Bush is beginning to remind me of Bela Lugosi in an old horror movie wherein as a vampire or mad scientist or loopy hypnotist, he gazes at you and says: "Look into mine eyes. You vill sleep, sleep, sleep."
Surrounded by scandal, Plamegate, Katrina, the Miers flame-out, an ideological war that has cost 2005 (as of this moment) American lives and has destroyed Iraq, a floundering economy, "greencake/Niger" forgery investigations on the other side of the Atlantic, investigations about DeLay, Frist and voter fraud in Ohio, he's been jumping like a cricket on a skillet telling us to "stay the course" and, even nuttier, that "everything is fine." He repeats the lines over and over again, hoping to lull us into sleep, sleep, sleep. Dubya? We're awake. Ain't gonna happen.
So, here are some choice Bush declarations from the last week as contrasted by the facts.
Before the Joint Armed Forces Officers' Wives' Luncheon at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C., Bush declared: "Every man and woman who volunteers to defend our nation in battle also deserves something else -- an unwavering commitment to the mission, and a clear strategy for victory. On the morning of September the 11th, 2001, we saw the destruction that terrorists intend for our nation. We know that they want to strike again. And our nation has made a clear choice: We will confront this mortal danger to all humanity. We will not rest or tire until the war on terror is won."
FACT: The 9/11 Commission concluded there was NO connection between the 9/11 attacks and Saddam Hussein.
Bush: "Some call this evil Islamic radicalism; others, militant Jihadism; still others, Islamo-fascism. Whatever it is called, this ideology is very different from the religion of Islam. This form of radicalism exploits Islam to serve a violent, political vision: the establishment, by terrorism, subversion and insurgency, of a totalitarian empire that denies all political and religious freedom. These extremists distort the idea of jihad into a call for terrorist murder against Christians and Hindus and Jews -- and also against Muslims who do not share their radical vision, whom they regard as heretics."
FACT: Muslims resent America's presence in the Middle East. A secret poll commissioned by senior British officers shows that millions of Iraqis believe that suicide attacks against Coalition troops are justified. The poll shows that up to 65 percent of Iraqi citizens support attacks and fewer than one percent think allied military involvement is helping to improve security in their country, the London Sunday Telegraph said.
Bush: "Some have argued that extremism has been strengthened by the actions of our coalition in Iraq, claiming that our presence in that country has somehow caused or triggered the rage of radicals. I would remind them that we were not in Iraq on September 11th, 2001, and al Qaeda attacked us anyway. The hatred of the radicals existed before Iraq was an issue, and it will exist after Iraq is no longer an excuse."
FACT: There were no insurgents in Iraq before our illegal invasion. And, again, September 11th and bin Laden, has (and had) nothing to do with Iraq.
Bush: "These extremists want to end American and Western influence in the broader Middle East, because we stand for democracy and peace, and we stand in the way of their ambitions. Al Qaeda's leader, Osama bin Laden, has called on Muslims to dedicate -- and I quote -- their 'resources, sons and money to driving the infidels out of our lands.' The tactics of al Qaeda and other Islamic extremists have been consistent for a quarter-century: They hit us, and expect us to run."
FACT: The west, most notably the United State, has exploited both the Middle East and it's people during the last twenty five years, cozying up to both bin Laden and Hussain when we needed them. When we didn't need them? We dropped them. As long as we made money, or exerted influence on their people, it was fine.
Bush: "Earlier this month, the world learned of a letter written by al Qaeda's number two leader, a man named Zawahiri, a letter he wrote to his chief deputy in Iraq, the terrorist Zarqawi. In it, Zawahiri points to Vietnam as a model for al Qaeda. He writes: 'The aftermath of the collapse of American power in Vietnam, and how they ran and left their agents, is noteworthy.' The terrorists witnessed a similar response after the attacks of American troops in Beirut in 1983, Mogadishu in 1993. They believe that America can be made to run again -- only this time, on a larger scale, with greater consequences."
FACT: Most experts believe the letter to be a forgery concocted by BushCo. I mean... these two guys are pen pals?
Bush: "The influence of Islamic radicalism is also magnified by helpers and enablers. They've been sheltered by authoritarian regimes -- allies of convenience like Syria and Iran -- that share the goal of hurting America and modern Muslim governments, and use terrorist propaganda to blame their own failures on the West, on America, and on the Jews."
FACT: The war in Iraq is going so badly that BushCo. needs one or two new diversions, Syria and Iran. We don't have the troops to back up Bush's bombast. It's braggart spin. On the plus side? We'll always have bird flu.
Bush: "Some have argued that extremism has been strengthened by the actions of our coalition in Iraq, claiming that our presence in that country has somehow caused or triggered the rage of radicals. I would remind them that we were not in Iraq on September 11th, 2001, and al Qaeda attacked us anyway. The hatred of the radicals existed before Iraq was an issue, and it will exist after Iraq is no longer an excuse."
FACT: Every non-partisan geo-political expert says that Bush has created the greatest training ground for radicals ever. And, there was never a connection between Saddam's secular dictatorship and Islamic radicals. Ever.
Bush: "And Islamic radicalism, like the ideology of communism, contains inherent contradictions that doom it to failure. By fearing freedom -- by distrusting human creativity and punishing change, and limiting the contributions of half the population -- this ideology undermines the very qualities that make human progress possible, and human societies successful. The only thing modern about the militants' vision is the weapons they want to use against us. The rest of their grim vision is defined by a warped image of the past -- a declaration of war on the idea of progress, itself. And whatever lies ahead in the war against this ideology, the outcome is not in doubt: Those who despise freedom and progress have condemned themselves to isolation, decline and collapse. Because free peoples believe in the future, free peoples will own the future."
FACT: Check out Gitmo, The Patriot Act, Cheney wanting to exempt the CIA from torture, Abu Ghraib, and the creation of The Department of Homeland Security. Heil! Is Bush describing OUR nation? Stop me while I spit out my vodka through my nose. Okay. I'm good, now.
Bush: "All of you also understand that sacrifice is essential to winning war -- and this war will require more sacrifice, more time, and more resolve. The terrorists are as brutal an enemy as we have ever faced, unconstrained by any notion of common humanity and by the rules of warfare. No one should underestimate the difficulties ahead; nor should they overlook the advantages we bring to this fight."
FACT: Bush has opened Pandora's Box. He doesn't know what to do. This guy is now the lead in a Stephen King novel.
Bush: "Some observers look at the job ahead and adopt a self-defeating pessimism. It's not justified. With every random bombing and every funeral of a child, it becomes more clear that the extremists are not patriots or resistance fighters -- they are murderers at war with the Iraqi people, themselves."
FACT: We're dropping bombs that include depleted uranium. These pieces of "garbage" will infect and kill hundreds of thousands of people for years to come. Not only will they kill children, they will kill and deform children of children for the next thirty years. But, hey, we're the good guys. What's a kid who winds up looking like a squid? We can get him a gig at Ringling Brothers, 'cause we have connections.
Bush: "Some observers also claim that America would be better off by cutting our losses and leaving Iraq now. This is a dangerous illusion, refuted by a simple question: Would the United States and other free nations be more safe, or less safe, with Zarqawi and bin Laden in control of Iraq, its people, and its resources? Having removed a dictator who hated free peoples, we will not stand by as a new set of killers, dedicated to the destruction of our country, seizes control of Iraq by violence."
FACT: There is no connection between Zarqawi and bin Laden. Bush has created this scenario. In the Iraqi poll reported by the Sunday Telegraph: "Andrew Robathan, a former member of the elite Special Air Service and the Conservative shadow defense minister, said Saturday night that the poll clearly showed a complete failure of government policy. The Iraqis want the U.S.-back troops out.
""This clearly states that the Government's hearts-and-minds policy has been disastrous. The coalition is now part of the problem and not the solution,' Robathan was quoted as saying."
Also, this week, a CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll said that, if there were to be a Presidential election today? 55% said they'd vote for ANY Democrat against Bush. 55% said Bush was tanking in his job. 55% said Bush is way off on the issues that mean something to their lives. 46% said Democrats could do a better job at handling Iraq. They also said that Democrats could do a better job at health care (59 percent to 30 percent), Social Security (56 percent to 33 percent), gasoline prices (51 percent to 31 percent) and the economy (50 percent to 38 percent).
Ah, but don't let the facts daunt Dubya. At a fund-raiser for the Republican National Committee at Mellon Auditorium in D.C., he crowed: "We understand that government ought to be limited, and that we ought to trust people to make decisions for their lives. We understand that the best way to grow an economy is to allow small business owners and entrepreneurs to keep more of their own money so they can invest and create jobs. We understand that this country has a duty to take care of those who hurt, and to lead the world in laying the foundation for peace. Ours is a party of vision, and ours is a party of accomplishment. And I want to thank you for supporting it."
FACT: Bush has ballooned the Federal bureaucracy more than any President. He has also ballooned the national deficit to the biggest in history.
Bush: "We stand for freedom. We believe that every man, woman and child in America should be free to worship as she or he feels."
FACT: Since Bush was anointed, right-wingnuts have been promoting Christianity as the true religion of America, ignoring all others. Bush, initially, referred to his 9/11 Afghanistan attack as a "Crusade." Ooops. Sorry, Muslims.
Bush: "Our economy is the fastest growing economy of any major industrialized nation."
FACT: The Labor Department reported Thursday that an additional 24,000 people who lost jobs because of the devastating Gulf Coast storms filed applications for unemployment benefits last week, pushing the total over the past eight weeks to 502,000 hurricane-related claims.
The weekly job losses from Katrina and Rita peaked at 108,000 in mid-September and have been trending lower since that time. However, analysts said Wilma, which hit Florida on Monday, cutting off power to millions of homes, will likely spark a renewed surge in jobless claims in coming weeks.
Bush: "One of my jobs is to make sure we never lose that spirit in America. One of my jobs is to call upon our citizens to serve. For those of you who have got loved ones in the United States military, I want you to thank them on behalf of a proud Commander-in-Chief, and tell them the American people stand squarely with those who wear the uniform."
FACT: In a new Wall Street Journal survey of 1,833 people from October 11-17, published by the newspaper on Tuesday, found that for the first time, a majority of respondents thought the Iraq war was the "wrong thing to do."
Bush: "We have got a resilient and strong economy."
FACT: The Labor Department reported Thursday that an additional 24,000 people who lost jobs because of the devastating Gulf Coast storms filed applications for unemployment benefits last week, pushing the total over the past eight weeks to 502,000 hurricane-related claims.
The weekly job losses from Katrina and Rita peaked at 108,000 in mid-September and have been trending lower since that time. However, analysts said Wilma, which hit Florida on Monday, cutting off power to millions of homes, will likely spark a renewed surge in jobless claims in coming weeks.
Bush: "As we make health care more accessible and affordable, we're strengthening the safety net."
FACT: Congress wants to cut $50 million from social services to pay for hurricane relief. On the table? Medicare. Medicaid. Food stamps. College loans. Damn you poor and/or old people.
Bush: "We've got a remarkable country when you think about it. I mean, think about a land where a person can come here from anywhere, or grow up in a -- in a neighborhood, maybe, where there's no hope, and they have a dream of starting their own business and creating wealth and raising a family and owning a home. It's possible in this country. It's not only possible; it's likely, if you work hard. That's the greatest thing about our country."
FACT: The Commerce Department said that orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket durable goods fell by 2.1 percent in September.
Economists had been expecting a pullback in durable goods orders after a big 3.8 percent increase in August, but the actual 2.1 percent decline was bigger than the 1.5 percent drop they had expected.
The percentage of families living in poverty is on the rise for the fifth straight year, under Bush. Ah, but things are going great, according to Bush for dreaming of "creating wealth." Just look at the oil companies.
High prices for oil and natural gas propelled Exxon Mobil Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell PLC to their best quarterly results ever on Thursday, with Exxon becoming the first U.S. company ever to ring up quarterly sales of $100 billion.
To put Exxon's performance into perspective, its third quarter revenue was greater than the annual gross domestic product of some of the largest oil producing nations, including the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. The world's largest publicly traded oil company also set a profit record for U.S. companies by posting net income of almost $10 billion, according to Standard & Poor's equity market analyst Howard Silverblatt.
At Shell, third-quarter net income grew 68 percent to $9.03 billion, compared with $5.37 billion a year earlier. Revenue at the Anglo-Dutch company rose 8 percent to $76.44 billion.
So, is EVERYbody happy? Uh, no.
Only forty-three percent of those asked by a Harris Interactive survey for The Wall Street Journal supported Bush's proposal to make tax cuts passed during his first mandate permanent, down from 52 percent in August.
Fifty percent disapproved of Bush's position on homeland security, against 43 percent who approved, the poll showed.
Additionally, 53 percent disagreed with his environmental policies with 34 percent backing them.
There's more in another survey.
Seventy-three percent of Americans lack confidence in their leaders and a majority believe the country would be better off with more women in power, a survey showed on Tuesday.
The survey by Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and the U.S. News & World Report also showed that 66 percent of Americans believe the United States faces a leadership crisis.
Bush: "There's always a temptation, in the middle of a long struggle, to seek the quiet life, to escape the duties and problems of the world, to hope the enemy grows weary of fanaticism and tired of murder. That would be a pleasant world -- but it isn't the world in which we live. The enemy is never tired, never sated, never content with yesterday's brutality. This enemy considers every retreat of the civilized world as an invitation to greater violence. In Iraq, there is no peace without victory -- and we will keep our nerve and we will win that victory."
FACT: You were on vacation, Dude, when a 9/11 alert was shoved in your face. You've been on more vacations than any other President in history. You were EATING CAKE when Katrina took out the Big Easy!!!!
Ah, to live in Bela Lugosi-inspired BushLand...where everything is fine and faux patriotism can be inspired by repetition.
But, unless, I'm mistaken, the majority of Americans vill not "sleep, sleep, sleep," anymore.
RING, RING, RING.
That's the alarm clock going off.
Hey, everybody? It's wakies' time.
Wake up, everybody. Our country depends on it.
We can't hit "snooze control," anymore.
Too many lives depend upon it, both here and abroad.