I'm reading Kevin Phillips' incredible chronology of the dubious dealings of the Bastards Bush. All I can say is, "Wow. These guys are even worse than I ever imagined."
Anyone who is familiar with my omments knows that I was fervently for Dean and have only slowly come to accept Kerry's nomination. My dislike for Kerry is intense (please, Kerry-ites, I don't need a litany of all the investigations he's led, or a lecture on how good he is on the environment. I don't care). To me, Kerry epitomizes the stereotype of otherwise mythical "tax and spend Democrat"; while his policy stances are near and dear to my heart, his aloof nature, lackluster campaigning, and long tenure/little accomplishment record in the Senate screams "out-of-touch liberal."
That said, I'm currently reading Kevin Phillips' masterpiece "American Dynasty" on the Bush family. I'm not far into it, but the book lays out in disgusting detail the corruption of the Bush family, both financial and political, that goes back for decades. Mind you, Kevin Phillips is an old-line for Republican whose disdain for Bush is unlimited. He talks about how, in an effort to "restore" the House of Bush to the presidency, Dauphin George consciously eschewed his mainline Establishment Episcopalian upbringing, casting his lot with the Evangelical Protestants in a naked appeal to the "moral vote." Phillips also discusses the genesis of Bush Jr.'s "tax-cut heals all wounds" philosophy, the the natural metamorphosis from what Phillips calls the "Texanomics" of abjectly low levels of social spending and a winner-takes-all Social Darwinist culture.
Phillips sees a sense of entitlement to the office of President that runs in the Bush family, dating back to Grandpa Prescott. Why else Bush Sr., a man whose electoral success prior to winning the VP/Presidency was a short tenure as a Congressman, deem himself fit for the most powerful position in the world? Why else would Bush Jr. and Jeb, both failures in business, see themselves as worthy to lead two of the country's largest and most important states?
The author notes that the Bush family avoids using the term "dynasty" and much prefers to talk about "legacy," as in the family's "legacy of public service." This up-ends the true meaning of service, as better exemplified most the family's closest analog, the Kennedys. Say what you will about Edward Moore, but Ted has done more to uplift society at its lowest levels than most (including the Bushes) could ever imagine. And unlike the Kennedys, the Bushes don't care. Their purpose for winning public office has always been, and will continue to be, aggrandizement for its own interests and that of their friends.
These people disgust me. This morning I'm donating $1000 directly to the Kerry Campaign. Care to join me?