Kings

[poliphilo]

George Bush reminds me of those useless late-18th century kings, George III and Louis XVI. He has no instinct for leadership; he has to be told what to do. "Say, Mr President, don't you think it would be a good idea if you flew down to the Delta and put in an appearance?" "Awww...do I have to?"

A natural-born leader would have been down there, mingling with the refugees, just as soon as it was safe to fly.

Sooner or later every dynasty throws up a man unsuited to the job.

George III was a successful farmer and Louis XVI had a talent for watchmaking and George Bush- if left to his own devices- would have cut the mustard (just)in the lower levels of middle management.

Did they tip the tea into Boston harbour for this? I think not.

Comments

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

Leadership is very much about gestures. About being at the right place at the right time, about saying the right things. The best Presidents have all had that instinct for the appropriate and inspiring.

Jimmy Carter would be there, and he would be helping.

But then, Jimmy Carter wasn't a very good president. Or, so *they* say.

As far as instinct, Tony - the current President has surrounded himself with like minded 'handlers' so of course they aren't going to advise him to go out and do anything.

But those of us who sit here at our computers, we aren't doing anything either, I guess. This side of the problem is no place to complain, it's the time for us to see what we can do to help.

We need to preserve these pictures - remember the people who died and their bodies were stashed under and underpass, or the people who couldn't get dialysis and had her body left on a cardboard slab, or the woman who is going into labor. The man whose wife's hand was ripped from his, and left him with his children and NOTHING else. And even the people who had to leave their pets...I hope in such a situation I would have been able to get my pet out with me, I know I'd fight tooth and nail to do so but I also haven't been in that situation...all of them should be flashed on billboards from the time of the convention until the day AFTER the election. I know HE can't be reelected, but he has a brother who is up and coming. There's the current VICE president...and I don't care if he has been involved in Enron, I can't help feeling there will be people here who figure since he was 'with' the current President, he is okay...

Tony, I'm sorry for standing on a soapbox in the middle of your LJ. This week especially has sensitized me to how totally ineffective this government is and made me angry with the people who sit back and complain but don't vote. Anyone who voted FOR the man, well, at least they voted. Just because I disagree with them, they still did their bit for democracy.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

No need to apologize for soap-boxing.

I think Bush is a very bad president. And in some ways worse than others I have hated in the past. Nixon, for example, was an SOB, but at least with Nixon you got the impression that the guy knew what he was doing.

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

I loved this comment, and agree with it (and its compassion and lack of rancor). Thanks.