the bush legacy

warning: entering rant-zone.

as we are approach the end of our relationship with george bush, we start hearing the word "legacy" more and more. just what will he remembered for?

if you think about it, it's really hard to pin down. the man has done so much for us -

he has annihilated our credibility in the eyes of the free world and given our "enemies" proof of just how ineffectual this nation is. further ruined the credibility of the american political process, not that there was much credibility there anyway. he's given us the gift of several unending wars: terror, iraq and new cold wars with china and russia. blessed future presidents and the american populace with a bankrupt economy. completely ignored the coming environmental catastrophe. denied absolutely everything and lied about absolutely everything. and so much more.

it's alot to add up.

clinton's republican manufactured legacy is simple - "blowjob". jimmy carter = stagflation. george bush #1 = "the economy, stupid." reagan = "uh, i don't remember" and the utterly amazing "my fellow americans, i'm pleased to tell you today that i've signed legislation that will outlaw russia forever. we begin bombing in five minutes."

he has given this nation the gift of laughter. his disdain of even the most basic grammar is a fountain of comic relief from the bountiful basket of his other "gifts."

this gift has a nickname - "bushism", but there is a problem. there as so many to choose from. slate.com has been keeping track of his speaking mishaps. they have 57 pages worth and growing. ford fell down all the time and bush the first barfed on the japanese prime minister, but these tasty treats weren't the default. it's not that bush occasionally trips up, he just naturally speaks like a 3rd grader.

but for me, summing up his legacy in one of his gaffes isn't enough. in my mind, he is the first president who just didn't give a fuck about this country. i know he isn't the first, but he is the first in my lifetime - the first that i have personally experienced. even his father, ex-head of the cia at least gave the illusion of having more compassion than him, which i find amazing. clinton and carter certainly did. reagan was a turd and i will never say anything good about him, but the thing about him was that at least he cared for his own, whereas, bush has even alienated himself even from the folks who put him into office.

i make it a point of not hating on people, who i've never met. but, i feel like i know this man. working for a newspaper and perpetually being bombarded with information on just what an asshole this person is, it sinks in. after a point, there is no turning back. i have nothing good to say about him. and judging from the general mood, i don't think too many people do. in 7+ years, he has ass-raped our country, sans lube even, and with a gun to our heads, forced us to say "thank you, sir. come again."

oddly, george bush is a perfect example of why i don't believe in conspiracy theories. humans are too stupid and incompetent to live up to the standards of a fantastic conspiracy theory. bush and the gang invaded iraq - a nation with practically no army, whose only ally was it's weakling brother syria - and couldn't even get that right. if they had succeeded, they'd already have invaded iran, syria, lebanon, venezuela and whatever other country resides on one of cheney's lists. while the act of invading iraq was indeed conspiratorial, there is nothing theoretical about the impetus - oil. even alan greenspan admitted that it was about oil, in full view of the world.

anyway, regarding bush's legacy, i am reminded of ron burgundy's flub in the will ferrell movie, anchorman, remixed.

"go fuck yourself, america."

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