to stop defending people solely on party lines. Now is the time for truth and accountability. I don’t care which party these politicians belong to. If they’re culpable, they need to be held accountable.
The biggest question of all, which, after thousands of deaths on his watch, is the most painful one of all to ask, and, really, the only question we should be asking ourselves: George W. Bush—could we have done better?
