Seattle Press on Line - Bush's Clown Routines

Jim Hightower

Jim Hightower

Bush's Clown Routines

By Jim Hightower

Apr 04, 2002 -- The plutocratic autocracy that is the Bush White House has been imperiously dismissive of America's Constitutional systems of checks and balances, attempting to govern by executive fiat. Now, we're beginning to see why Bush & Co. are so fearful of any congressional, media, or public probing into their autocratic governance: These guys are Bozos!

Take Dick Cheney's slapstick effort to hide the names of the oil and utility executives who wrote the administration's energy bill -- his whole shtick is a take-off on Abbott & Costello's "Who's on First" routine. Then there's Bush's hilarious underground government, reminiscent of the circus stunt in which a tiny car drives out to the center ring, stops, and amazingly, a couple of dozen clowns come tumbling out--only George reverses the stunt by having about 150 top government officials disappear down into a hidden bunker where he has set-up his very own secret government.

But the funniest shuck-and-jive by the Bushites has been their tapdance to keep their new Homeland Security Czar, Tom Ridge, from reporting to congress. While Bush has touted Ridge as a sort of super-cabinet officer overseeing a $37 billion domestic police effort, he refuses to let Ridge testify publicly, asserting that Ridge is a mere "advisor" whose work is exempt from congressional oversight. Maybe he's hiding Ridge because we don't seem to be getting much for our 37 billion bucks. So far, Ridge's only contribution to our security has been his recent announcement that henceforth America will be protected by (drumroll, please): A color-coded terrorist warning system. Like kindergartners with a box of crayons, Ridge and crew will now color their warnings of terrorist threats, ranging from cool green to hot red. Czar Ridge says we're now a yellow--though there's no suggestion of whether this means we should go the beach or run for the hills.

This is Jim Hightower saying ... George W. should cut the clowning and remember that ours is a Constitutional republic, not his personal fiefdom.

Jim Hightower's column appears courtesy of AlterNet.

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bob Mar 04, 2004 sydney IT
Uh...Ed...yeah, forget about all this political mumbo jumbo... who cares if the USA's economy and constitution are going down the tubes due to the ineptitude and outright criminal activity of the current administration. Go about your obviously much more important 'drama about a clown'. BTW, is it an autobiography? Keep up the good work Jim!

ray Mar 18, 2004 africa scoool
i was looking on the web 4 a drama assignment and this crap pops up u guys r a complete waste of time