George W. Bush made an appearance before the Economic Club of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and stated that he would waterboard people and invade Iraq again if given the chance, proving that he’s learned nothing from his most profound mistakes. So, what does he regret?
Bush said his greatest disappointment as president was failing to push through Social Security reform, a major campaign issue of his in 2004. Bush said Republican leadership balked at the proposal, saying it would cost them votes: “And the leadership of our party looked at me and said no.”
I was thinking about that quote when it occurred to me that the Republicans wound up losing almost every seat in both the House and the Senate that they were likely to lose if they pushed through Social Security privatization. I honestly don’t think they saved more than one or two seats by telling Bush ‘no.’ They should have told Bush ‘no’ on a lot of things, including torturing people and invading Iraq. But, they didn’t.
What’s sad and frightening is that Bush is looking increasingly like a moderate within his party. Part of this is a result of the Obama administration’s inability and, in some cases, lack of will to change some of Bush’s policies. But, mostly, it’s just that the GOP has become completely unhinged. I was particularly impressed by the spectacle of Dick Cheney coming out against Rand Paul only to see Paul win a resounding victory. Cheney is beginning to look moderate, too. His position on gay rights is to the left of all but a small handful of Republicans. And he doesn’t doubt that the president was born in Hawaii or openly question the theories of evolution, plate tectonics, or climate change.
Bush and Cheney opened a Pandora’s Box on the right. McCain compounded the problem immeasurably by picking Sarah Palin as his running mate and forcing the right to defend his choice.
Before long, Glenn Beck will be asking his listeners to give up their stupid conspiracy theories and embrace reality.
