Goodbye Señor Bush, Hello Ambiguous Future

As an eleven year old, I wasn't much into politics. I had a faint grasp that Clinton got into trouble over something with a lady (not his wife), that we had bombed someplace far away (which my family watched on the news... in night vision), and that Bush beat Gore after some confusion in Florida. Yes, George W. Bush claimed the presidency before I became politically aware; and for millions of young Americans like myself, this is truly significant.

Tomorrow we say goodbye to the man who played a crucial role in shaping the views of so many in this country. After 9/11, I remember the leadership the President showed... I remember how much support he had. Bush was confident and on message-- he assumed the role of valiant leader during a time when so many were confused and afraid... including myself.

W. told me to stand with the country. He assured me that this great nation would prevail and defeat evil. I believed and defended him for many years. But George Bush did not teach me how to be a patriot-- he did not teach me the inspirational power of our ideals. Instead, he showed me that in times of terror, we must fear and act with that fear in our hearts. No, Bush will never be known as the man who reassured us, once again, that "the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself--nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror..."

George Bush, along with nearly every member of the Congress, taught me that the United States could do whatever it wanted. That our government is free to spy on Americans. To torture. I was duped, and became cynical. Bush's words brought American arrogance to center stage, and his blunt style made this country a laughing-stock. He is an embarrassment to liberty and to the Republic... forever a stain on the American tale.

But in this final night of his presidency, perhaps it is time to put a hold on the character assassination; perhaps a moment of self-reflection is in order. Let's start with a question: Who is truly responsible for the last 8 years? The blame-game is fun, but not so much in a democracy-- for in a democracy, the people get the government they deserve.

It was ultimately American apathy, disillusionment, and ignorance that brought us Bush. Our inability to understand clear threats to the democratic fabric, and unwillingness to demand the best possible representatives has put us in a truly unfortunate position--one where the very essence of our ideals are slipping away.

But perhaps we are beginning to wake up... Obama did win an astonishing victory. He seems too good to be true, and maybe there is more truth to this statement than people would like to admit. Americans have, at the very least, denounced the ways of the Bush Administration, which is a start. But the complicit Democrats have escaped the wrath of voters, and will one day have to be reckoned with.

It is clear that Americans are ready for a new day, and tomorrow the next chapter of our story begins. The new President must help lead us out of the darkness that we have brought upon ourselves, but as he has said time and time again: this movement is about what we can do ourselves. President Bush is no more responsible for the economic crisis than a weatherman is for the weather, and a President Obama will not be able to fix the world. We must demand receptive and honest lawmakers. We must fight for reform and for our vital causes. We must rethink what place corporate America has in government, and what place America has in this world. And, indeed, we must develop the tools of the Internet so that we may enter an age of unprecedented civilian involvement in government.

President-elect Obama has taken serious strides, but America must be wary. Simply electing new people will not be enough. The restoration of responsible citizenship is the only way for us to survive.

With optimism and resolve.

Tragic W.

In his new film W., Oliver Stone has provided the world with a haunting portrayal of the 43rd Presidency of the United States and the man at the forefront of it.  It is tragic in the strictest sense, not only of the man who rises to greatness only to destroy his own family name, but also of the nation whose highest and most revered office has been ravaged by the forces that be.

As a young man Bush was a reckless party fiend who lived in the shadow of his father and brother.  Jeb was supposed to be president, but George, Jr. stepped up to the plate to prove he could be everything that his father said he could not--or so the film suggests.  It is hard to believe that George W. Bush's sole motivation to do what he has done was to prove something to his father (and in fact to be better), and perhaps no one will ever know, but these thoughts are surely an important part of the complexity of this man.  W. made me think of Bush as less of an idiot--he is not stupid; however, his ideology and arrogance make him simple-minded.  Bush has not expressed regret for his blunt policies, and does not seem to possess the sensitive reflections of an intellectual.  He is a blinded man who successfully surpassed his senior's legacy, but tarnished the Bush name and divided the country in the process.

There was a time when American presidents--popular or not--were respected for the sake of the Office. But something has changed. Perhaps it was the rise of 24 hour cable or possibly the growth of online media. I for one believe that it is more a matter of trust. Citizens no longer believe in the president as they have before. Too many of our leaders have disgraced the Office--lying to the public and engaging in disingenuous acts. While watching W. it was truly chilling to witness the meetings that took place in the lead up to the War in Iraq.  The Vice President's justification for the invasion was purely for geo-political gains--control over the world's oil, not terrorists or WMDs.  And when a skeptical Colin Powell asks to know the exit strategy, Cheney simply says, "There is no exit strategy."

W. is empathetic in its portrayal of Bush, and Stone's script and dramatic film techniques make it more that just a biopicture.  This is an epic tragedy in the tradition of Oedipus and Hamlet.  It is the story of a man who captured the American imagination and divided the country.  Nothing will ever be the same after George W. Bush--no matter who is president.