Does anyone remember when Bush was pushing to privatize social security by having everyone put everything into the stock market? Raise your hand if you're happy that we didn't let him get away with that one. Had we let him have his way, not only would you have no money to look forward to from the government; neither would the government. Even when the stock market was flying it was a stupid idea, but typical of the Bush Doctrine: details, truth, and a respect for past history are just annoying little mosquitos in the path of a bad idea! Swat 'em and move on!
In hindsight, it was worse than stupid; it would have been a crime. Or should I say, another crime.
Could this be a lesson that conservatives can learn from ? That is; don't let small minded, shoot-from-the-hip (with Cheney's doofus aim) cowboys, with big mouths and small ideas, wreck our country any further. Wheresoever they have led, disaster follows.
When we finally get off this ride, we'll be facing the rise of Iran and Russia, bold now that we are weak and our allies distrust our judgement, along with the resurgence in Afghanistan of the Taliban; so much stronger and more organized thanks to the five years we've given them to train while we've been dithering about in Iraq! We'll be up against the rising instability in Pakistan, the grandstanding of China (if you thought Russia was getting aggressive, keep your eye on China!); hell, I'd watch out for Venezuela at this point. They could invade us this Friday and just take over the country while we're all standing around watching the Dow plummet again on news of another hundred thousand layoffs.
And where this administration has not led, but instead refused to control, other equally catastrophic disasters have followed as well. When I'm not watching the Dow plummet, I have taken to watching little towns across the country get wiped off the map after more and more powerful Hurricanes crush the coasts. Wildfires and floods become more furious each year (I get Hurricane Ike's total destruction of Galveston, but watching the flooding of downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa made even me lift an eyebrow) all predicted, including the subsequent shortage of gasoline in the South, by the way, by Al Gore.
And now, the economy. By the way kids, this is just the beginning of the bank failures. There will be dozens more. So if you think your savings will be replenished when the market initially bounces after the bail-out bill pays off the bankers, you are in for a sickening surprise.
So back to my original premise: As always, thanks to all of you who voted against Bush, and thanks again, for those who didn't let him have his way with our retirement funds.
America, unlike Europe, has a notoriously short memory. This one time, America, let's remember how we dodged this bullet, this one time we stood up to a bad idea.
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