Guardian UK: Crap sandwiches on Capitol Hill

[marmar]

Crap sandwiches on Capitol Hill
Washington has seen a 'throw the bums out' mood before. But this is something

Simon Tisdall in Washington
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday September 30 2008 17:36 BST



Like noxious fumes leaking from a corpse, the controversy over the failure of the Bush administration's unpopular emergency financial bail-out plan is infecting every aspect of government and the 2008 presidential election campaign.

Eminent reputations lie in ruins; the august institutions of Congress, the Treasury and the Federal Reserve tremble; the presidency itself is shaken. From America's year of living dangerously, few will emerge unscathed.

The consensus view, if there is one in so divided a nation, is that the US has suffered a calamitous, across-the-board failure of leadership. The bankruptcy is political as well as economic. This conclusion is widely held among both supporters and opponents of the bail-out.

"Monday's crash-and-burn of the Paulson plan on Capitol Hill reveals a Washington elite that has earned every bit of the disdain that Americans have for it. This crowd can't even make sausage," snarled a Wall Street Journal editorial today. Black Monday's shambles marked an "historic abdication".

Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives were excoriated for political cowardice, childish disputatiousness, and a selfish desire to get re-elected next in November at any cost. It is clear that, whatever they do next, the public simply does not trust them to do it right.

"A political establishment held in higher regard may have been able to hold together some kind of coalition of the willing," wrote Joel Achenbach in the Washington Post. "But distrust of the nation's leaders, from the leaders of Congress to the president, foreclosed that possibility." .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/sep/30/tisdallbriefing.usa

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. I think a throw-out-the-bums is not a mood that often strikes Americans

In fact, I think Americans are quite masochistic, and to blame are their really messed up, brainwashing churches.

[Eric J in MN]

2. bravery and cowardice

Listening to George W. Bush, Henry Paulson, corporate lobbyists, and Nancy Pelosi: bravery

Listening to voters: cowardice


(according to "Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives were excoriated for political cowardice...")

[seemslikeadream]

3. Like noxious fumes leaking from a corpse

[Individualist]

4. "crash and burn of the Paulson plan"

I love the way that sounds!