Buy Or Don’t Buy

Yeah, I’m sure he’s a great guy. Yeah, I was endeared by the Oliver Stone biopic movie ‘W’. But remember way back in like 2003 when most of the civilized world wanted this man’s head on a platter? Sure, five or six years is enough to chill some people out. Forgiveness is a virtue, after all. But let’s take a second to reflect on why hating on Bush became THE cultural meme of the mid aughts:

First it was the war

Then it was the lies about the war

Then it was the lies about the lies about the war

Then it was the tourture

Throw in a little Patriot Act

Then Katrina Happened, and was promptly ignored

After all that, what’s a little partisan dismissal of Federal Judges?

I almost wasn’t going to write this article. I think for the same reason Gerald R. Ford pardoned Nixon: sometimes it’s easier just to wipe the slate clean. But at the same time, there is a lot of missing justice in this situation. I have to admit, the following paragraph from a Fox News article on Bush’s plans after office sort of put it in perspective for me.

The Bushes are first headed to Midland, Texas, for a homecoming celebration in the city that hosted a send-off for them eight years ago. Then they’ll go to their ranch in Crawford for their first night as private citizens again.

What if we really were a nation where nobody is above the law? I’m not saying this is the vision of the world I’d most like to see, but in an alternate reality United States, shouldn’t this man be in a cage on the way to the Hague? Or do we really have bigger fish to fry right now?

The other day, Bush held his final press conference. I’m not sure if you got the chance to see the whole thing in its entirety, so I’m linking it below. It’s honestly the most interesting 40 minutes with Bush I’ve ever seen captured on film. I feel like he’s growing as a person! Regret, candor, disappointment (a lot of disappointment). And for the first time I thought to myself: if only he’d been this cool from the start, I think a lot of people could have gotten on board. It almost makes it hard for me to imagine he should be held accountable for anything. At least for now, tonight, Bush is a free man.