Prisoners of 'W'

[hay rick]

From the mouths of babes, and sometimes from the mouths of those approaching second childhood, the unvarnished
truth occasionally escapes. So it was on Wednesday when John McCain, addressing a crowd of supporters, referred to them as "fellow prisoners". There should be no confusion, no scratching of heads, either from those who were in attendance, the media, or the rest of America. Clearly, in a rare moment of insight, Mr. McCain was referring to the fact that he and those attending his rallies are all prisoners of 'W'.

The crowds at his rallies are prisoners of the falsehoods the Bush administration promoted and which they have
carried around inside of themselves all these years- the lie called "WMD", the lie called "Saddam and Al Qaeda",
and the lie called "Iraq is the central front in the War on Terror". They are prisoners of a degenerate system of values that cherishes privileges for themselves while despising obligations to others. These are the Abu-Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay pro-torture Republicans, the people who believe in habeas corpus for themselves, but not for the other guy. They are the right-wing partisans, the smug dittoheads who substitute poisonous invective and gross simplifications for debate. Their political convictions are as uncomplicated as their bumper stickers and their thoughts are chained by mindless chants like "drill, baby, drill". They compulsively invoke their love of country but their version of patriotism is indistinguishable from paranoia. And John McCain can not get elected without their support. This is W's legacy for the Republican party and the prison walls surrounding McCain's candidacy.

McCain only added to the misery that passes for the Republican Party with his catastrophic choice of the
unqualified Sarah Palin as his running mate. In one reckless stroke he undermined his claim to the reliability and good judgment of an experienced hand; he confirmed his indebtedness to the most regressive elements of his party; and he renewed the party's recent commitment to bumbling incompetence. Even more dispiriting than his choice of running mate was the spectacle of so many Republicans immediately falling into line behind McCain's folly. They have had 8 years to practice praising foolishness and it shows.

Justice might be served if McCain, his partisans, and his party were the only prisoners of W. Unfortunately, we are all going to be prisoners of W's legacy for years to come. His policies have left our institutions and our economy in shambles. Consider what George W. Bush has wrought. He inherited a surplus and turned it into a gaping deficit by giving tax cuts to the rich and engaging in a "war of choice." The war also alienated our allies, weakened our military, and demonstrated the limits of our military capability. His administration formulated an energy policy that rewarded his old oil industry cronies while ignoring the needs of consumers, environmental interests, and the escalating costs and vulnerability associated with increasing dependence on imported oil. His administration also turned a blind eye to the housing bubble, championing deregulation and substituting a faith in markets for oversight of the mortgage and financial markets. Now, as the bubble bursts, we are being thrust into the worst financial panic since the Great Depression.

The next President will not have the luxury of setting his own agenda. His first job will be to stanch the bleeding and clean up the mess left by George W. Bush. Considering the magnitude of this task and the diminished resources now available to us, that alone will be a considerable challenge. If there is a moral to the story of America in the beginning of the 21st century it is: beware of amiable dunces, for there is no folly without consequence.

[RagAss]

1. Brilliant post.

[PretzelWarrior]

2. K N R

nicely worded.