“I am Ozymandias, king of kings, look upon my works ye mighty, and despair!”


We’ve come a long way in the last year. Unfortunately for our president, it’s been mostly in reverse gear. I recall GWB, in his first press conference after his “re-election” bragging about his "victory” and vowing to spend all his “political capital” ASAP. He was going to “restructure” Social Security.” He was going to appoint what he termed “strict constructionist” justices to the federal bench, to replace all those “activists” who were destroying our society by legislating from the bench, whatever the hell THAT means.

He was going to encourage the creation of a brand new Iraqi government, molded in the image of our very own Jeffersonian republic. The increasing numbers of body bags flown in secret into Dover Air Force Base in the middle of the night were well worth ignoring. The shattered bodies and minds of our courageous soldiers were, and are, not a real problem. We are an empire now, and the normal mores of the reality-based community don’t apply anymore. Remember THAT work of rhetorical art?

In his remaining time in office, the ass could kick back, vacation, supervise his minions as they guided and corrected our ship of state, and smirk as he leaned on lecterns, making up wholly new language and syntax, while the Chinese watched, laughed, and prepared to eat our economic lunch. What the hell, it worked for the first four years.

Din’ it?

What seems to have gone wrong? All those folks who had had a good, long look at Bush for eight years, and who nevertheless were able to convince themselves that this was a GOOD thing, now seem to have arrived at the truth. That the fool’s approval ratings now hover steadily at under forty percent does not surprise me in and of itself. What shocks me is that four out of ten Americans seem to still be able to rationalize and digest what they see and hear on an almost daily basis (did you SEE that piece of horror with Bush and the poor soldiers hooked up via satellite?).

I call this distortion the “Edsel” effect. Once you have invested significant time and money in what all objective evidence and experience now has exposed as a lemon, there is still an understandable tendency to look for SOMETHING to justify your initial investment. In the interest of the mental health of all those who pulled the red lever last November, I offer a ray of hope. Your president, though no longer a “war” president, no longer an “economy” president, no longer an “education” president, no longer a “national emergency” president, has lately laid claim to a legitimate title:

George Walker Bush, The Bird Flu President!

Perhaps he can manage not to screw THAT particular initiative up, but I suspect he’ll find a way. He has done so all his life; everything he touches seems to turn rancid…

If this be treason, let us make the most of it!

I was going to let this one pass. I really was. The charge was idiotic on its face, and I seem to remember dealing with the issue in a past column. No matter. I am a slave to my adrenal glands, and some things, like head colds and foolishness should be dealt with before they turn into serious conditions, such as pneumonia and fascism

It has been suggested in a recent correspondence that our editor is a traitor. The evidence? Michael has suggested that our current president is a liar, and disagreed with his reasons for taking us to war (i.e.: he, Bush, lied), and pointed out that the administration has further compounded his initial mendacity by conducting the conflict in an inept manner. I suppose these assertions might be debatable (on Pluto), but the accuser offered no defense based on any actual fact save some fantasy that by invading Iraq, Bush has saved us Jews and our offspring from being forced to pray to Allah.

What?

I must not have been paying full attention three years ago when the president put forth his reasons for invading a sovereign nation which had not so much as verbally threatened our country, because I cannot for the life of me remember him speaking word ONE on the subject of forced Jewish conversion. Truth be told, GWB and the Religious Right has more of a stake in that issue than do Muslims. Ever wonder why Evangelicals are such rabid supporters of Israel? It seems they believe that one day all Jews will be gathered in Israel, at which time Jesus will return and offer them a choice: accept Jesus or perish. Nothing in that prophecy about Allah. If there is no Israel, then this prophecy cannot come to pass, hence the support of Bush and his ilk for the state of Israel. As for me, I do not plan to bow to Jesus OR Allah. Unless of course the prophecy comes true, in which case I would probably have to re-examine my options! I ain’t no hero…

George W. Bush is not a king. He was elected (sort of) to do a job. We pay his salary. He answers to us. He works for us. Neither he nor his office are entitled to any respect save that we owe to the least among us. Michael did not attack the man personally. He criticized his performance and pointed out the fact that, in his opinion, Bush is a liar, and much too cavalier with the lives of our service personnel. I happen to agree with him. If certain people equate that with treason, I suggest they look up the definition of the word, read some American history, and point out to us just how criticism of a particular government and its policies fits the definition of treason. Until then, try not to smear people who voice their opinions. It is un-American.

Thanks to my Megillah family for their indulgence, and as always I welcome all comments.