There is an old saying that I have been thinking about a lot lately. Please forgive me for paraphrasing but it goes something like "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity."
After the events of the last years, I have been worried that with Bush and Company we may have to reverse that and never attribute to incompetence that which could be explained by conspiracy.
Only BushCo could...
Inherit peace and prosperity and turn into ongoing war and stagnant or declining real wages, except, of course for the ultra-rich
Turn surplus into deficit in less than a year.
Have prior, specific warnings of a terrorist attack and then not respond in time, even on the day of the attack.
Fail to capture Osama Bin Laden even after having him cornered him in Afghanistan.
Increase Federal spending at nearly unprecedented levels and yet have poverty rates increase.
Violate nearly every supposed principle (smaller government, states' rights, fiscal responsibility, avoiding nation-building, the list goes on and on) of their party, yet retain an iron grip on it.
Invade a country with the second largest oil reserves in the world and cause the price of oil to go up.
Appoint unqualified political cronies to most every governmental institution who then proceed to wreak havoc upon and dismantle those institutions.
Effectively redistrict Louisiana by failing to respond to the aftermath of a natural disaster.
I am sure there is much more that could be added to the list.
So, is it incompetence or intent?