Incurious George W. can't grasp democracy

[maddezmom]

President George W. Bush possesses some considerable liabilities. He's not particularly bright and, as he showed by his fumbling responses in his press conference last week, he doesn't think quickly.

He also possesses considerable assets that critics often overlook out of sheer snobbery. He is decisive and courageous. He has the invaluable quality in all leaders of stick-to-itiveness.

Bush's most substantial liability is that he's incurious. He isn't interested in, and appears fundamentally unaware of, the existence of, other cultures, other countries, other ideas, and of people unlike himself — no matter whether they happen to be "others" or Americans.

He strides around inside a bubble that blocks out all sounds and sights and ideas other than those already in his mind.

Bush is a natural, committed unilateralist. He doesn't just believe in American "exceptionalism." He believes in his own exceptionalism: Whatever he believes in is right because he believes in it.
~snip~
more: http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename...

Wouldn't it be nice to see this everyday in our press!

[Flubadubya]

1. "W. can't grasp democracy"...

Largely becaues he doesn't want to. He is NO friend of democracy. He said himself "It would be easier if this were a dictatorship, and I were the dictator." He wasn't kiddng.

[unblock]

2. snobbery? or insight?

he appears decisive because he is incapable of considering another opinion. but that is not decisiveness because no decision has been made. instead, he simply goes with his knee-jerk reaction and moves quickly to the more pressing issue of how to convince 51% of america that he actually chose the less evil alternative.

he appears courageous because his pals paint him that way. he has done nothing to actually demonstrate courage, most famously, avoiding washington and new york like the plague after the 9/11 attacks. nevermind the whole national guard/awol thing. his courage comes solely from the media and his lackeys repeatedly insisting, based on absolutely nothing, that he is courageous.

and the invaluable quality of stick-to-itiveness? bull. flip-flopping is pretty much a defining characteristic of shrub. one of his most effective tactics, in fact, is to take credit for an opposition bill once it's become apparent that he's lost. he did this repeatedly as governor in texas. he did this with the $300 tax rebate checks. he did this with the creation of the homeland security department. and the press lets him get away with this. i'd bet most even on du don't recall that both of these were originally democratic proposals strongly opposed by the white house.

here on du, we've got shrub's number. his assets aren't any of these. his assets are a compliant media and a propaganda playbook straight out of mein kampf. period.

[RedSock]

5. that's the fundie mindset

set in concrete -- blind to facts.

[cosmicdot]

3. his mindset seems to be symptomatic of corporate good ol'boys

in general ... their power and financial wealth makes them think they can operate above any law of the land ... they operate, buy and abuse their way without any regard for society as a whole or concern for others and for 'Founding Principles' (they don't care about them) ... anyone who has witnessed a good ol'boy network-in-action can identify the common MO ...

It's really pseudo-leadership ... and, I'd say it's the good ol'boys self-sense of self-aggrandizement and their feudal concept of power over others explains "leadership" moreso than the author's suggestion that 'snubbery' overlooking it ... any decisive and courageous or stick-to-itiveness behavior is more likely to be tied to a sense that they are infallible within the power structure that props them up ... is it a wonder that Shrub 'Smirks' ... which becomes snobbery, not outside critics snubbery.

The 'snip' from the article could have just as well described the good ol'boy network in which I had to survive in (I didn't fit the mold ... thank goodness) in my last job. It was a classic case ... and, if their power is taken away, they are like emperors without any clothes.

As far as the Crawford Post Turtle goes ... he knows, because he said, that he's just a media creation.

“You know, I could run for governor but I’m basically a media creation. I’ve never done anything. I’ve worked for my dad. I worked in the oil business. But that’s not the kind of profile you have to have to get elected to public office.” George W. Bush, 1989 getting it right for once.

How can anyone accuse others as snubbery when it comes straight from the horse's mouth??? http://www.rackjite.com/chapter18.htm

I shared with the article's author
[e-mail]

It's no wonder that the corrupt state of corporate america is in the condition it's in, and the failure of pseudo-leadership is having its toll on all of our standards of living.

The ultimate poster boy for these good ol'boys is being propped up at the helm of our Ship of State.

[markomalley]

4. You are completely wrong on this...;)

Georgie Porgie is highly in favor of democracy -- like it was in the beginning of this country. When only wealthy landowners had the vote.

[Flubadubya]

8. Bad analogy...

Democracy was in its infancy and obviously had much to learn. In many respects it has grown properly, as in the increase of civil rights and personal liberties (all of which, I might add, have been progressive/left initiatives). This "democracy" is grown up now and should be basking in the glow of having realized its true potential.

Instead we have Bush&Co and half the country's populous following gleefully and blindly their abjectly antidemocratic principles. This country, because of the likes of George W. Bush and neoconservatives, instead of standing as a beacon and example of what real democracy should be, is sinking ever faster into the grips of corporate fascism.

You can criticize our founding fathers, but their vision was far greater than their grasp at the time. We should have realized their dream by now... instead, we've got Bush.

[markomalley]

10. You're right

It is a bad analogy. That's why it is so ludicrous that airhead lives by it. A true conservative!!!

[Art_from_Ark]

6. Courageous?

Is the writer referring to the time when * needed 10,000+ security people to visit that hot spot England?

Or when he boasted that he would have turned his Iraqi-bound plane around if the word leaked out prematurely about his two-hour stint with the fake turkey?

Or when he has to corral protesters into "First Amendment" zones so he doesn't have to see them?

[rock]

7. Most Cons can't grasp democracy

By Cons I mean Conservatives. No dispagement to convicts.

[Flubadubya]

9. Kick