State of the Union, Post-Mortem

There were only two words required of George W. Bush when he stepped up to make his State of the Union address last night: "Mea culpa."

Okay -- stretch it into three words, for a five-second soundbite: "Mea maxima culpa."

It would have been the most truthful thing he could possibly have said.

The president is guilty on all counts, and by all accounts: Lying to his countrymen, spying on his countrymen, plunging America into unprecedented debt, dissing and dismissing our allies, empowering and enriching his cronies, waging an unjustifiable war that has killed and maimed and displaced over a million people, vetoing bills, ignoring facts, promulgating fear, disregarding the Constitution, and subverting his own oath of office.

He has turned his back on the environment, on education, on health care, on veterans, and on the people of New Orleans. He has lost the futile War on Drugs, and the so-called War on Terror.

And now, his administration is trying to put a Band-Aid on the failing economy by shelling out a few hundred dollars to middle-income people and more tax benefits to corporations....when the poor, the unemployed, and the homeless are ignored.

Incredibly, the most repeated word in this State of the Union address was "trust." ("Trust me," says the con man, as he slips a joker out of his sleeve.) The American public has blindly trusted this president and his administration far too long, even handing him a second term in office.

So can we even trust our own sanity?

Congressman Robert Wexler, a Democrat from Florida, has been trying to initiate impeachment proceedings against Vice President Cheney. And why not against President Bush as well? House Speaker Pelosi said it would be "a diversion" and a waste of time. Nonsense! Instead of fiddling around with investigations into steroid use (now there's a waste of time!), our Congress could be flexing its moral muscle on a really important issue: The abuse of power in the two highest offices in the land. Even if it's coming late in the day, simply passing such a resolution would give some credibility to our elected representatives, and ensure that this president goes out in shame, as Richard Nixon did.

Nixon's actions shook America; Bush's actions have destabilized the entire world. He should not be allowed to leave office with a victorious bang, but with a disgraceful whimper.

Comments

[deanrader]

Your observation about Mr. Bush's most overused word, "trust," was astute. In this speech, as in many others, he tends to overplay vague macro concepts and underplay useful specifics.

In my recent post for The Weekly Rader, I write about this gap. As an English professor and a textbook author, I was fascinated to read his speech through the lens of a student essay.

You can see the grade he got here:
http://weeklyrader.blogspot.com/2008/01/grading-state-of-union.html

[wanked]

At the State of the Union, Bush didnt look the least bit concerned by the chaos and gloom he has bestowed upon humanity. Just a smirk, wink and a chuckle.
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[JoeBlough]

I long for the good ol' days of Bill Clinton's presidentcy. How could America be hood-winked by Bush/Cheney twice? I guess we got the government we deserve and will continue to get what we deserve.

[blooddoc]

I saw a bumper sticker recently that read, simply, "1.20.09". It took a few seconds to realize that would be Bush's last day in office. On that day he will join the pantheon of worst presidents in American history, possibly to sit at the head of the table. Impeach him? I would settle for a future of total and complete irrelevance, for him to be forgotten as one forgets a nightmare or bad hangover.

[tommo]

Obama keeps saying, Americans want to look to the future, not backward. Not me.

Every night I am forced to look at Baghdad Bush's ugly mug on TV I can't help but daydream that on the day Hillary is sworn in she has the army frog-march Baghdad Bush and Darth Vader out the front doors of the White House. No need for habeus, off to a secret American concentration camp in Europe for waterboarding.

Of course Hillary doesn't have the stones either.

[Sciguy]

True, Bush's actions have destabilized the whole world. However, there are no burglars, no tapes with gaps, no smoking guns - and most importantly, no one in the administration will play the role of Deep Throat. The current administration's handlers did learn something from the Nixon era after all - make sure you're always surrounded by cronies who are loonier than you are. Even if there was a potential Deep Throat, there are few reporters who have the cojones to report it. The days of Woodward and Bernstein are gone.

To add insult to injury, there are no people who have left the administration who will REALLY speak up - and the ones who have spoken up have done so in order to sell books, not to help clean up the mess.

[yowza1]

Yes I think your post is telling regarding the trivialization of the US government's agenda. I am surprised to hear that they would hold hearings on such an issue as steroid use by baseball players. This is not even an issue that warrants state or local governenment attention unless it breaks some law, then the courts handle it. It is similar to that business down in Florida where Congressmen became involved in some child custody battle or somesuch, and the one where that woman was on life support. With the real problems that this country faces this is equivalent to Nero fiddling while Rome burned. It is like they are copying Hollywood in search for popularity and sensation. They are abrogating their responsibility to try to govern well, like that of impeaching GWB. The seem to want to be involved in the same issues that the mainstream media is so fascinated with, things even the dum-dums can understand. Governing the country has become so hard and boring!! Of course the Republicans discovered that a long time and gave up any serious attempt to do it

[flatus]

Surely, Joan, if all you say about our beloved Commander Shrubly is true, most members of Congress would have twisted reluctant Pelosi arm by now.

Why not cover why this is not the case in your next blog?

[londubh]

Bush shoulda said, "Ha ha. I royally screwed America and made a big honking mess. You'll be cleaning it up for decades. I do mean decades."

[RTIII]

You're preaching to the choir. Yes, of course. Impeach - Cheney first. That makes Pelosi VP. We then replace her as Speaker. THEN we impeach Bush. Do it for the good of the nation, the rule of law, to repudiate all his unconstitutional "theories" of executive power - and help heal our relationships with our friends abroad.

[WIpatriot]

He could have said "My bad" and walked away.

[NickOhio]

Bravo!!!!!

We need to show the world that this man was a crook and that we can live up to the words "justice for all".

Bush cannot apologize as he cannot make mistakes. He is perfect and above all reproach. He is our holy ruler and can do whatever he wishes, without being concerned for the rule of law and our Constitution. He needs to have Articles of Impeachment served to him but just beginning the process would be enough to mark his presidency as shameful. Indictment after he office is more appropriate. However, that is also suspect at this time, unless "we, the people" stage peaceful protests in the tens of thousands all over the US.

I've also suggested that we all contribute to his bus fare back to Crawford, but maybe collection for a "tarred & feathered" Bush doll is appropriate, as well? Maybe, we'll have to hope for his extradition from Agentina???

[Mark701]

Bush was an emotionally sick man when he was granted the presidentcy in 2000 and he's still a sick man. What we are witnessing is what happens when a deeply unstable person is placed into a position of power and then surrounds himself with sychophants who reinforce his twisted version of reality.

[LiberalMathProfessor]

Well, at least the surge is working!
My ass the surge is working.
It's too late to impeach.
My ass it's too late to impeach.
Joan's last four sentences say it all and make an unassailable case, for my money.

[frenchynyc]

thank god i realized sometime ago that there was a major coverup going on between the dems and the repugs...otherwise i would have had a stroke last night watching these clowns (the so called representatives of the people) applaud..smile..stand...for a terrorist rogue president!! if the founding fathers saw what has become of this nation...they would be wish they had stayed under the crown!