I think Bush gets too much credit sometimes...

[Not Sure]

It's just my worthless opinion, but I have read so many posts in the past few days where W is being credited with a lot of control. I read that he's looting this or that and rewarding the people who put him in power, etc. I just don't see it that way.

I live in Texas and saw him as the owner of my local ball club, then the governor of my state. There is nothing he did in either role that gives me reason to believe he's the one running the show. There's no way. No, somebody selected him for a specific reason. He agreed to do it because he gets off on "playing President," not having the power or the responsibility of leading the United States to a better tomorrow. And not for the opportunity to siphon off resources and money to his cronies. No, he's 100% puppet.

I'm sure there are plenty in his administration who can't see this. Their faces are too close to the tree to see whether they're in a forest or their own front yard. They believe he's for real, though you really have to wonder how delusional can these people be not to see through some of W's antics. And the ones who don't see him as their boss, like Rumsfeld and Cheney and the rest of the Nixon era military industrial complex thugs? They have got to be weary of this charade by now and probably can't wait for it to be over so they can return to the private sector and collect.

There might be quite a few of us who, like me, believe that there is a family operation going on here, i.e., Bush Crime Family, as Mike Malloy is fond of saying. I don't want to be too tin hattish, but in my little movie-geek sort of way, I started thinking, "if that's the case, if this Orwellian nightmare was taking place in The Godfather, which character would W be? Vito?" Yeah, right. "Michael?" Hardly. Then it hit me: try Fredo. He is the dumb, drunk, black-sheep loser of the family who can't do anything right. But wait a minute - this actually fits...

Go back to the late 90s when the neocons were plotting our current nightmare. If you'll indulge my little daydream from this afternoon, I imagine it playing out something like this:

Cue music. A darkened, smoky room. Four older men sitting around a table. One is calm, seeming to soak up the discussion while another is very animated and goes on to explain:

"Once the pieces are in place, it don't matter what the political backlash is. We're made. Once the US is wedged firmly in the Middle East, the military will never be able to leave no matter who the president is. We will control the oil, and we will get a piece of the action no matter who we're putting the squeeze on: China, Europe, India, hell, the good ol' U S of A! Fuck 'em! We get paid."

"But if anyone finds out, there's going to be hell to pay. Somebody's going to have to be there to take the fall."

"Okay, so we put somebody stupid in there, somebody who's so caught up in the thrill of playing president that he won't ask any questions and will do exactly what he's told. Somebody expendable."

"Alright, but who?"

"I don't mean no disrespect, Vito, but how about your son? I mean he ain't exactly made your life easy. You tell him to jump and he says 'how high?' Hell, he'd kiss a Saudi prince on the lips if he thought it would make you proud of him."

"Hmmm... well, just don't let it get too out of hand. I don't want his mother to know about this. Michael, you'll be alright running Florida for the next few years, yes? Don't worry, son, your turn will come..."

Apart from being a really sad commentary that this is what my daydreams are about, can I really be that far off?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. Either you are a genius

Or I am drunk! either way... I'd pay to see that movie.

[Not Sure]

2. Hey! Pass that bottle! n/t

[jackbourassa]

3. This is a funny post, but i'm not sure I agree with it all..

Not that I think Bush is some sort of genius or anything. I don't. And although I don't think he is an outright "puppet," I do believe he is at the mercy of his "supporters." By that I mean he's the one being led, not the one doing the leading.

I think the Bush coalition comprises of three different groups, with three different aims. The only connection between these groups is that they want to keep Bush in power in order to carry on their own agendas.

Group One: The neo-cons.

Cheney, Rumsfeld, et al. These people were put in charge of the military (Pentagon). The "Bush Doctrine" is really the Cheney-Wolfowitz Doctrine. They actually released a version of it back in 1991/1992 after the first Gulf War and while Bush Sr. was still in office. This group has close ties to the oil and energy industry and their main goal was always war with Iraq. Even before September 11. Now members within this group are there for different reasons, and ultimately provide different points of view. Wolfowitz was the "brains." He was the intellectual of the group. He had a very Trotskite view of the world and provides the intellectual reasons for an expanded war theory. Rumsfeld was the military man. He had a vision how the new military would look like and how/when it would be applied in practical situations. Then you have the oil men, who don't give a rats ass about "preemption" or any other theory. What they care about is sucking out as much Middle Eastern oil as they can get their hands on. Then you have Cheney, who is the one who holds this group together.

Group Two: The supply-siders in Congress, Tom Delay's regime.

These "supply-siders" are not your papa's "supply-siders." I can't imagine Jack Kemp wanting to take too much credit for what's been going on in Congress these past few years. But these people are the ones in charge of the money. It's no coincidence that Delay ended up on the Appropriations Committee after he left the House Majority Leader position. Even though his stature has diminished somewhat, he still controls the purse stings - and in the end, that's all that matters. These people control K-Street (Washington's lobbying Mecca) and play the game of quid pro quo. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. K-Street keep the Republican coffers full, and the Republicans in Congress give them anything they want. Arsenic in water? Sure. Bankruptcy reform? You bet. Tax cuts for the wealthy? Don't think twice about it. It's all just an elaborate racketeering scheme. Supply-side economics, which began in the 1970s and 80s as a theory about how smaller government works more efficiently and effectively (whether you buy it or not), has effectively turned into a corrupt system which could give the Mafia a run for its money.

Group Three: The Christian Conservatives.

Although on most economic issues this group agrees with people on the left, they are offended and frightened by social progress. This group is easily taken advantage because of their fear of the unknown. Religious leaders instill fear in order to maintain control. They align with the other two groups, regardless of ideological inconsistencies for the purpose of controlling the American judiciary. Like the neo-cons you have "intellectuals" among this group as well. Federal nominees to the bench need three criteria: one, they are to take a minimalist view of government and view corporate power and rights as being at par with human rights (federalist society); two, they are to reject any kind of acceptance of international law and see the use of force as the explicit and exclusive right of the President; three, they are to reject all forms of social science-based advancement and/or recognition of reproductive rights of women, including abortion, stem cell research, birth control or any other issue that may offend the religious right in this country.

Conclusion:

Bush doesn't have the power to upset the apple cart here. Bush is just a vain man. He wants the adulation. He surrounds himself by "yes men" who tell him how great he is. Anyone who doesn't comply is out. Even if Bush wanted to, he couldn't do anything about these three groups. They control his Presidency. He doesn't control them. Remember when Bush appointed Harriet Myers to the Supreme Court? Remember how Bush has never vetoed a single bill passed by Delay and the Republicans? See how Bush is stuck in Iraq?

The advantage for us Democrats, in the long run, is that these three groups do not make up the entire Republican coalition. They are only a part of it. They may make up the majority, they may even control the party, but they are not the only republicans out there. Plus independents, who typically vote Republican, are growing increasingly frustrated by being left out. Other republicans are growing wearier of these groups and the hold they have on the Presidency and Congress. They feel isolated and ostracized. The important question moving forward will be whether the next Republican nominee will be able to hold the whole thing together. Or whether these three groups and the disaffected Republicans and independents will tear itself apart. Given that the Democratic Party is now 48% to 49% strong, even in bad years, that doesn't leave much room for error on the part of the Republicans.

We may be seeing a new Democratic Majority forming very soon.

[Not Sure]

5. Humor is my coping mechanism - to hell with the facts!

We may be seeing a new Democratic Majority forming very soon.

I sure hope so.

Seriously though, I appreciate the perspective offered in your post. I'm way too myopic to be expected to comment rationally on anything (hence the low post count), but when my wife laughed at this, I thought I should share.

[jackbourassa]

9. Hey twominuteshate

I watched Godfather Part II yesterday as a result of reading your post. Not because I wanted to look for any similarities between Bush and Fredo, but because I haven't watched the film in a while and your post peeked my interest.

I still say it's the best of the Godfather films.

[neweurope]

4. *g*well done n/t

------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[sandnsea]

6. Yeah, and so???

You're just coming to this realization now?

Yes. You have it exactly.

[nonconformist]

7. Ha! Great post. nt

[radfringe]

8. he does deserve some credit

he's united us on this UAE port deal

but then he really didn't know anything about it...does that make it an accidental unification?