Obama, Bush and the Limits of Power

[Kevin_Kennedy]

It should now be beyond dispute that the Obama administration represents a continuation, solidification and expansion of the Bush legacy, with some minor changes in some areas and a vast acceleration of government growth in others. And yet, as we can joyously witness, the president is running into problems.

The most conspicuous feature of the Bush years was the nearly invincible faith in government power in the realm of national security. So pronounced was this trust in the national security state, war on terror, and U.S. empire, that the opposing Democrats, many of whom dissented from the Iraq war and the worst excesses in executive spying, detention and torture, looked reasonable in comparison. Many conservatives and libertarians even favored the Democrats in the 2006 election in hopes of reining in the profligate and warmongering Republicans.

Obama, Bush and the Limits of Power by Anthony Gregory

 

[editec]

It should now be beyond dispute that the Obama administration represents a continuation, solidification and expansion of the Bush legacy, with some minor changes in some areas and a vast acceleration of government growth in others.

Some of us so called liberals tried to warn some of you so called conservatives that the threat of Bush II expanding the role of government would come back to bite ya'll in the ass, did we not?

Did we not remind you that any power you granted to Bush II would inevitable also end up in the hands of the Dems when they were in power?

Did ya'll listen?

No, mostly you decided that our warnings meant that we were socialists or something.

Now Obama has the the same state power that you were so happoy to see Bush II get.

Sucks doesn't it?

Now here's the thing ...it sucks for every American that the government has such power.

Doesn't matter which of the duelopoly parties are in power, the problem is that the government has far too much power.

Now some of YOU are thought to be potential terrorists instead of some of us.

Of course it is as absurd to worry about you guys as it was when Bush II was worrrying about us guys, but nevertheless, the government (thanks to the war on drugs and the patriot act) now has power to declare any of us potential threats, and to invade our privacy at will, legally..

And please note, as I often do, that both parties had to vote to give the government these extraordinary powers. BOTH parties, folks...both parties!