Volley #2 - Bush is a Moron? So are most politicians...

ALL Politicians are morons...

All right, now that we've got that out of the way...

I just cannot believe the hoopla, horseshit and hyperbole that's been flying around the assorted news media in this last week regarding the indelicate remarks made by the so-called 'Communications Director' - pardon me, the *former* Communications Director Françoise Ducros - of our often-not-so-esteemed Prime Minister. Yes, it wasn't polite. Did it merit this level of screaming and hysterical denunciation that it's been getting? No. Emphatically, no.

For anybody who thinks it's always been warm and touchy-feely between Canada and US leaders, and that this is some strange and freakish aberration, check out this link on the CBC website. A quick perusal will show that the Canadian Prime Minister and the U.S. president have rarely been the best of friends. However, up until now, even when the two have disliked each other, it's always retained at least the veneer of civility and a professional relationship. Even if they disliked each other, they at least respected each other's position.

This time around, not only is that veneer missing, but it's been gleefully stripped off by the media so that they can parade their slanted and inflammatory views around in glorious full frontal nudity in order to gain ratings with the TV audiences. It's been blown out of all proportion by both the Canadian Press, and by the media elsewhere. Why? There's nothing to be gained by it, on either side.

Bush got called a moron. This is news? I've heard him called worse, and in American press items too. Further, there seemed to be tacit widespread agreement from the U.S. populace at large - it was acknowledged repeatedly that Shrub wasn't too swift on the uptake on some things, and didn't even know where some of the countries he was making policy decisions about were. Bush also has a bad habit of speaking before engaging his brain - or have people forgotten the incident at a campaign rally where Bush was clearly heard on a microphone and loudspeaker calling a reporter an asshole. So then - it's acceptable for leaders to be opinionated and ignorant boors, but nobody else can be? Give me a break.

There's two things at work here, in my opinion. First, is that the press has gotten desperate for any kind of a story. Amity between countries is boring, so they grab the first sensational thing they can find and magnify it past any real possible relevance it might have had. There's been far too much sensationalism in print and broadcast media lately - it's time the various networks and journalists started behaving with even a modicum of self-restraint and responsibility. Heaping coal on the fires of hysterical misinformation campaigns doesn't help anyone - witness the shrill carpings that took place on CNN's 'Crossfire' the other night as proof. They weren't interested in informed debate, they just wanted a platform to pontificate from in order to hurl vitriolic bombast at Canada. There's a dreadful lack of respect for anybody in both the media and the general populace out there lately, and I think it's a sad commentary on where we're all headed.

The second factor at work here is that in the aftermath of the events of September 11th, 2001, Bush's shaky public image has suddenly somehow been rehabilitated. Someone who could do very little right prior to that date is suddenly able to do no wrong as far as the American public is concerned - at least, as far as the American public that gets air or print time is concerned. There seems to me to be an unhealthy and covert pressure in the U.S. now to support Bush no matter what, just because he's the president. Because of his office, and the need to circle the wagons against all the U.S.'s perceived enemies (and right now, the stance seems to be "If you're not for us, you're against us", even for long-time allies), it is now forbidden to disagree with or criticize the US government. Well, that's wrong. Not only that, it's dangerous.

It's dangerous because if you can't criticize the government and examine its decisions without pressure to keep quiet, then there is no accountability and they can do whatever they please, whenever they please. Last time I checked, that was getting close to the definition of dictator - and right now Bush is carrying on in a decidedly Imperial manner.

[ To digress for a moment, I find it incredible that the US government, which delights in painting itself as the defender of all that's just and good within the 'free world', is the first off the mark to use threats and intimidation to force everyone to to their own self-interested line. More on that in another rant... ^_^ ]

In closing, I think it would be better if everyone just put a sock in it, and got on with their lives. Bush is always going to get called names - hell, any politician will...in my opinion, our Prime Minister is a borderline senile incompetent who's lost touch with the population, and who should've stepped down years ago. Low opinions and the attendant name-calling have happened before, and they will happen again. Everyone involved who's shooting their mouths off should listen to the song by the Eagles - "Get Over It!" - and follow its advice.

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*ALL* Politicians are morons...

ALL Politicians are morons...