Today's Whopper

I believe that the two-party system is a good one. I believe that the party in power needs others to debate policies. In other words, I believe in the necessity of a "loyal opposition."

However, today on "Meet the Press" the Senate's leader of the Republicans, Mitch McConnel, simply lied. He knew that he was lying, too. He stated that the United States "has the best health care system in the world." The moderator fortunately called him on this one, commenting that the only category in which the United States' health care system is # 1 is in cost. Not in life expectancy, infant mortality or a host of other indicators is the United States anywhere near # 1.

We deserve better than this if the Republicans are to fancy themselves as "the loyal opposition." That Senator Mitch McConnel openly lied on Meet the Press needs to be widely known.

Bush, Rove and the Bush Presidency

Among the magazines I read is The Atlantic Monthly. It's a great magazine that covers many consequential subjects. Sometimes many months worth stack up, but I try to get to each issue sooner or later. In the September 2007 issue, much of which is centered around the theme of "Lessons of a Failed Presidency," is an interesting article by Josua Green called "The Rove Presidency." If there is any one reason that stands above the rest, Green contends, it is that Karl Rove operated his time in the White House the way he worked actual elections -- he steamrollered his way to success. When he shifted from trying to get Bush elected to trying to effect policy, he continued with this steamroller attitude, and it didn't work with Congress. He alienated most of the House and the Senate. Green also states in the concluding paragraph:

"The Bush administration made a virtual religion of the belief that if you act boldly, others will follow in your wake. That certainly proved to be the case with Karl Rove, for a time. But for all the fascination with what Rove was doing and thinking, little attention was given to whether or not it was working and why. This neglect encompasses many people, though one person with far greater consequences than all the others. In the end, the verdict on George W, Bush may be as simple as this: He never questioned the big, booming voice of Oz, so he never saw the little man behind the curtain."