Bush's Potential Liberal, Progressive Legacy

Real progressives came from common people for fair treatment in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The above list of workers rights, electricity to all, clean drinking water, water, union newspapers that contained real news, public works projects, environmental protection and parks... are just a few of numerous changes made by American working class for a better country and communities. However, the new progressives have hijacked much of what they worked for and are funded by wealthy foundations that were opposed to equitable pay and living conditions and are led by wealthy individuals of left gatekeepers for other wealthy people like Rockefeller, Carnagie, et. al.. They are driving down wages through an onslaught of illegal immigration (original progressives came through legal immigration of the 1800s and early 1900s, as my grandparents and great grandparents did when they came to farm the midwest) and for H1-B visas. The progressive candidates vote for continued support for the MI complex and are oblivious to Eisenhower's farewell address. They promote pluralism and equal rights for everyone except the leadership themselves which can be found on the Council of Foreign Relations, National Association of Scholars (indoctrination of false values), think-tanks that support the status quo. Real Progressives will bring back America to the people and end the ignorance that has been perpetuated through the mass media and false leadership. The list was made by created by the representatives doing their job for the majority of the working men and women of this country who originated these ideas and not an elite group pretending to share the same ideas. Real progressives will take back the media and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to provide real news of real impact on our lives. Real Progressives don't hide on issues of terrorism and coverup criminal behavior of the Administration, Legislature and the Courts. No more fluff and circumstance like the current "progressives".

by Jim Reinhart (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 60 comments) on Tuesday, Nov 14, 2006 at 11:26:31 AM

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Firstly, I agree with you that had Tricky Dick not given in to his compulsions to be a wellspring of mendacity, he might well have achieved the legacy of which you wrote. He did do many daring deeds for the time. Whether those things were done of his own accord, or as a result of bowing to pressures from other places in his administration, the point remains that he did implement many progressive programs. And yes, lest we forget, he did go to China. I remember the news coverage at the time. Had he not wrapped himself up with Liddy and the rest of the White House "plumbers", he would most likely be remembered in even more glowing terms than Ronny Ray-Gun. Now for the points of contention... While Bush is, indeed, known to be a quitter and a loser, he's also paradoxically known for his stubbornness. It will be much more difficult for him to assert such stubbornness in light of the recent message from American voters and the political make up of Congress. While DUBYA may be many things: intellectually vacant, verbally challanged, and a pathological liar, he is not a quitter. His many businesses died, but as far as I know, he never quit. He had his ass pulled out of the fire numerous times by daddy and daddy's buddies from Saudi Arabia, but he never quit. If only he were a quitter. We'd probably all be in a better place than we are. It would, indeed, be a shame if Bush, like Nixon, gains a reputation for implementing progressive programs and/or avoiding conflict, possibly nuclear conflict, with Iran and/or North Korea. However, the alternative is unacceptable. What "progressive programs" has DUBYA implemented? Besides his anything but conservative spending habits, he has done nothing to further any progressive programs. Further, in the time he has left, I don't see him putting any into operation. While it is true that the Democratic congress may have a few progressive acts up their sleeves, I don't think that DUBYA will ever shake the revulsion with which history is sure to judge him, his actions, and inaction. Nixon had time before he was caught with his hands in the cookie jar to establish some measure of political successes before his downfall. The same cannot be said for DUBYA. Had it not been for 9/11, DUBYA would have gone down in history as an even larger and more ineffectual lame duck than his father. Ironically, it was the thing that ended his lame duck status that laid the groundwork for his eventual political downfall. Yes, while 9/11 broke the sleepiness of DUBYA's administration, it also began the juggernaut of mendacity, hypocrisy, and treason for which said administration will always be identified. While the potential exists for these final two years of DUBYA's reign to smooth many things over, and even bring forth a few progressive programs, I can't see any of those theoretical progressive programs to be given to him. The Iraq War and Hurricane Katrina will be inextricably linked to him more so than any possible progressive agenda. His history has already been written in the blood of thousands of lost lives here and abroad. Nothing will ever remove those stains. Given his propensity to stomp his feet while having a tantrum, I don't think he'd even have the intellectual capacity to realize he needs to try to do something to moderate how history will judge him. Blessed be! Pappy

by Pappy (61 articles, 0 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 860 comments [5 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Nov 14, 2006 at 12:11:06 PM

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