Still Crazy After All These Years

While many of us marvel at the disaster that the Bush II Administration has been with respect to American foreign policy and with respect to our Constitutional values, we sometimes forget just what an unmitigated disaster the Bush II Administration has been with respect to the national economy and American fiscal integrity. Well, no more… because today it is announced that the President who inherited a budget surplus from his predecessor appears on track to break his own record for budget deficit with a staggering $482 billion deficit predicted for the coming fiscal year. Revenues would be expected to be down in a recession, of course, but (tax cuts for the rich) throw (uncontrolled Iraq war spending) in (tax cuts for the rich) other (tax cuts for the rich) factors (tax cuts for the rich)… and one isn’t surprised at the ultimate result. Small wonder the President will be traveling to Beijing for the start of the Olympics: best keep our financiers happy! Crazy, no?
A Justice Department Inspector General report confirmed what we already knew: the Justice Department under the Bush Administration, under the helpful guidance of Onward-Christian-Soldierbot Monica Goodling, broke various laws pertaining to civil service hiring rules, and that sanctions (though I doubt well-deserved jail time, not just for Ms. Goodling herself, but for her White House master Mr. Rove and her look-the-other-way-enabler, Mr. Gonzales) may be meted out. Crazy, no?
And finally, Bob “Prince of Darkness” Novak disclosed that he has a brain tumor. This comes about a week after Novak mowed down a pedestrian in Washington and fled the scene only to be stopped by a bicyclist (the pedestrian appeared not to be too badly hurt, thank God, and it is unclear if Novak’s medical condition contributed to perception problems). Despite a lengthy career in journalism as a noted right-wing voice and Republican go-to guy, Novak is best known for outing Valerie Plame as a covert CIA agent (thereby ending her career and possibly sending American operatives and their contacts to their deaths, all to advance Karl Rove’s Republican talking points at the time.) Well, unlike, say, Jesse Helms, if pushed, I’m sure I can nonetheless find something nice to say about Novak. Hey… I always found amusing on The McLaughlin Group. There you go! I certainly don’t wish him a terminal disease. Like Teddy Kennedy, who I believe is also 77 and also suffered a brain tumor, Novak was diagnosed while on a trip to Cape Cod and examined and treated in Boston… crazy, no?
This has been… “Still Crazy After All These Years.”