This has been cross posted at
Liberal Street Fight
The Webster's definition of enabler is as follows:
one that enables another to achieve an end; especially : one who enables another to persist in self-destructive behavior (as substance abuse) by providing excuses or by helping that individual avoid the consequences of such behavior.
From everything i've gleaned from living through Dubya Dubya I and now with the dreaded Dubya Dubya II careening toward us we have an enabling crisis on our hands.
The Cabinet in the first go round was full of Daddy's friends and both Bush's Texas cronies plus a few assorted picks. Those assorted picks are now exiting the Administration because they may have been parrots but were only part-time syncophants. Now all that is about to change as it will be full-time synchophant or out the door for the remaining members and new recruits. In fact most of the so-called new recruits are old members being shuffled like a bad deck of cards. Can't you just see the "My Way or the Highway" sign posted at the White House door?
There is a great deal of enabling going on here where if one is to 'succeed' in this Administration one must carry water full time and be a drone for the Queen Bee. This hive-like mentality is the antithesis of a modern democracy and even more frightening if one contemplates the flaws of the nasty wasp at the center of it all.
As someone who hasn't had to deal with much addiction in my life I have only peripheral knowlege of the psychology of the addictive personality. I am probably in the minority in this respect so something tells me many of you will have alot to contribute here.
The elections have just made the circle of enablers grow larger. The majority of voters have tacitly given their approval to this regime and the Republican Party has abandoned most of what it has traditionally held dear just to keep power. The pink elephant in the middle of the room is dancing my friends while the nation looks out the window to see the snowflakes.
If the enablers (Cabinet and Staff) help provide excuses and helping the individual avoid the consequences then it is up to us to dis-enable him. We must keep up the level of discourse and visibility in these tough times but more importantly we must figure out a way to educate the populace about the nature of this man and his coterie. Denial is a strong defense mechanism and more than half the public has firmly put it's head in the sand while the Administration denies all of their mistakes in the last four years categorically.
Bush is either still using or he is now the most powerful dry-drunk on the planet. He blames everyone else for his problems and cannot tolerate being corrected. He is completely surrounding himself with enablers making sure that his path of destruction is undeterred. Normally the people closest to him are the ones to do the intervention but these are the very people keeping his delusions alive. It seems the masses, if we can wake them up are the only ones who can burst his bubble but again, the coterie around him makes sure that bubble is airtight. He is in South America this weekend and tens of thousands will march against him but sadly he, and the American public will not see this. We must somehow through sheer will and gathering numbers burst this dreaded bubble that protects him from the unpleasant reality he is creating in all our lives.