Centerfield

I don't disagree with the overall tone of the article. But I will say that, in an incredibly rare show of optimism, that these problems can be overcome. An not just by throwing money at them.

Bush needs to lock Rove and Cheney in the closet, and start talking to people who actually know something beside political infighting. Heck, ask Powell to come back. Start listening to the state department, the CDC, The Corp. of Engineers and The National Hurricane center. The national academy of science is there for a reason. Listen to what they have to say rather than fight with them. Plenty of good advice is available on all these subjects.

I knew people who worked for FEMA for years, but left when Brownie took control. They were so upset about the destruction of the agency they couldn't bring themselves to talk about it.

It's time to quit using preconceived notions that are not based on fact.

He needs to quite applying politics to science, and start applying science to the politics.

Posted by: Bob J Young at October 29, 2005 03:55 PM

ooooh good one. I thought of that angle when I messaged you but figured the razor blades were enough. There was a time in the Carter admin when one thought that things were not looking up, when the Russians invaded Afghanistan. Nuclear doom and gloom was in the air. However towards the end of his term I thought things were looking up. Oil imports were dropping, Volker came in and the Fed started to do something about inflation (although not by much)etc.

Overall I think Noonan whines too much about the president being overloaded. It's like saying Bush is a victim of circumstance. Frankly, on my second reading, this was a lot of apologism.

The Bush administration faces many problems of its own making. Cheney's minimalist military policy has proven to be a disaster in Iraq, not to mention the lack of post-war planning, graft and corruption around the billions being sunk into there, let alone starting the war in the first place. FEMA is in need of a FEMA of its own, just to take care of it. Then there's the deficits. What I think is unprintable and could acquire the attention of certain government agencies which I do not want to be on familiar terms with.

There's a general sense that the only people that have benefited from the past 5 years are the wealthy, that whatever growth there has been has bypassed a lot of people in the middle class and at the bottom. To wit I remind everyone that we ended up with more than a million people joining the ranks of the poor last year. I think I'm typical of middle class earners - income up slightly, costs such as health care, food, gas, education up a heck of a lot more, I don't care what the CPI says, I'm falling behind.

There's much more that I think the administration could have avoided. Why they chose this path can be summed up by an almost unyielding ideology and lots of hubris. Maybe what worries Noonan is the "Carterization" of Bush and the GOP and the unenviable legacy they leave.

Still in some ways she's right. I don't get the idea that we are on the right track anymore. I don't feel too optimistic about my daughter's future. I do believe that we can still change things for the better but that it would take changes that the corporatists who are enjoying a lot of influence in government right now would have conniption fits over. So forget real, timely change. It won't happen until the problems get really, really bad and that instead of proactive easy choices, we'll have to make massive cold, hard choices.

Posted by: Marcus at October 29, 2005 04:12 PM

I agree sanity has left the building. A couple of minor changes could make a big difference. But I don't expect anything this year. My money is on next November. The graphs are showing an even more kick ass hurricane season. Rumor has it that the oil companies are considering abandoning the gulf. To expense to operate there, easier picking elsewhere. Thats going to make oil shoot up again and make us even more vulnerable.

A couple more major coastal cities destroyed along with their ports may wake people up.
Oil bad, Small car good, electric car niiiice.

Posted by: Bob J Young at October 29, 2005 06:12 PM

If Bush is the new Carter, can the Democrats come up with a new Reagan?

That would be nice. But I think there's a far greater likelihood of the Democrats coming up with a new mega-Carter. Or that the 2008 election will be between the Carter of the left and the Carter of the right. (Sort of like 2004, come to think of it.)

Posted by: David Fleck at October 29, 2005 06:36 PM

Then let's hope they come up with a Clinton instead.

Posted by: Marcus at October 29, 2005 07:12 PM

Interesting. The parallel I've been curious about is Truman. Trying to live in the legacy of a legend (Roosevelt vs. Reagan). Fighting a new kind of war (cold war vs war on terror). Stuck in an unpopular war as part of that new kind of war (Korea vs. Iraq). Now Bush is a known lame duck; Truman didn't become lame until his first electoral failures in '52. Obviously many other differences.

So I'd ask who's the Democrats new Eisenhower.

Posted by: C3 at October 29, 2005 11:11 PM

how about an old one, Jack Kemp?

Posted by: Marcus at October 30, 2005 01:57 AM

The Noonan article hit home for me. It something that has been bothering me for a long time. I'm guilty of the "I've got mine" attitude (or at least when I get "all of it I can" I will be. And I guess most of us are guility of it to a certian extent. In a finite world that is percieved to be nearing the end of its easily garnered resources this attitude extends beyond the haves all the way down to the "got some of" its. It has gotten so bad we are showing signs of being willing to eat our own young (in a fisical sense). I'm not sure I agree the the wheels are in immediate danger of coming off the trolley. But there is an uncomfortable silence at the end of an honest dialogue about the course our society is on.

However, I think she has it upside down. And Rick is asking the wrong question. The presidency can't function the way it was meant to in a nation where individual "rights" are the end all of everything, no matter who is in charge. The change has to come from the bottom up if there is going to be one. We are looking to our institutions for answers when we should be looking closer to home. Here's hoping that is possible.

Posted by: Dennis at October 30, 2005 05:31 PM

Did anyone catch this week's Time mag article on retirement and the pension fund rip-offs?

yes, more slit your wrist stuff, courtesy the bought and paid for Congress.

Posted by: Marcus at November 1, 2005 02:47 PM