Merry Hanukkah, George. Happy Thanksgiving. Now, Would You Please Leave?

This is Thanksgiving, and personally, I'm thankful that the Bush crew is at the end of their run, and we're not stuck in the middle of it. Do you suppose they could all just leave early? I'm sure the current White House staff wouldn't mind. That way, Rahm Emanuel could be put in charge of a new Hanukkah card from the Obama Administration. He's make sure it's done right, and for that we could be thankful.

OK, it's not that big a deal, but as the New York Post reported, and HuffPo relayed, the White House put a picture of a sled bringing in the Christmas Tree on the cover of a card to Joe Lieberman that was supposed to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Would it have been too much to ask to put a menorah or a Jewish star on the card?

Good Lord, can't they even get the greeting card right? Just when you think that the bunch of clowns, crooks and incompetents running the government can't make any more mistakes, they go and screw up the Hanukkah card.

Would it have hurt to have given a little love at the start of the Holiday/Christmas/Chrismukkah/ChrismaKwanzaa season to those that George Bush and his Evangelical Christian base give lip-service as the Chosen People, without mucking up the works? We appreciate that you spent about 45 seconds at the end of the last year of the Administration thinking about peace in the Middle East. Thanks for the effort. We don't ask for much, particularly now when we know that you can't deliver anything resembling competence or credibility. But come on, the Hanukkah card?

Can we get a do-over? After all, Hanukkah has eight days, to say nothing of a couple of alternative English spellings. There must be a Jew or two left in the White House to fix this. If not, perhaps the staff could ask Holy Joe or Eric Cantor for some guidance here. Now I can't wait to see what the Christmas will card look like. Will there be a bunny on it? How about a piece of matzoh? Or a Festivus pole? Somehow I have my doubts. Those Liberty University grads still in town will make sure their card is done right, and thank goodness for that.

From the beginning until now, the Bush Years have been an unrelenting disaster of things gone wrong. But what can you expect from an Administration that was born of a stolen election and constructed around creating its own reality?

Every day, every day, the headlines show some new screw up. Whether it's consumer confidence tanking, or the economy plummeting, or the number of people getting food at an all-time high, or Osama Bin Laden's driver, once the most feared terrorist in the Western world being sent home after not even a military court could find him guilty, what have these guys got right? And that's just this week, and we haven't even mentioned yet another about face on the bailout plans. There's no accountability for the Wall Street types, no request for restructuring. We can't even find out from the White House who's getting how much money. But when Detroit comes asking, yet again, then the Democrats step up and demand some reasoned guarantees that at least the money won't appear to have been thrown away if we rescue the American car companies.

We can finish out the week with reports that the government will attempt to emasculate air-pollution rules on the way out the door. And don't forget that holiday standard - the expected terror attack. The New York subway was put on alert. Didn't that go out with Tom Ridge and his color-coded warnings, coordinated as they were to holidays or to political news that favored Democrats?

In the big scheme of things, the Hanukkah card doesn't mean much compared with the fact that the Big O himself is still out there seven years after 9/11. It doesn't count much against the lives lost, American, Iraqi and others, along with the $10 billion a month we're spending in a war we didn't need that was sold to the public on false pretenses, In the big scheme of things, the fact that three people, Vice President Cheney, his lawyer, David Addington and one bureaucrat, John Yoo, could successfully shred the Constitution with the willing participation of most of the Administration and Congress doesn't match the wreckage of a Hanukkah card. What's a little Christmas tree on a sled compared to torturing prisoners in a way that civilized society rejected for hundreds of years, while not admitting it was going on, or compared to spying on American citizens while denying it was happening, or pursuing political prosecutions of "vote fraud," while firing U.S. Attorneys who decline to go along with the charade?

One little card doesn't begin to stack up to the appointment of industry lobbyists at the environmental agencies, or the Interior Department, as they were put in charge of organizations that were supposed to protect the public interest, not protect and enhance their private interests. One little card doesn't mean much against the wreckage that was the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or the Veterans Administration, or the corruption of student loans or the stifling of NASA scientists.

On the other hand, that one little card might just be a perfect symbol for the past eight years. And don't even think of trying to make this one better by fixing ham and potato latkes.

Follow Art Brodsky on Twitter: www.twitter.com/artbrodsky

Comments

[RobinLandseadel]

"Now I can't wait to see what the Christmas will card look like. Will there be a bunny on it? How about a piece of matzoh? Or a Festivus pole?"

Howzabout a bunny on a Festivus pole?

[rnelsonbrown]

Can some put this title on the front page of the NYT and maybe the WSJ, so maybye W. might just get around to reading it? Plllllleeeeeeease!

[tomas0808]

"George W. Bush was head cheerleader in prep school, a hard-partying frat rat and mediocre student at Yale. After skirting the draft in 1968, he failed at business three times, got bailed out by powerful friends, made a fortune at taxpayer expense"

Sound familiar? Similar people are running Wall St.

[Jsens3]

Well, but mediocre student at Yale isn't so bad. Yale and Harvard are supposed to be first tier/flagship/ preeminent universities. George was awarded degrees both of these elite institutions. What does this say about Yale and Harvard?

[Michale32086]

@ESerafina42

}}}}
Oh, come on, Michale. The Constitution is above Congress. Congress cannot legitimately "authorize" things that are against the Constitution. Have you ever heard the word "unconstitutional"? There's also a little matter of their intent. Most people (Democrats, at least, and some Republicans, I'm sure), when they voted for the AUMF, for example, didn't intend to hand him a blank check. They meant to hand him a big stick to use to pressure the Iraqis into allowing the weapons inspectors in.
{{{{

Regardless, the point still stands.

Congress authorized everything the President did in one form or another.

If Congress itself violated the US Constitution, then how can Congress impeach the President??

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didn't intend to hand him a blank check.
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Their INTENTIONS are irrelevant. The fact is, Congress DID hand Bush a blank check. They had the opportunity to withdraw the authorization in 2006. The fact that Congress did nothing towards that goal is indicative of their intentions...

Michale.....

[elr50]

And the voting majority of that congress was REPUBLICAN.

[Michale32086]

Sorry, that is quite incorrect...

Democrats had the majority after the 2006 elections...

Not only did they not PUSH for revocation, they actually supported the authorization by the continued funding..

Why is that???

Michale.....

[leticia32]

Classic. A perfect example of their : stupidity, arrogance, insensitivity, carelessness, etc., What a better world it will be with that gang of thugs gone.

[daedelus]

I'm surprised that none of the smiley-face "any wishes are good wishes" contingent has posted here. The news article provoked enough lectures to last a lifetime.

[jfor]

This card indicates arrogance, ignorance and incompetance. Sounds like a good title for a song......any takers?

[Mixedblessing]

Let's get it right! Send a MixedBlessing Holiday Card that combines Christmas and Hanukkah. Let's acknowledge both holidays together and include everyone on your list!

MixedBlessing also offers cards celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, in one! Can't we all just get along.

Happy Whatever!

[Emerald1943]

WHY, WHY, WHY??? Why is it that, apparently, the ONLY impeachable offense in Washington DC is illicit sexual behavior? How many politicians have had their reputations and careers ruined by something as simple as a sexual liason?

But then, we are faced with the long list of Bush transgressions! What does it take to get these criminals out of the Halls of Power??? IMPEACH NOW!!!

[Michale32086]

You can't impeach a President who has had Congressional authorization (in one form or another) for every act done.

It's THAT simple.....

Michale.....

[ESerafina42]

Oh, come on, Michale. The Constitution is above Congress. Congress cannot legitimately "authorize" things that are against the Constitution. Have you ever heard the word "unconstitutional"? There's also a little matter of their intent. Most people (Democrats, at least, and some Republicans, I'm sure), when they voted for the AUMF, for example, didn't intend to hand him a blank check. They meant to hand him a big stick to use to pressure the Iraqis into allowing the weapons inspectors in.

Also, I believe that it was Gerald Ford who said "high crimes and misdemeanors" are whatever Congress says they are, and the R's set the bar pretty low when they went after Bill Clinton for lying about sex.

[LeftRight]

Yes you can. If the Constitution is violated not only do the rules state that you MUST still impeach the POTUS, but that the CONGRESS should be investigated as well!!

[TomTheAlmostUgly]

No, Congress never gave Bushie a blank check. Get your facts straight. And lying to Congress, and withholding crucial information to Congress, are impeachable offenses.

[mesmerised]

You've been sadly misled about Bush and his administration. All of the accusations against him have been proven not to be true. He had exigent circumstances with wire tapping; Gitmo is legitimate; he did not lie about WMDs, the intelligence was faulty. All of this has been investigated to the nth degree. Hate Bush's policies, the war, whatever. There's no case for impeachment, proof being: if there were, they'd have all been in the dock. NO ONE would have let them get away with it, Republicans included, believe it or not.

[Wildofski]

Dream on

[gcoz76]

Yeah -- dream on.
All you have to look at is how Cheney and Rumsfeld coercised the CIA into fabricating the White Paper to Congress to justify the invasion of Iraq. In the 'process' they intentionally exposed the identity of a CIA agent thereby endangering the life of a US citizen . She was the wife of a Washington Post writer who had the knowledge and courage to question the main piece of evidence: that Iraq developing WMD's and was buying low grade uranium ore from Africa for this purpose. Cheney's aide - Scooter - was later found guilty of leaking her identity to the press and spent, I think, three months in prison after a pardon by Bush. Now if you believe Scooter made the decision to leak her identity -- I have some swam...er, waterfront property for sale in Florida you might be interested in.

[TomTheAlmostUgly]

Republicans would not have let Bushie get away with impeachable offenses? Oh, that's rich.

[SpringDoc]

That's not true. Kucinich and staff found at least 35 impeachable offenses earlier this year. There might be more by now. Pelosi is intent on keeping Bush in office, so much so that she sold her soul in exchange for Speaker... with promise to keep impeachment off the table. Impeachment is a tool written into the constitution, for use on rogue presidents much like we currently have.

[rr52]

They've got plenty more plans against our forests, endangered animals, the environment in general including regulations involving workers at chemical plants, which is a direct hit on public health and safety. Aaaaaand, they are making sure that this deregulation is not easily undone. Example: Energy companies will be able to park a filthy coalburner right next to a national park. I can't imagine stopping a company with such a plan after is has already begun construction. Environmentalists and the Obama administration would be the bad guys right away for taking jobs away.

That's what has been happening in Michigan all along. Our Repub senate always pits jobs against the environment, so we continue to put up with polluters and Michigan continues into the 21st century with no decent (RPS) Renewable Portfolio Standards. On a national level, major energy companies are halting their intention to move ahead to invest millions/billions into alternative energy and environmental changes because gas prices have dropped drastically.

It was never about money, it's about cleaning up our act!!! Get Bush/Cheney out of there and quick.

[gcoz76]

I remember reading an op-ed piece in the NYT just after Gore tried to pump-up his persona by kissing Tipper in a staged appearance. Unfortunately for Gore -- and the rest of the country -- this backfired and nudged Bush into the lead. Anyhow, the piece questioned GWB's academic record and pointed out that he was propped up by his family in three oil businesses that subsequently failed. It made the case that his lack of ability to manage details is at issue. I recall the shudder I felt from the eerie sense of the prescience it expounded. While I feel for the Jewish Community in this case, that article has been ringing in my head for eight years now -- one more month or so and hopefully it will stop. Although I will still have to contend with the reference to the George Washington Bridge...

[wanked]

60 minutes did a bio of him in 2000, and it was 9 out of 10 oil businesses under chimp failed. When he reached the White House, that number climbed to 100%

[jugganaut]

It's gotta be disconcerting to Bush to know that literally BILLIONS of people are overjoyed to see him go and can barely wait until he's out of office.

It's almost enough to make you feel sorry for him. Almost.

[bbridges1962]

Like feeling sorry because there weren't enough foxes to completely dismantle the hen house?

[juanjo]

The real tragedy here is that Bush is probably wondering what they did wrong with the cards. I am sure he had no intention of insulting anyone but he is just one of those gentiles who is clueless when it comes to the sensibilities of other faiths. His staff should have been competent enough to ensure this was done correctly but apparently they are either completely clueless or just do not give a damn. I am sure this was not an intentional act, in the sense someone wanted to be insulting. But it would not surprise me if the bozos planning the buffet at the reception considered having a honey baked ham on the table along with the latkes, sour cream and a few jelly donuts for the Israeli ambassador.

Mazel Tov George on capping off your 8 years with a sterling example of why you should have never been elected, no wait, appointed president in 2000. Now go home while we try and pick up the pieces of our shattered country and put them back together. Anyone got any gorilla glue? Preferably an extra large bottle?

[Heleric]

Can't we just get them out of there? I just feel this world is getting worse everyday and we have a President Elect that really wants to turn things around and we have to wait. It pisses me off. I think Bush and what's left of the neo-cons are seeing just how big of a mess they can leave Obama to clean up. Enough already, kick their asses out.

[Michale32086]

}}}}
Enough already, kick their asses out.
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It's amazing how the US Constitution is the Holy Grail for the hysterical Left. Until such time as it becomes inconvenient to them. Then they just want to ignore it..

Michale......

[TomTheAlmostUgly]

Hey, we can do it anytime we want. After all, "the Constitution is just a piece of paper," according to GWB.

[zuzuzpetals]

Ham and latkes. Very funny.

Nicely made points.