It's just business

I was commenting to some people at the meetup last night that the Bush's have no inherent ideology other then what is best for them. The thing I find most laughable about the right-wingers who support Bush is that they have bought into the myth that Bush is there to help them. Bush may be personally conservative. But his support of conservative and right-wing actions (such as the FMA) are only based on convenience, not principle. The convenience being what such support can do for him.

For example, I do not believe that Bush personally is either racist or bigoted. However, I believe he is more than willing to appeal to racist and bigoted attitudes amongst the electorate in order to achieve and retain power. Some might argue that this demonstrates a racists attitude towards blacks since it means he devalues their concerns. But he isn't doing it because they are black. He is doing it because the people whose support he wants just don't like blacks.

It's nothing personal. It's just business.

I have often wondered if, some day, the right-wingers would wake up and realize that they are being played for fools. Then I read posts like the following by Ozymandius (link courtesy Sully) and I am heartened that that moment is not that far off.

If Bush should lose this election, it will be very clear why. I have been a Republican and a Christian my whole life. I believe that national security is the #1 most important issue in America – it is, to be blunt, the thing that makes any other issue possible in the first place. I do not buy the loss of jobs argument, I think tax cuts work, and I think abortion is wrong, I still support the Iraq war and feel that those 500 plus brave men and women saved untolled millions from horrible death, and I even agree that activist judges should simply be arrested and dismissed from office. I believe all this and right now, I don’t know if I’m voting for Bush.

I don’t know because this political ploy is so overtly mean-spirited and opportunistic it that my own sense of fairness and decency is far more offended by the attack than whatever defense could be made of it. I can’t believe I am the only one, even the only Christian to feel this way.

I have several fundamental philosophical disagreements with people on the right (and, surprisingly, I find myself in agreement with them quite often). But I do not believe that all of them are, at heart, mean-spirited individuals. Many of them honestly believe they are advocating a course that is the best for all of mankind. What they need to realize is that Bush is not their friend when it comes to supporting their position and that not all of us who have opposed the Bush administration have down so because of ideology.

I just think he is a lousy president and an untrustworthy individual. That assessment has nothing to do with partisanship. It's nothing personal. It's just business.