The Fish Rots from the Head Down

Lord Almighty... how I detest the Bush Family!

Yeah, yeah... George H.W. Bush - the patriarch - was a hero in WW2.

Folks... do you know how many hundreds of thousands of Americans out of the millions who served in uniform during the Second World War were equally heroic - or more heroic?

My Uncle Art was part of the tank crew of the second American tank which SURVIVED the D-Day invasion!

My Uncle Bob was a bomber pilot - European Theatre - during THE War.

My dad was a friggin' MARINE... during WORLD WAR TWO...!!!

So, yeah... let's salute George H.W. Bush for his honorable service during the Second World War... and now that I'm done saluting... let's reiterate what a piece of garbage ol' "Pappy" always was - and remains to this day - as far as politics and "public service" goes.

As my jumping off point for today's anti-Bush rant... I give you today's NYT; Peter Baker reporting:

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Paragraph 1:

After years of holding back, former President George Bush has finally broken his public silence about some of the key figures in his son’s administration, issuing scathing critiques of Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.

What a back-stabbing, dishonorable dirtbag.

(*JUST SHAKING MY HEAD*)

First of all, considering the BUSH record - Dubya's, that is - I have little doubt that either Cheney or Rumsfeld would have done a far better job than their boss did had either one occupied the Oval Office from January of 2001 thru January of 2009.

Not that I don't have my problems with both men; I do! And not that I believe George W. Bush was totally bad; I don't! But I'm willing to bet that when it came to domestic spending, either a President Cheney or a President Rumsfeld would have used the Presidential Veto - as well as other levers of power at a president's disposal - to keep both the Democrats and the RINOs in check when it came to spending and general expansion of government.

Folks... recall 2007 and 2008. Hell... recall post 9/11 "budgeting" in total!

(*JUST SHAKING MY HEAD*)

Remember TARP, folks?

(*SIGH*)

Continuing...

In interviews with his biographer, Mr. Bush said that Mr. Cheney had built “his own empire” and asserted too much “hard-line” influence within George W. Bush’s White House in pushing for the use of force around the world. Mr. Rumsfeld, the elder Mr. Bush said, was an “arrogant fellow” who could not see how others thought and “served the president badly.”

And the meme is that the Bush Family treasures "personal loyalty" above all else...???

(*SNORT*)

Well... I guess that "loyalty" is a one-way street for ol' Pappy.

But, seriously; who could be surprised? Remember... "Pappy" - George H.W. Bush - is the man who after winning the presidency on the coattails of a promise to continue the policies of Reagan... and upon the promise of "Read My Lips - No New Taxes"... turned around and betrayed both Reagan and "We the People."

Oh... and don't forget... ol' Pappy also departed office leaving to his successors the problem of Saddam Hussein. (A Saddam Hussein that "Bush the Elder" deliberately left in office... a Saddam Hussein "Bush the Elder" deliberately left as a murderous dictator supported by a purposefully left intact "Republican Guard.")

Remember all this, folks? I do. I lived it! I remember all this because I lived through the disgraceful "Bush the Elder" years. (Hell... I grew up during the Nixon era... followed by Ford... followed by Carter. My first vote at age 18 was proudly cast for Ronald W. Reagan in the 1980 Presidential Election!)

Anyway... enough of "Pappy." What's done is done. He is who he is. He was who he was.

(*SHRUG*)

To close on a positive note:

From his office in Dallas, George W. Bush issued a statement on Thursday defending both Mr. Cheney and Mr. Rumsfeld.

“I am proud to have served with Dick Cheney and Don Rumsfeld,” the younger Mr. Bush said. “Dick Cheney did a superb job as vice president and I was fortunate to have him by my side throughout my presidency. Don Rumsfeld ably led the Pentagon and was an effective Secretary of Defense. I am grateful to both men for their good advice, selfless service to our country, and friendship.”

For all his faults... at least "Dubya" has a bit of class... and apparently a measure of true loyalty.