Father knows best?

In the article, Arabs’ Questions Throw Elder Bush on Defensive by Jim Krane (AlterNet), the elder Bush spoke before a more-or-less openly hostile crowd. One student used the forum to ask him what he had to say to the theory “that U.S. wars are aimed at opening markets for American companies and said globalization was contrived for America’s benefit”. Bush Sr., 82, responded:

“‘I think that’s weird and it’s nuts,‘ Bush said. ‘To suggest that everything we do is because we’re hungry for money, I think that’s crazy. I think you need to go back to school.‘”

What does this answer mean? Is it a pat coverup? A pat lie? Or a pat refusal to recognize reality? Is it an honest expression of a mind that doesn’t see that possibility at all? Bush Sr. was/is a part of the American war machine for decades, serving in the military, serving as CIA chief, then as Vice President and heavily embroiled in the Iran/Contra affair, then as President, where he invaded several countries. The Grandpa Abe Simpson act doesn’t fit very well. There is no way to accept that he is not aware of the American empire—he got in on the ground floor. So is he lying? Or has he just convinced himself that it’s all for the good of the world?

His response is a clumsy riposte, utilizing the demagogue’s favorite tool—the straw man—to rephrase the point as “everything we do is because we’re hungry for money”. Not everything; and not only for the money. Also for the power and for the continued expansion of American dominance, which translates to job security and increased personal fortune and security. It’s not deliberately thinking “I’m going to fuck the world over today in order to get mine” so much as “If I get mine and let this little thing slide, who’ll notice?” Add in some incredible powers of self-brainwashing about what makes non-Americans tick and a naiveté born of a desire to believe so fervently that what’s good for the goose is good for the gander and multiply by millions of incidents and you have a holistic pattern that looks a whole helluva lot like an unfeeling, uncaring, insatiable empire.

His answer to the student belittles one whose viewpoint is far more empirically[1] sound than his own, which excuses all America’s actions with the knowledge that America is essentially good. When confronted with the idea that Saddam has WMDs, though, there is no mention of crazy talk, there is only talk of “preventive action” and “decapitation of the ruling party”. So, the very idea that America may have ulterior motives of profit and empire when it invades one fucking country after another is “crazy”, but the idea that everyone else in the world is out to get us is a militarily actionable one.

Bravo. Your tortured logic has won you a lifetime stipendium in a right-wing think tank.[2] Bush the elder, which the media would have us believe lately is much more politically savvy than his son, and thus more likely to save us from all of the ills facing our nation, continued:

“‘This son is not going to back away,’ Bush said, his voice quivering. ‘He’s not going to change his view because some poll says this or some poll says that, or some heartfelt comments from the lady who feels deeply in her heart about something. You can’t be president of the United States and conduct yourself if you’re going to cut and run. This is going to work out in Iraq.‘”

You know what? Who cares if he’s smarter than Bush Jr.? Let’s just assume that he is. Something stuck to your shoe is more intellectually adaptive than Bush Jr. But listen to his words … he’s fully indoctrinated as well: whether he’s speaking for some crafty political purpose or from the depths of his heart, his ideas and convictions are still that of a dipshit. Granted, he may be a powerful dipshit, but don’t forget that he’s gotten so far because the rest of us have failed to enact a meritocracy where some semblance of one is so sorely needed. In a nation like America—with such incredible wealth and power—it takes a long time for the dipshits to blow through the fruits of the labor of generations. The recent elections are, however, not a signal that we have arrived at a nadir: there’s still a long way to go before the idea that maybe leaders should be chosen on merit rather than rhetoric can raise its sleepy head once again. For now, enough people were appalled to de-elect the party that appalled them; very few understand just how little difference it made. The mightly money laundromat for the very wealthy is protected regardless of which party is in power. It can eat much more of our collective national soul before it kills its host and must move on or die.

When he was President, he was a “wimp”, a milquetoast, a pansy and a feeb. Now, after a decade or two of ripening, he’s supposed to be this country’s savior. Fucking US media. They’re like a slime mold, sliding effortlessly from one opening to another, jumpin on Bush Jr., whose approval ratings are now at 31%, but making sure that the essential vision of American conservative military empire is preserved. The moment the elections were over, they had already begun selling the idea that they were in no way a referendum on essential conservatism, but a referendum on the irresponsible policies of Bush Jr. The Democrats that won are actually as conservative as Republicans should be with slightly-less-extreme views. So, no need to change the basic story or direction; the American people clearly like the basic policies, but want them executed with less bombast; nothing to see here, go back to your little lives. You will keep hearing this story until you yourself are convinced that you didn’t vote for social issues; that, in fact, there are no such thing as social issues that can’t be solved by the magic of the free market. The grinding class system never sleeps, but you do; you sleep and forgive and forget.

Bush Sr. is part of this sale, touted as an old-school politico with a lot of experience solving tough problems. He and his wide circle of extremely capable friends will put this country back on track for us, gently taking it out of the hands of his well-meaning, but slightly misguided son and his friends. Don’t be fooled. Bush Sr. is not a strategic mastermind whose friends will lead the American babe out of the woods. They will give the appearance of competence and lead us to believe that they have our best interests at heart, but all the while will do everything in their power to accelerate the rape of whatever power, wealth and goodwill America still has at its disposal. How fucking stupid do you have to be to be “surprised by the audience’s criticism of [Bush Jr.]”? How can Americans not like his son? After all,

“He is working hard for peace. It takes a lot of guts to get up and tell a father about his son in those terms when I just told you the thing that matters in my heart is my family,“ he said. “How come everybody wants to come to the United States if the United States is so bad? (emphasis added)”

Jesus Christ. Was he trying to make the audience feel bad that it was haranguing an old man … or congratulating them for having the cojones to stand up for what they believe in despite his apparent unwilllingness to accept any piece of reality that doesn’t fit into his prebuilt framework? What, are you gonna cry, old man? He probably just couldn’t believe that the peasants had the gall to diss the royal family to its wrinkled old face. He’s acting like he almost cares what we think of him as he and his ilk ride herd over the huddled masses, whipping and exhorting us to produce the wealth they dole out amongst themselves.

And what’s with the line about “everybody want[ing] to come to the US”? What a simplistic fuck. That’s a kindergarten bullshit argument. When America just got finished pounding the everloving shit out of your country with its ¾ of a trillion dollar per year wehrmacht, is it any surprise that people come to the conclusion that one of the only safe places left is in the monster’s cave? And that comment is so fallacious these days … sure there are a lot of immigrants, but a lot of Europeans are staying right where they are. It’s poor people from countries that have so mightily benefitted from free trade with the good ‘ol US of A that are swelling our fair shores.

Working for peace, my ass. Who the hell cares if Bush Sr. drank his own koolaid? What’s important is to remember that if someone is selling you bullshit, you call him on it, no matter who he is and no matter how brilliant everyone tells you he is. And especially don’t be tempted to believe it just because he does. That just means he’s not only evil, but batshit nuts as well. Father knows best? Bullshit. He’s only trying to sell us something … the same thing he’s sold us so many times before. You really can’t blame him, though, for thinking his tired, sorry, old act is going to work one more time. It’s worked so many times before … and will likely work so many times again.