…Bush (can’t) avoid a looming date on his calendar: 7 November. That day, Americans will flock to the polls in record numbers for the mid term elections - and deliver possibly their definitive referendum on Bush and his presidency. For his entire time in office, Bush has enjoyed the luxury of having both a House and Senate that are Republican-controlled; now he faces the possibility of at least one of them returning to the Democrats, as well as a personal humiliation that would strengthen my edict that before long, Americans will see Bush as second only to Warren Harding (1865-1923) as the worst US president in history.

*1

Yeah, right! Lest you should relax and think it’s all sewn up – a warning – Don’t count your chickens. The President’s series of speeches last week were designed to firm up his support among committed republicans, and they did. I have personal evidence as I’ve spoken with Republican family members (Ugh, yes I have those.) and while they may have been “flip-flopping” about the war in Iraq the week before last, they’re not now.

As you know, Dear Journal, I’m diametrically opposed to the war in Iraq because I believe it to be a religious / ethical atrocity. So, I don’t always discuss the issue logically, like the Republicans and evangelicals do. However, the President and his neoconservative cronies have hit upon a viable strategy here. The American public still wants to win the war in Iraq –so what if 2700 of our finest have been killed, and 40k plus Iraqis – we want to win, damn it! Thus, they’re totally willing to be hoodwinked (one more time!) into subsuming a war against fundamentalist Islamic terrorists within the Iraq war. Yes, it is simplistic. Yes it is unethical. Yes it is against everything Jesus Christ teaches us through the New Testament. Simplicity, however, is the Twenty-first Century mantra for evangelical Christians in the United States, and they vote in vast numbers while so many of our more liberal voters have a “lazy fare” attitude and voting habit.

Who, me, sarcastic? I’m Pessimistic, yes, ironic too. On the other hand, I will try to deliver a more logical statement or statements about the president’s speeches in the future.

*1 Stephen, Andrew, “Bush Faces the People.” New Statesman http://www.newstatesman.com/20060911002. Monday, September 11, 2006. Viewed Thursday, September 7, 2006, 9:12 AM EDT.