The Madness of George the Third

The United States has had three Presidents named George. The first, the venerable George Washington, the man who could have been king or even president for life, but had higher goals for our newborn nation than for himself.

The second, of course, was George Herbery Walker Bush, who is sadly best remembered only for the first Gulf War and his infamous "read my lips" promise which was later doomed to be broken.

And the third, our current president, George W. Bush, who sometimes behaves as if he were a king; especially lately with his displeasure over Senate proceeding concerning his appointees. This morning's news related that he was angry that the Senate had not voted to approve John Bolton as UN ambassador. This up-down vote did not take place because Democrats had not received relevant documents that they had requested from the White House itself! He has some control over this situation, declined to cooperate, and now complains about outcome.

Perhaps someone should remind His Resoluteness that he was elected President, not Supreme Dictator; and that if he's going to successfully promote democracy abroad, he might want to try practicing some of it here at home first. It's easier to sell a product if you've used it yourself.

The original George III, of course, was the King of England when we signed the Declaration of Independence and entered the Revolutionary War. He is also known for going a bit mad in latter years of his reign due to illness, as well as political and family challenges. Like our current George, he had his moments of resoluteness, he was against civil rights for Roman Catholics, passed a decree that he had to approve the marriage choices of the royal family, and of course opposed the independence of his American colonies. His lack of political skills and tack made it impossible for him smooth over the difference between the Whig and Tories in his own government. And he was even accused of trying to use his authority in unconstitutional way to strengthen his own power.

But as today's green button link shows, George III was not the unreasonable tyrant he's portrayed to be in American history books. He was a loving husband to his queen, and the father of 15 children. He was an avid reader, with a great interest in science and agriculture.

And all that nasty taxation without representation mostly came from a Parliment that was desperately trying to balance their national budget in a time when there was no income tax to help fund the royal coffers. And this ogre of our Revolution honed and developped pragmatic political skills, and was a popular king in his own nation.

Our George the Third sees everything in a black and white Us (Republicans, Big Business, and the Religious Right) versus Them (Democrats, Liberals, and Terrorists) universe; there are no shades of gray, no Technicolor in his worldview. He demands rather than debates; coerces rather than compromises; and seems indignantly surprised when free members of this great nation dare to expose a different point of view, be they members of Congress or the everday working citizens he and his party seem to have forgotten.

And within his own party, he demands an unwavering loyalty. And history shows that such Orwellian "goodthink" politics tends to take a nation down a rather dark path indeed. And it's certainly not the kind of politic mentality I thought I'd ever find in my own country. It reminds me of the Politburo politics in the former Soviet Union, and stories of dissidents being sent to work camps in Siberia.

Recent polls show a decline in the publics approval of both the President and Congress. And some members of Congress are taking notice; hence the compromise that diffused the "nuclear option" and the new stem cell research bill passed by the House of Representatives. The tides of politics, like their marine counterparts, are ever-shifting; and wise members of both parties are taking notice.

The President and the party faithful, of course, continue to ignore the polls and the American people. And it's a shame, because in the long run, they are hurting their own party; as well as the country they claim to love.

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Gratitude Part 2: A Postscript to Yesterday's Post

This past week seven Republican joined seven Democrats in a compromise that averted (albeit rather temporarily) the so-called "nuclear option" to eliminate judicial filibusters. Frist and other Republicans, are now calling it the "constitutional option" (another Orwellian lesson, if it's unpopular call it by a different, friendlier name), and will attempt to invoke it again. After all, it's their way or no way.

But these seven stood chose principle over party. And some Republicans likely believe they have committed political suicide. Whatever the final outcome of the filibuster debate, these seven deserve our thanks and our support:

Mike DeWine, R-Ohio
Susan Collins, R-Maine
Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I.
John McCain, R-Ariz.
John Warner, R-Va.
Olympia Snowe, R-Maine
Ken Salazar, R-Colo

So use the Write to Congress link, or go to their websites and write to them today.