Lies, deceit and conspiracy have manufactured the feel-good dramatic rescue of Private Jessica Lynch and the chest pounding bravery of football warrior Pat Tillman. The government spewed the lies, the media bought and elevated them, and patriotism never felt better.
Every four years, on January 20th, the President puts his hand on the bible, raises his right hand and repeats these words. "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States." These 35 words provide hope the President will do the right things.
But has George Bush lived by the oath? When you examine the oath and layer the words over Bush's actions, there's mounting evidence he has not.
George Bush is faithful, if nothing else. So let's give him a pass on "faithfully execute the office of President...." But from here, the promise of the oath goes south.
George Bush has probably served close "to the best of my ability." No one ever said he was a brilliant man, from his ping-ponging military record and drunk driving conviction to work in the oil industry. In Texas, he teammed up with Karl Rove to win the Governor's race, supported government money to religious organizations and executed a record number of criminals. But America was hoping Bush would bring to Washington his popularity he showed by winning re-election as Governor with 7 out of every 10 votes. Political populism in the heart of Texas is not like compromising in Queens, Columbus, Des Moines or Seattle.
In the six-plus years as Commander in Chief, the examination of George Bush and his oath focuses squarely on "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States." Simple yet powerful promises. Promises put to the test with unprecedented challenges after 9/11. A time when Americans and the world needed a leader to change the world. Bush took his promise, re-wrote history and changed the world for the worse.
To abide by these three principles, "preserve, protect, and defend", a President must be truthful or suffer the consequences. Bush has lied for years, broken the trust and faith of Americans at a time we needed him most. Bush and his allies believe they have not told a lie, which in itself is a lie.
The house of cards began with Iraq's phony arsenal of weapons. The cards are now collapsing over the White House, America and the world. Lies, deceit and conspiracy have manufactured the feel-good dramatic rescue of Private Jessica Lynch and the chest pounding bravery of football warrior Pat Tillman. The government spewed the lies, the media bought and elevated them, and patriotism never felt better.
The lies, deceit and conspiracies escalated in the name of national security. The public first accepted them, then wrestled with them, and now is in full revolt over them. The war sprouted secret CIA prisons around the world, inhumane interrogation of inmates, timelessly holding suspects, and the lawless wiretapping of citizens. All the while, the public's skepticism grew and grew through the midterms until Americans said "enough already." No sooner was Bush ordered by November voters to change his tune, that he and his Attorney General turned their attention to shaping America's law enforcers into an arm of the religious right.
One problem with lying is that you cannot do it just once. Lies breed lies, and when Bush leaves office in January 2009, his lies will have become so pronounced and damaging, that America and the world will spend years unraveling fact from fiction. A far cry from the promising oath of our President taken at when the world was looking for a leader.