Hi Sun. I also see the danger of a George Bush who becomes swollen with a sense of himself and forgets that he was initially a figurehead. He could become even more isolated from an understanding of the limitations of power and he could become even more ideologically blinded.
My hope is that the congress and real conservatives will increase their efforts to rein him in. I expect more frequent "leaks" of information which undermines his policies and increased resistance from a congress that is more willing to say "we can't afford this and we think it's foolhardy." After all, if Bush takes the country to the edge of the cliff, they will share the blame and the consequences.
In the meantime, hold onto your rights for the next 25 years because the Supreme Court may become radical in interpreting the constitution. Rights of the accused, limits on the power of the executive branch, separation of church and state; remember when those were jealously guarded by the courts?
And when will our policy of using blunt military force at a huge cost to civilians in the middle east come home to bite us? Every action creates a reaction and it's scary to think about the likely reactions over the next decade or two.
Know of any good islands?
Well at least we're spared the toil of thinking about the choices our country will make over the next four years. This election will soon be seen as having handed power over all three branches of government; judicial, legislative and executive, to a very right wing and ideologically grounded segment of our society.
It was a perfect storm of 9/11 based fears and anger, brilliant long range political planning and a weak democratic opposition that trusted Americans too little to come out and speak plainly. As with all storms, however, the sun eventually comes out and we start rebuilding.
In the meantime, watch out for the removal of Powell, the continued promotion of generals in the military who are distinguished by their remarkable ability to kiss ass and take orders, and the promotion of Condi Rice to a more important position where she can once again prove that you can absorb a lot of knowledge and still be incapable of creative thought or good judgement. Ed |
