Bush Whacked

Religious zealots help me out here. Assorted versions of the bible say that we should "do to others what you would have them do to you." President Bush just vetoed the bill banning the CIA's use of torture. Senator McCain - did you hear that? President Bush endorses you, but he wouldn't be against torturing you if he thought (dramatic pause) it would make America safer for his well to do friends. A "thank you Mr. President but no thank you" might be in order here.

Here's a thought. Everyone who thinks torture is actually ok let themselves be subject to some of it - a little waterboarding, maybe some electrocution, maybe even a bit of sensory deprivation. Afterwards, if you still think it's ok, then you get to torture someone else. Sound like a plan?

I drink, I get drunk, I run for president.

Sorry, no, I'm not buying it.

Yesterday the president came clean about his past drinking problems. I don't care. I don't care because I've become a cynic, and I see right through his ruse. He didn't bring his past problems into the public eye because he thought we should know about them, he did it in the hope that we would forget all of the crap he's gotten us into. Magicians call it slight of hand. Keep the audience distracted so they don't notice what's really going on.

I'm sorry, it's not going to work. Not for me, nor for most of the people around the world. Your legacy is not going to be "he was a drinker who found God and bettered himself." Your legacy is going to be one of death and destruction.

When the people of the world look upon your presidency, they will not see the good you've done (because it is non-existent), they will see the dead and the maimed in Iraq and Afghanistan. They will see the destruction and poverty that still haunt us (Hurricane Katrina - "heck of a job Brownie").

They will see you, standing before them, speaking of Iran and its dismantled nucular [sic] weapons program as if it still existed in much the same way as you spoke of Saddam Hussein and his weapons of mass destruction, a threat to our way of life. Bah, what threat? The only threat to our way of life is you. When you go to sleep at night, do you think about the men and women at home and abroad who gave their lives and limbs to fight in your meaningless wars, because you wanted to make a name for yourself? To see revenge against Saddam on your father's behalf?

Mr. President, if you would like to leave a legacy behind, apologize. Go before the nation and admit you were wrong. Admit there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Admit that not only is torture wrong, but that we were, in fact, torturing people, at Guantanamo, at Abu Ghraib, and at the various secret prisons scattered about Europe. Show the nations of the world that they shouldn't give up on America. Give your successor something to work with.