j + j travelblog

So Fucking Disappointed

Can someone please enlighten me? I simply am at a loss to come up with a viable explanation for how the majority of Americans voted for a regime with the following to its credit:

• Fiscal (Ir)responsibility: Went from a $5 trillion budget surplus to a projected $5 trillion deficit (a $10 TRILLION SWING). Instituted the largest tax cut since Reagan, following that up with two additional cuts, primarily aimed at benefiting the top income bracket. Dollar has fallen to record lows and shows no sign of recovery due in part to rightly placed concerns over US´s ability to get out of debt.
• Economic (Ill-)health: the first presidency in since Truman to see fewer net jobs then when he entered office. Has presided over a largely jobless recovery, with only the last two quarters (barely) witnessing more job creation than increases in the workforce
• Iraq: One could write a 1,000 page treatise on this one and still have ground to cover. Pressured our own supposedly independent agencies to come up with any shred of evidence to suggest the hint of WMD to serve the regimes economic (the largest consumer of oil sure could use the assurance that the country with the world´s second largest reserves is available eh?) and political (let Iraq be a beacon of democracy for its neighbors!) goals. Ignored the sound reasoning of Allies to confirm WMD that never existed, chastising them like a petulant child at their refusal. Implemented a decent plan for toppling those in power, though it´s questionable if the regime had much of a plan for nation building (which is surprising given how wonderful our Gov has proven at it in the past). Now left with a quagmire with no clear end in sight with the country in complete disarray, arguably more suitable for nuturing terrorist cells then when Saddam was in power. Not to mention the cost, both in $ and lives...with one survey pegging Iraqi civilian casualties in excess of 100,000 (and counting).
• Foreign Policy: Let´s start with 9/11. Instead of using the tragedy to bring sensible nations and peoples together, remained true to the oversimplifying, every-thing-is-black-or-white mentality that colors all its policies and polarized the world by declaring "you´re either with us or against us" and went as far as to use the word "crusade" when referring to his war on terror (which he quickly recanted...for whatever THAT was worth). Went on to stoke additional hatred and potential disaster with his inane "axis of evil" bullshit. Pulled out of the nuclear test ban treaty with Russia, has done little to broker peace between Israel and Palestine (some might argue has actually hurt the effort with its unequivocable support for Sharon), thumbed his nose at the UN countless times, etc. etc. Is it any wonder that a 2004 survey among EU citizens voted Iran, Israel and the United States as the three countries threatening world peace the most?
• (Un)Civil Liberties: Instituted the Patriot Act, whose sneak and peak provisions allow for the unannounced surveillance of suspected terrorists in just about any setting, including private residence (an Oregon attorney whose fingerprints were similar to a suspect in the Madrid bombings had "suspicious documents" (his son´s Spanish homework) removed from his home unbenknowst to him and was then arrested and detained in solitary confinement for two weeks without access to an attorney. Asscroft and his henchmen went as far as recommending a citizen´s taskforce, rewarding those who turned in the neighbors on suspicion of terrorist activities (quickly rescinded after it was leaked to the press) . This kind of shit makes "1984" look like Reader´s Digest.
• Environmental (Destruction) Policy: made the US the only Industrialized Nation to reject the Kyoto protocols...even RUSSIA assented! Has done little to encourage alternative energy R&D, rather has aided his fellow Texans and VP by pushing for opening up Alaska...now there´s a solution for ya! Appointed those lobbying AGAINST environmental-friendly policy to key EPA posts...the EPA has since allowed lawsuits against oil/gas/power companies to disappear and has starved other initiatives, loosened regulations on formerly protected lands, etc etc
• Health Care(less): Despite spending more on Health Care than any other nation on the planet the U.S. Health Care system is ranked 37th in the world.
• And let´s not forget the unabashed cronyism (i.e. the no-bid contract for Haliburton, of which Dick still ownes over a $1m in stock options), unashamed mingling of church and state at every turn, the politicising of what should be non-partisan institutions such as the FBI, CIA, Armed Forces (which has led to more in-fighting than has been witnessed in recent history), Guantanamo Bay civil rights fiasco (land of the free supporting 100s of prisoners being held w out charge and w out right to legal council) and perhaps above all, their insistance on never admitting a mistake or changing directions when logic and sound reasoning (perhaps THAT´s the problem!) point to the need to.

So how is it that after this long and infamous list, which does not even scratch the surface of the atrocities committed by this regime, that Dubya and Dick are back for round II? Who are these people masquerading as my fellow countrymen? Are the 52-odd percent of those that voted for Bushy all Jerry-springer-watching, bible belt wearing, homophobic, fox news addicts who put the fear of Osama ahead of conscience?

I wonder if it would be feasible to start a referendum to separate the West Coast, New England and States around the Great Lakes into its own country. Then again, there´s always Europe or Canada...