So far, 2007 has been a pretty dismal year aside from the economy, which seems to continue trucking along despite unending bad news on the political front. But gas prices are up, home sales are dwindling, and a credit crunch may be on the horizon - so cross your fingers, knock on wood, or rub that rabbit's foot to help keep the economy from tanking by summertime. What this country needs right now is a fresh start, an Easter present, and the best one I can dream of is a joint resignation of our president and vice president.
Following January's installation of the Democratic party's congressional majority, Bush had one last chance to be a statesman. He could have put a smile on his face and all the big issues on the table. He could have asked the Democrats to put their best offers out for each of them, and then started a negotiating process. He could have sold his "surge" with a set of hard conditions for the Iraqi government and a timetable for withdrawal if the conditions were not met. He could have set a quiet tone for rhetoric and political tomfoolery, forcing the Democrats to quiet down or be seen as the instigators of unrest when great possibilities were out there for the taking.
But our illustrious leader did none of these things - no smiles, no offers, no prospect for ending the Iraq occupation, and no end to his sneering or his blatant political hirings and firings. He began his last two years in office with actions that have assurred two years of no progress and a continuation of his free fall in the polls. As the Iraq war continues to lose support on the Republican side and a potential recession looms, he faces the political equivalent of going "belly up" before his term ends. Newspapers may start posting the number of days left in his presidency on the front page, every day... is there any honorable way out of this quicksand?
In the interest of preserving some dignity and honor for this administration, I suggest that President Bush and Vice President Cheney resign as an Easter present to the country. This, of course, would hand over the presidency to Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House, thereby giving Democrats control of the country almost two years before they will almost certainly take control. This surprise move would force the Democrats to actually do some things prior to the 2008 elections, and give the country some indication as to whether or not they deserve to consolidate power at that time. The stature of both men would improve substantially as a consequence of this selfless act.
Being a religious man, the president could couch the decision in terms of promoting peace in the country and the world - burying the hatchet, so to speak. He could quote Jesus, who on nearing Jerusalem grieved that those around him could not find the way to peace. On this Easter, George Bush and Dick Cheney could start for home with the admonition that those following them make a new start by choosing the way to peace, at home and abroad. And near the end of his speech, he could ask that Rush Limbaugh, Matt Drudge, Michael Savage, James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, and all their close friends give the new administration a free pass for at least six months as a gesture of good will and Christian love.
Yes, Easter is a time of new beginnings. Let it be so!
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3 comments:
Course on the other hand, Howard Dean could pass around the Kool-Aid and all the Democrats in Congress could take a swig so they could all catch the Spaceship that followed in that last comet.
LH,
I love the optimism inherent in this post. New beginnings indeed.
First...I appreciate your comments. I don't agree with your position it seems on almost everything but the discourse IS appreciated.
About the economy..Bush's tax cuts (opposed by Democrats who still want to roll them back) have jump started the recession that started in Clinton's last year's. The Bush economy has outperformed Clinton's especially when 9/11 and corporate scandals are taken into consideration. The housing market is a lot more complex than you seem to know. Try buying a house in Westchester County if you don't believe me.
In Utah, prices are up 21% from just last year alone.
Also, although new-home sales have diminished, the sale of pre-existing homes remains strong.
And yes, I know new-home sales have a bigger impact on the economy. But it's not the doomsday you have forecasted.
You were an officer in the U.S. Army. You probably served in many of the same units my father did...Fort Campbell, Fort Benning, Fort Hood, Fort Leavenworth USCGSC, and so on. One thing my father taught me was that doing the right thing and doing the popular thing were often completely different.
I'm amazed that a former military member doesn't recognize the consequences of leaving Iraq job unfinished.
Next, Bush did make overtures towards the Democratic Party but maybe you missed the State of the Union address. It is the Democrats who have "drawn a line in the sand", not Bush. Reid and Pelosi purposely took extreme positions, knowing full well Bush would not agree.
Again, maybe you forgot the pledge Democrats made for the first 100 days in office. What have they accomplished? Other than a resolution (filled with pork...doesn't that bother you?)
that has no chance of passing.
Nancy Pelosi has somehow misplaced her job description and believes she has been elected Prime Minister. The Constitution gives the President SOLE responsibility for negotiation of international agreements. There seems to be a double standard when it comes to which party violates the Constitution.
Gas prices are up? Yet you don't see the correlation between recent events in Iran and the price of oil. When Iran develops nuclear weapons because the Democratic Party handcuffed the president, don't complain when gas prices shoot up even further. We could have tapped into large oilfields in Alaska but again the Democratic Party was able to stop drilling the North Slope.
Finally, anyone who believes that Bush and Cheney should resign is being a little naïve. The vacuum in power that it would create would cause more damage than any positive effects (which I don't agree) that might occur.
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