Bush Does a 9/11 Replay in Asking for Unprecedented Powers and Unprecedented Budget

Just after the September 11th terrorist attacks occurred, George W. Bush went before the nation and made the case that he needed unprecedented authority -- budgetary and military -- to take on the threats poised at the well-being and safety of the country.

Now with the current economic crisis in the United States, Bush is yet again asking for unprecedented powers and budget.

What happened after 9/11?

We saw no-bid contracts given to firms like Halliburton. We saw $9 billion of U.S. taxpayer money "go missing" through the Coalition Provisional Authority. We saw abuses of power, the expansion of secrecy, and the promulgation of norms that seemed to be the very antithesis of what America stands for.

A nation's values and its deep DNA are really only knowable and observable during times of crisis -- when it's tough to stand up for codes that seem a heavy burden during tough times.

We are in a crisis again -- and the Bush administration is again asking Americans to forgo fundamental values.

Tonight, George Bush succeeded I think in scaring Americans that this crisis could be a systemic threat. Bush said "our entire economy is in danger."

That's the fear button. He pushed it. And he said the clock was ticking.

This seems like a bad episode of 24.

What is shocking about the presentation by Bush -- and the deal that is unfolding is that we don't see any acceptance of responsibility for the failure of his team's stewardship of the economy. We didn't hear acknowledgment that the compulsive deregulation mantra of Bush's political and economic allies created a massive bubble where lots of billionaires were created and now tens of millions of less fortunate Americans are holding the bill.

We didn't hear Bush say that it's time to reverse the tax cuts that he put in place to help those who have already benefited from the perverse finance and housing bubble that was pumped up.

We didn't hear a firm commitment from Bush to help the working families who hold these sub-prime and adjustable rate mortgages to stay in their homes and to help stabilize the lives of hard-hit Americans, their neighborhoods and their jobs. All the while, the macro players and big firms and their stakeholders are bailed out.

We probably do need to float major funds into the financial sector -- but there needs to be a quid pro quo written in to the deal, a new social contract that does away with the "winner takes all syndrome" that has helped rot out America's economic promise.

And we need to hear what comes after the bail out. This nation is heading into recession -- and is probably already there.

We need to trigger real growth in the real economy with real jobs -- and that's infrastructure.

We need a serious infrastructure commitment and a capital budget that helps make sure that some of this massive amount of money being let loose into the system actually gets some traction in rebuilding the nation's roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, and telecom infrastructure.

That was missing -- and it must be part of this debate.

-- Steve Clemons publishes the popular political blog, The Washington Note

Comments

[bestbuddy]

Is any body MAD yet?

[missedith]

Yes! Ironically it's the REP's in congress that are stalling the bailout, and Lord help me...I agree with them. Many are saying McCain suspended and returned to DC (after chats with Couric and Clinton but NOT Letterman) mostly to shore up support in his own party cuz if they don't pass the bill HE'LL be seen as the bad guy.

For "deregulation McCain" this is ridiculous. I'd respect him far more if he stuck to his free market guns on this, but he no longer knows who he is.

[frenchie25]

Furious! At what point do we take to the streets?

[Artos]

frenchie25,

There is going to be a demonstration this evening at five oclock in Eugene Oregon. I suggest everyone throughout the country get out there and protest today and prevent these idiot congressmen/ women from making any deals until they have our okay. So far none of them have gotten it right. Why should we trust them to get it right this time. Have you noticed that they aren't making their "Deal" public yet. Where are the details for us to see. They are more worried about keeping the execs happy then they are about us being pissed apparently.

[WilliamL]

Stick em up-This is a hold up is what it is.

Get all they can out the door.

Send thousands of men and women to their graves in Iraq, maim tens of thousand more and they want what?

And these folks enlessly spew hatred and are crying about the legacies of FDR and new deal social policies.

The sad fact is, money is going to go their way and have no doubt there will be so many floating off into their sunset with huge paychecks.

Perhaps those in those investigating these captains of industry might actually produce evidence of franud that most of us know has gone on.

[DangerousBeauty]

Con'td : Clemons states: "What is shocking about the presentation by Bush--"

So aptly put. A shock to the nervous system produces instantaneous hypnotic trance producing suspension of the conscious mind's critical factor. This is as true with crowds of thousands as it is with an individual subject. Think 9/11, think economic crisis, big shocks to the collective nervous system). At that point, individuals and/or groups are open to suggestion and can be easily led with almost no resistance, and new "thoughts" can be introduced while the conscious mind is in repose, allowing access to the non-critical, "everything I hear is true", subconscious mind. Bush is a master of "shock and awe".
At some point, these thoughts are internalized and "owned"-- "I think it, therefore it must be true," and normally sane, independent thinking people find themselves supporting (Congress votes to invade Iraq, suspend habeas corpus) promoting and evangelizing the foulest, most corrupt and most evil ideas.
As Czech author Milan Kundera wrote after witnessing the Russians invading Prague ; "Beware the non-thought of received ideas." I would add, "Beware the consensus trance."

The Bush cabal and their amoral predecessors have littered history with examples of their attempts to perfect their ascension to domination of the world. They have now bankrupted the American economy to further bankroll their plans. How brilliantly ironic that we should foot the bill for our own destruction.

This is the stuff of which prophecies are written.

[JessJames]

Look at Dodds and Franks.

[DangerousBeauty]

Clemons writes...
"What is shocking about the presentation by Bush -- and the deal that is unfolding is that we don't see any acceptance of responsibility for the failure of his team's stewardship of the economy."

That's because they haven't failed. Collapsing the economy is just one more wrung on the ladder of accomplishing their goals, to be followed closely by suspension of all democratic "norms". (If you can rationalize "suspending" a campaign 40 days before a presidential election and no one calls you on it, can you suspend the election?") How very "Rovian" of McCain. In a democratic form of government, suspending a presidential campaign, is essentially declaring a national state of emergency. Pull on that thread and see what else unravels. No debates, meetings too "critical" to have press present...

Con'td.

[smartgrl]

Bush, McCain, Rove, all put this together today---this photo-op with Bush etc.. McCain really thinks we are stupid enough to fall for Rove tactics again----But wait, the American people voted Bush in twice (unless you believe in election tampering) and I actually hear idiots at Walmart praising Pallin for having a family and working. Duh! Lord, help me, I am getting really scared when I see the ignorant people living in this country. Let the debate go on, so we see who we are voting for. And hey, McCain, rush to Washington if you like, but; leave the second in command to lead the campaign and finally get in front of journalists.

[Bush-Rolled]

This bailout boondoggle, in addition to resembling the hyped crises of the signing of the so-called "Patriot Act," the authorization of warrantless wiretapping, the granting of war powers, the invation of Iraq, immunity for the telecoms, changes to FISA, etc., etc., also has another frightening parallel:

In so many 2nd and 3rd world countries where the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have practiced their financial shock doctrine, they have improverished societies and bankrolled elites by ignoring infrastructure, schools, and health care at the altar of "privatization." Over the years as I read about these "rescues" of other economies, it seemed to me that it would only be a matter of time before the same techniques were applied within our shores.

Bush and the neocons are once again getting exactly what they want and the rest of us are getting the shaft.

[tolate2pray4me]

Very well said Bush-Rolled, we are rolling right past socialism and communism straight to dictatorship! Corporate, Wall Street, and Political elites do not care what damage they have caused to the nation, there is little difference between them and Al Queda, they both seek to destroy America. That is what globalization is designed to do, create a world wide two class system. What ashame the people do not have the courage to revolt.

[zitlight73]

"The first stages of fascism should more appriappropriately be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate powers." Benito Mussolini. In May of 2007 Bush signed PD/51 that states in the vaguest of terms in a national emergency he basically could dissolve congress and suspend the courts and control all government from fedral down to city and tribal. . Several congressmen have tried to get a complete copy of the presidential directive but have failed. In time of national emergancy a president as long had the powers to suspend all elections four five years. I believe that is exactly what Bush plans to do unless congress him the power to create a fourth branch of power that is unanswerable to the congress, the courts and especially the American people. Next week troops just returned from Iraq will be ready to patrol American streets in case of civil unrest.

[SailFree]

Yeah, that Benito was a wild and crazy guy!

Hitler much admired him.

But he was wrong.

[KSloan]

It all ties together....I can't wait for this cat to leave us alone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTtcBCBYFEs
Above link is Rachel Maddow....connecting a few more dots.

[kimbari]

What I want to know is, was anybody scared? *I* wasn't.

[missedith]

For me, it's "Boy Who Cried Wolf" syndrome...but then again, I'm not the aforementioned folks at Walmart praising Palin. Lord help us all.

[jinxed]

Just pissed off!

[gruntledmd]

The great elephant in the living room here is that - We don't trust these guys. We've heard about too many crises out of which we must rescue the country tomorrow, and they turn out to be falsehoods. 9/11 was set up to create the greatest boondoggle anyone can imagine. Somehow this bank crisis seems even scarier, the stakes seem even higher, but there's still no trust. This points out why we need a new administration whose integrity none, or at least, few of us will seriously challenge. Until we have such an administration it will be impossible to navigate throught these difficult times.

[mspye]

Seems to me this $700 Billion dollar bail out is actually Bush's own golden parachute.

[jinxed]

I think you've hit the nail on the head there!

[hu.man]

I am voting anti-incumbent for congress this time around. I don't care which party or who, we need to send a message. It is clear that all the entrenched interests in congress are there to protect the wealthy few at the expense of rest of us. Vote anti-incumbent and put the rascals on notice for a change.

[SailFree]

There was once a horse breeder who simply shot every horse that lost a race. It did not markedly improve his success rate,.

Just kidding...but the same idea you express.

[hu.man]

Are you a member of the congress?

[fuel4thefire]

The better deal would be if Bush would resign and we would then provide the money along with mandatory reduction in credit card rates and student loans to 2% over prime. This would help many, many people and stimulate the economy almost immediately ... drawback, darth vadar cheney would have to emerge from his hole.... he's the architect of the Iraq War and "Energy Plan", but he would have to operate out in the open for the remaining few months of the administration.

[tolate2pray4me]

Better yet, Thomas Jefferson could come back and dispense of both of them on the White House lawn for treason!

[lvdragonlady]

Wake up America!!!
It is now clearer then ever that the g.o.p. still thinks that they can scare us in to believing anything they say.
Contact your congress person and let them know that 'unconditional' is now UNACCEPTABLE.

[meltingpot101]

I would love to tell this administration to "go pound sand," just as much as anyone else who has been paying attention. This president had the support of every american in this country after Sept.11, 2001. When 9/11 happened this was a country divided. So many of us felt like Bush was not elected, he was Appointed. Despite that, in crisis, we rallied together in unity.

Sadly, this administration deemed untrustworthy. They preyed upon, as a nation, our fears and our sense of patriotism. And what the Bush administration did with that unquestionable loyalty is both unthinkable and now a part of history.

All americans, no matter what your party affiliation Don't Trust the Bush Administration. In fact, we may never really trust any president again, which may be a good thing. But this economical crisis that we are in is hard for most people to understand it completely. The problem is that since there are no towers aflame and tumbling to see, people have to rely on faith. Faith in elected officials and so many of us are tapped out.

We have to do something, doing nothing would be catostrophic. It a shame most people just don't believe that.

[hu.man]

Yes, it would be catastrophic for the wealthy few who are scrambling to have us pay for their stupid mistakes. This goes completely against what America is about which is personal responsibility. We are doing more than bailing out a few rich folks. We are compromising our values. This could be the end of America as we have come to know it.

[meltingpot101]

I beleive the America as we know it has been in jeopardy for some time now.

Invading a country based on lies...unAmerican

Undermining the Constitution.....unAmerican

Hurricane Katrina.....unAmerican

Endangerded Opportunity....unAmerican

I could go on....but it's heartbreaking really. Think of how properous a nation we were not even 10 short years ago.

I do believe we will Prosper again.

[fuel4thefire]

Boxed us in is what they have done and without any street protests or real pushback.... more like wimpering dogs as this admin has worked people to death, beaten people down, worried people to the 'enth degree, encumbered people till all they do is work, work, work; So much for "domestic tranquility; The silver lining is there are 1200 companies being investigated by the FBI including mortgage lenders and appraisers; somebody's gotta go to jail.... and Bush and his lot should be first in line; http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94928783

[thistooshallpass]

I appreciate your obvious sincerity, But, I need more. How do you know that the "something" you want done will work? How do you know that doing nothing would be " Catostrophic"?

Because the creators of this mess told you so? Not good enough.

I am not an economist, but I have learned some things in this life..

When you are cheated out of money, you do not go to the con man that took your money for a solution to the problem. If you do, you deserve to be cheated again.

It is called a CONFIDENCE GAME for a reason. The success of the con (fidence) depends on the victims confidence in the con man.

The code of Wall Street is :

NEVER GIVE A SUCKER AN EVEN BREAK.

There will be no mea cupa, no apology, and no acknowlegement of wrong doing. Sorry about that. Mostly, I am sorry that there will be retribution, again.

[meltingpot101]

It's not the something " I want done." Just to be clear. I am not an economist. I am not in the top 2% benefitting from Bush's tax breaks. I believe Bush and his administration are criminals and should be treated as such.

I am just a middle class american who has read some articles written by economist, one that was somewhere linked on this site that was signed by almost 50 economist that all agreed that some sort of bailout was necessary with certain guidelines met. Like everyone else, I have been watching all the newstations, cnbc included trying to understand what is happening, how it happened and what is the solution. I have not heard ONE SO CALLED EXPERT say No Bailout. Not one. So it seems to me the general concensus is if we do nothing then surely we will fall into depression....

I too have learned some hard lessons in this life....one of them being SOMETIMES YOU DON'T GET A DO OVER and

SOMETIMES IT'S NOT ABOUT WHAT I WANT.

I have three kids and ultimatley I just want to do whats right.

[SailFree]

That sounds as though you are trying to scare us!