Paul Krugman's NYT Op-Ed, "Addicted to Bush" ("G.O.P. wants his policies & governing style back")

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Op-Ed Columnist
Addicted to Bush
By PAUL KRUGMAN
Published: July 22, 2010

For a couple of years, it was the love that dared not speak his name. In 2008, Republican candidates hardly ever mentioned the president still sitting in the White House. After the election, the G.O.P. did its best to shout down all talk about how we got into the mess we’re in, insisting that we needed to look forward, not back. And many in the news media played along, acting as if it was somehow uncouth for Democrats even to mention the Bush era and its legacy.

The truth, however, is that the only problem Republicans ever had with George W. Bush was his low approval rating. They always loved his policies and his governing style — and they want them back. In recent weeks, G.O.P. leaders have come out for a complete return to the Bush agenda, including tax breaks for the rich and financial deregulation. They’ve even resurrected the plan to cut future Social Security benefits.

But they have a problem: how can they embrace President Bush’s policies, given his record? After all, Mr. Bush’s two signature initiatives were tax cuts and the invasion of Iraq; both, in the eyes of the public, were abject failures. Tax cuts never yielded the promised prosperity, but along with other policies — especially the unfunded war in Iraq — they converted a budget surplus into a persistent deficit. Meanwhile, the W.M.D. we invaded Iraq to eliminate turned out not to exist, and by 2008 a majority of the public believed not just that the invasion was a mistake but that the Bush administration deliberately misled the nation into war. What’s a Republican to do?

You know the answer. There’s now a concerted effort under way to rehabilitate Mr. Bush’s image on at least three fronts: the economy, the deficit and the war.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/23/opinion/23krugman.html

[babylonsister]

1. Rehabilitate bush; how flipping pathetic is that? I can't even

wrap my brain around this, other than to know the rethugs have no idea what to do.

Makes me want to cry actually- people, supposedly even intelligent rethug congresscritters, think this is the way our country should go.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

2. It's the concept AND the timing...

...not only the sheer idiocy behind making him the G.O.P.'s poster child, but doing so only two years after he slunk out of the White House with abysmal ratings and failed policies.

Should be fun to watch, though.

[babylonsister]

3. Yes, but I read this today and got heart palpitations...

:(

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/07/another-bush-in-the-white-house/60195

Another Bush in the White House?

snip//

Would Republicans dare coalesce behind Bush? Surely they would. The hallmark of today's politics is a truculent refusal to concede error. What could possibly show up those arrogant liberals like nominating another Bush? Nor is it apparent that doing so would be politically perilous. As Obama's approval ratings continue to fall, it seems ever more likely that the 2012 election will be hard-fought and close, regardless of who is the Republican nominee. And Jeb Bush's appeal to the center is at least as strong as that of his colleagues.

The biggest obstacle to a Jeb Bush candidacy is Bush himself. Though he is traveling more often and raising money for Republicans, he has kept a low profile. Friends say he dislikes Obama's constant criticism of his brother. ''It's childish,'' he told the New York Times last month. Of course, the surest way to defend the family name would be to defeat the president who got elected by impugning it.

[DonCoquixote]

4. Don't forget

Junior got into politics to "avenge" his Dad's loss to Clinton. The Bushes make the Borgias and Gambinos look like pickpockets.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

5. If we are still in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2012...

...and if there hasn't been significant improvement in the economy...and I'm talking about jobs for the working class, not fat and happy investors on Wall Street and record profits for the big banks...it won't matter what Obama inherited by following Bush.

The other story which is popping up everywhere over the last two or three days is the resurrection of the old guard...Rove, Gillespe, all of them...I anticipate the run-up to 2012 will be a bloodbath.

And as Democrats, we like to say things about "not sinking to the level" of people like Rove.

We won in 2008 because of the unadulterated, epic failure of George W. Bush.

But it's July 2010 and Obama hasn't "fixed" everything Junior handed off to him, and the Republicans...with great assistance from their propaganda ministry, Fox News...has been slowly and steadily trying to erase the public's consciousness of any Bush involvement at all.

When they are finished, there will be nothing left but a photographic image of our "brave" president standing on the rubble of Ground Zero with his bullhorn.

I'm not the brightest or most insightful political pundit out there. If I can do the math on these things, so can Obama...unless he's in denial.

We cannot and will not "win" the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, just like we didn't "win" the war in Vietnam.

If the scenarios I described above don't change between now and 2012 for the better...hell, even if they do... I predict the unholy propaganda war to end all unholy propaganda wars.

Remember Michelle Malkin on "Hardball" claiming John Kerry got his Purple Heart because he shot himself?

Child's play. Mere child's play compared to what Rove is cooking up for the next two years. Obama will fight back...as hard and as dirty as he needs to...until he commands complete control over the game.

That's how Rove wins...his opponents allow him top define the rules of the game. Obama can't afford to do that.

"President Jeb" can be defeated, but only if the Democrats are fully willing to go for Rove's jugular, and that of his minions. The Democrats cannot allow "revisionist history." They need to shove Katrina and Weapons Of Mass Destruction and every other atrocity from the Bush years down the public's throat until the public cries "Uncle." The public cannot be allowed to forget who this man was and what he was.

:patriot:

[babylonsister]

6. Smooches! Thank you! You gave me some great hope there,

and I think Obama and his crew will handle this correctly. He might drive people crazy because he does hold his cards close to his vest, but he is Prez, isn't he. And I think he's doing a damn fine job given the situation he inherited. I remain hopeful they can combat the rethugs, who are ruthless but have nothing to offer.

Thanks. I feel better. :hug:

[PSPS]

8. Right! All Obama has to do is list all the bush atrocities he's reversed!

Oh, wait. We've still got two illegal occupations, illegal wiretapping, gitmo, rendition, assassination, a cabinet full of bush holdovers or their equivalent, all the same AG's, and war criminals walking free among us.

Never mind.

[babylonsister]

9. Read this - from this week. and yes, Obama sucks

because he didn't address your issues. fwiw, he's getting to them.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x384863

Giving Credit Where It's Due

snip//

Thu Jul 22nd, 2010 at 02:52:11 PM EST


What should have been a triumphant week for the president has been tarnished by the stupid firing of USDA employee Shirley Sherrod and all the controversy surrounding it. So, here's a partial list of things Obama has done so far this week. Click on the links (at link) to learn more.

Issued an Executive Order on the Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes.

Signed the The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009, creating the strongest consumer protections in our country's history.

Signed the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act (pdf) as a part of his Accountable Government Initiative, saving us tens of billions of dollars in erroneous payments.

Ushered the Tribal Law and Order Act through Congress.

Finally got the Senate to extend unemployment insurance.

Nominated marshals and judges and ambassadors (all career Senior Foreign Service members, by the way).

Expanded the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Target for Federal Operations.

In conjunction with this announcement today, Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, Hilda L. Solis, Secretary of Labor, Martha Johnson, Administrator of the General Services Administration, and Ronald Sims, Deputy Secretary of the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development convened a Clean Energy Economy Forum on Federal leadership in High Performance Sustainable Building.

Saw the Senate Judiciary Committee approve Elena Kagan's nomination and send it the floor.

And hosted UK Prime Minister David Cameron.

[saigon68]

7. "Bring Em On" shouted the AWOL CHIMPANZEE

[Blue Owl]

10. If America really wanted more of that shit

then McCain & Palin would currently be in office, wouldn't they.

God those Repukes are stupid.

[Stuart G]

11. Bush ..the most disgusting person ..torture..

There aren't enough words to describe the hate for him..
.The torture stands by itself..
A few weeks ago,he said he would authorize it again..
.shows what a stupid fool.. he really is.....

And ..he talked as if he was proud of it