The Bush Nightmare is Over

It seems like not too long ago I read a quote from George H.W. Bush regarding dynastic politics and the fate of his sons. In some piece I read, Bush 41 was prompted by the image of the Kennedys to say, 'Wait'll I turn these boys out." That quote always stuck in my mind.

"Wait'll I turn these boys out." And I am sure that Bush Sr. never dreamed it would all play out the way it did. I never thought Bush Sr. should be President. as the former head of the CIA. I thought the first Bush was too practiced in keeping secrets, and powerful ones, to make for a truly honorable Chief Executive. The President must be capable of utilizing the CIA's information like rubbing alcohol. The information cleans the wound but does not actually heal it, That's the job of statesmanship, not covert actions, black ops and lies that lead to war. CIA directors should never be Presidents.

I was equally glad to see Governor Bill Richardson fail in his bid for the Democratic nomination. Energy Secretaries should never be President, as they have also spent chunks of their political careers lying to the American people about nuclear waste and the folly of nuclear power in our country.

Both Bush Sr. and Richardson are viewed as decent honorable men. Liked and respected by their colleagues. Admired and loved by their friends. And so let it be with Bush. Just let him go.

The Bush nightmare is over. How well Obama succeeds, or does not succeed, in the coming term, we can rest assured that on a spiritual level, the worst is over for this country, at least for now. Bush and Cheney are finished.

The Bushes are a dynasty, but I am not sure of what kind. History will tell. They are an uncompromising, hard-headed, entitled and arrogant bunch. Let's say good-bye to George W. Let's wish his wife and family well. Let's not wish him any ill. He's gone. But let us have no more Bushes in the White House. Ever.

PS: Panetta sounds good at CIA. A man with a soul at the desk of William Casey and Richard Helms.

Comments

[tommytoons]

Alec, I am glad the nightmare of the Bush years are coming to a conclusion as well as yourself. But don't kid yourself, the forces of the neo-conservative wing of the GOP have not left the building and have not left the country, they will hide in the gloom and dusk of night just like cockroaches and if we turn on the light they like the roaches will scatter and burrow deeper into the darkness, until they will feel its safe to emerge again. I say, sleep with your lights on!!!

[redhead61]

Agreed. We are doomed to repeat our mistakes if we do not hold TPTB responsible for the wrongdoings they have committed. This can never EVER be allowed to happen again. If we 'let him off the hook' so to speak for his behaviors, for his decisions, and as well for those like Addington, Foo, Feith, Rove, Cheney, Rumsfeld etc who as well led Bush to be able to commit the wrongdoings and were complicit along with him, then we are doomed to repeat these mistakes in future administrations.
No I say, accountability. Full complete transparent legal accountability for wrongdoing.

Come on Alec, you know you want it too!

[gbht12]

I am wearing my Psycho Bush t shirt for a week straight starting today.
I will not wash it until the 20th , I will wash the stink of the last eight years off and then bury the shirt. I might just burn it. Went to Target today with it on.
I live in Texas. Wish me luck Alex. If you hear of a housewife from Kingwood , Texas attacked wearing a psycho bush t shirt on it , investigate for me. ...... I am trying to move out of this red neck state but I have one more kid to go in high school... HELPPP

[forebode]

gbht12. Then don't move to Kansas. You'll be disappointed. We have a Democrat Governor, but don't let that fool you. Read the book 'What's The Matter With Kansas,' and move to one of the more progressive Northeastern states.

[Weribe]

Actually, the Bush nightmare will never be over. Just ask the following if they think that life will ever return to normal:
• Iraqi citizens
• American warriors
• Those of us who have seen our jobs, savings, healthcare benefits, home equity and retirements vanish. My husband and I are in our 60’s and are essentially starting over again. We may survive but we will never recover what we started with.
• The families of those killed in illegal wars
• The people that Bush has tortured (yes, even those who choose to go outside the law)

Bush does not deserve to go quietly into the sunset to clear brush or whatever else he does for pleasure. He deserves to go on trial at The Hague for crimes against humanity and he deserves to spend the rest of his life in jail. Since that most likely will not happen, he and the rest of his cabal deserve to live as they have dictated others should live…on minimum wage with no health care and no hope for the future.

[Jesster]

The damage is so deep, and the devestation so far-reaching, I'm not sure if the nightmare will ever truly be over. But least we can FINALLY exhale, sign.

[RobertHenryEller]

McCain and Palin got 46% of the vote.

Our nightmare is far from over.

We need to full restore
the Constitution
the Separation of Powers
the Sanctity of the Voting Booth
the Rule of Law.

Just as we have painfully re-learned why we need regulation,
we all must understand and know that actions have consequence.

Mis-deeds cannot go unacknowledged, and unpunished.

Not for revenge, but so that we or others who follow us will not have to go through this again any sooner than necessary.

Just listen the the current Republican apologists: They haven't learned a thing.

And why should they learn anything? So, far, other than some elections, what's happened has cost then nothing.

People must know there are consequences for their actions. There will be no end of theft if the only punishment for thievery is that you simply have to stop, but you get to keep what you stole.

[lynettema]

Absolutely. We must never forget nor let those after us forget what this cabal wrought upon us. We need to continue to put pressure on the media to report the facts and our Representatives to honor us and our country by making this country work for the people again.

[Emeline]

Dear Arianna or Alec:
A number of people have commented on Jeb Bush's comment "Republicans should form a shadow government?
One or both of you need to look into this further.
Speaking for myself, that comment scares the #%*# out of me
And since, last time I checked, we were an elected democracy, isn't that comment rather close to treason??
Just wondering?

[lagumbo]

I totally agree. They are gone forever.

[TankerRat]

Fear NOT!!!!!!!!!!! Jeb is waiting in the wings.When this blows over(and it will) the American people exercise their usual VERY SHORT memories. What you want to bet he'll pick Palin as a running mate. Bozo's In-Bozo's Out. Nothing but BOZO"S. Get your BOZO"S here. The ONLY THING WORSE would be another Clinton!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!

[dessertsfirst]

Or the ticket from he## would be Palin/Jeb Bush.

[lab221]

I too am glad that we only have one more week with this Georgie Boy, let hope we never see another Bush anywhere near the White House. Goodbye and good riddance.

[jylnc]

Great post Alec. However, I'm a moderate who believes that severe partisanship on both extremes of the political spectrum creates gridlock, animosity, and prevents solutions to the problems America faces. I was hoping that the rhetoric and calls for blood would decrease after the election but so far...no deal.

As a teenager, I hated America's escalated involvement in Viet Nam instituted by Lyndon Johnson. In fact, the entire Viet Nam chapter was a huge mistake began by previous administrations. I did not want Lyndon Johnson tried for the huge losses sustained by American forces even though he failed miserably. I wasn't happy as a young adult when Gerald Ford pardoned Nixon after Watergate. It took me quite a few years to realize he was correct. It was best to move forward as a nation. I think the Iraq war was a huge mistake, I think the entire government failed with the economy, not just Bush although he made more mistakes than I can even remember, - the entire government failed us. Let's face it everyone was asleep at the wheel, even ordinary citizens.

Let's move forward and stay awake this time.

[artechno]

Now you can understand the subterfuge of Skull & Bones....W­hen I lived in DC, this bureacrat said to me, "Ah, the government­...its just another mafia..." and now, I know that to be true...

[TRYKER]

Alec, don't EVEN start! AS IF Bush simply leaving office is enough! Forget that.
Our country is more important than to just let these criminals walk away into their fairyland and not pay for their crimes.
These weren't petty nuisances, they were bordering on Treason and brought our whole country down. We are hated throughout the world for Bushes crimes. Unless we bring them to Justice, our country will always be viewed as lawless and arrogant and uncaring.
Alec, just because you're a nice guy and can forgive everything­...its no skin off your nose apparently, but its a REAL problem that has a REAL solution and we have to do it...there is no other way.

[stryker]

Well, we can spend years trying bush, cheney, rumsfeld, et al and tieing up the congress and our economy or we can try to undo the damage they've done. While trying them and dragging them through the courts would make us feel good, would it really help the country? Did the executions of Louis, Marie Antoinette, and hundreds of their supporters and accomplices make France a better place? They only led to Napoleon and his abuses and wars. Let us have discourse, let us embarrass the hell out of them through a public commission. Maybe find some way to cut off their pensions and benefits as a symbolic gesture and ignore them forever. Not sure if trying them would result in convictions or if it would make more than a few people feel good. But remember this, Obama will need everyone to get this country back on its feet. If he does prosecute, the repubs will try to stall any program in spite. I would like to see all of them run out of the USA on rails, but I know that we must also consider the greater good.

[lletaa]

yeh, our country is to busy busting pot smokers and stealing their property and lives to bother with justice for real crime.

[forebode]

Maybe find some way to cut off their pensions and benefits as a symbolic gesture and ignore them

Yes, and take their Secret Service protection away from them them too, and let people get away with insulting them wherever they go and spitting on them. Bush and Cheney need to live the lives of a pariah, and they need to learn the hard, painful way what it feels like to be poor. Every cent Bush and Cheney made on the Iraq War and investing in Haliburton needs to be CONFISCATED, leaving them as homeless paupers and beggars on the street.

[BobHiggins]

Wrong.
The nightmare lasted eight years, the cleanup may take two generations.
The only prognosticator with any claim to accuracy is PT Barnum.
The bastards are still very much with us and we, as Barnum was well aware,
are still enjoying our slumber.

[Ontrackmac]

WIll my Childrens Children be able to forget the consequences of the Bush Dynasty?

[Car84]

Better question: Will they be able to deal with the consequences of a morbidly obese national debt, as opposed to a merely overweight one?

[websmith]

Does the phrase, Never again", ring a bell. The best way to make sure that it never happens again is to set an example of what will happen if it does.

Bush, Cheney, Rice, and Rumsfeld should all be indicted.

[o4tuna]

This isn't over with, not by a long shot.

[lab221]

OMG, don't even think that way, Let's hope we never hear from this bunch of cronies. They have done more damage in 8 years than we've seen in 50 years.

[buzzjane]

I am sure Alec has had his share of criticism just by virtue of his profession and being in the public-eye.
I think he made some very astute and cogent observations, but we are going to be reminded of the sins of the past for a very long time because the long-term damage done here is something that takes my breath away when I sit down and assess the domino effect one folly has in relationship to the next. I am in Fla. as we speak and see some reporting on Jeb Bush and his decision to "wait" to run for public office. I think he assumes in time, people here will either die of old age, or forget (maybe from old-age too). Let us all hope everyone has had enough of the self-proclaimed royal family. I see internet garbage already blaming Obama for various things...a­nd he hasn't taken the oath of office yet!! Small detail, I guess. I for one, will never forget the past 8 years and never want to see it approach that same low again. Just do not forget and look forward.