I just read a analysis piece over at MSNBC that really shocked me with the sort of naked truth that it casually discussed without recognizing it's inherent ugliness. The article Can Bush resuscitate Little Brother? is about the immense amount of political muscle George Bush Jr. has exerted since taking office to get his brother Jeb reelected. A partial list/excerpt:
"Since winning the White House, Bush has ordered Karl Rove, his political consiglieri, to spare no effort to get Jebbie re-elected -- even if doing so risks creating political complications elsewhere. The Bush White House has banned oil drilling off the coast of Florida, even while encouraging it elsewhere. It has funneled money to the Everglades rescue project. It has kept the Pentagon "Central Command" in Tampa. And Rove recently blocked an effort by GOP farm state senators to open Cuba to American grain shipments-- a move opposed by Florida's virulently anti-Castro Cuban exile community. Farm state GOP candidates were furious."
What boggled my mind is that these sort of things don't inspire outrage in most people. Forget partisanship...what is described above is corrupt abuse of power, and that the press and electorate will not recognize and abhor it is a telltell sign that we are jaded and corrupt ourselves, that we have lost sight of what it means to live in a just society and that our society is one that is ruled not by order and ethics, but by power, convenience and greed.
And don't think for a minute that Gore would have been any better. This is not a problem of the Republicans or Democrats, but of our political system.
EDIT: I wrote this on the 16th, but forgot to hit the Publish button... doh! Moved to the 16th after this was published on the 17th mistakenly.
Posted by illovich at October 16, 2002 08:18 PM