The Mendacious Murderer-In-Chief

by Rick Gee

About the same time my editor put out a clarion call for new material, I ran across an article in the Washington Post with the sub-headline, "Bush Makes Clear He Believes Small Government is Best." Of course, such sophistry is to be expected from the Post.  

What is it about assuming high office that turns formerly honorable men into abject liars? George W. Bush, the self-described Compassionate Conservative, believes nothing of the sort. 

In a speech at an awards ceremony for government workers in Shred the Constitution Hall, Bush declared, presumably with a straight face, "(t)he work of both career and political employees during the last nine months has been outstanding." Sure. We all know how valuable bureaucrats and others who line their pockets with pilfered tax dollars are to the rest of us. If these people were really doing anything of worth, they would be working in the private sector, providing goods or services that are needed by their fellow man. 

Despite his praise of government functionaries, GW raised my risibilities (then my ire) with this line: "We must resist the pressure to unwisely expand government."  

Setting aside for the time being that the very existence of government is unwise, this quote is rife with prevarication. First of all, it is Bush himself who is applying the pressure to expand government. When he asked a unified, bipartisan (check your wallet when you hear this euphemism for "united for plunder") Congress for $20 billion in the immediate aftermath of 911, those thieves forked over forty billion. Do you think Dubya refused the extra $20 billion? Furthermore, it was his own Justice Department, helmed by John "I Couldn't Win an Election Against a Dead Man" Ashcroft, that pushed vast new wiretap surveillance and anti-terrorism legislation. These laws will do nothing to prevent terrorism, but you can bet your last dime that these laws will be used to arm more federal agents, invade your privacy and curtail the few liberties you have remaining. 

Bush 41 continued, "We need to affirm a few important principles: that government should be limited, but effective; should do a few things and do them well."  

I guess by limited, he means keeping the federal budget under $3 trillion per year, or increasing spending less than 10% a year. And we know that the concept of government being "effective" is just that: a concept. It has no basis in reality. Even some of the guys on my softball team who work for the state don't believe that their work is the least bit effective. 

Government should do a few things? My online dictionary defines "few" as, "amounting to or consisting of a small number." How many departments, agencies and programs comprise government? I think we all know it's more than a "few." And if Bush really believes what he is saying (insert raucous laughter here), why doesn't he propose eliminating some departments, agencies and programs? Don't hold your breath. 

As an example of limiting government, Dubya proposed a bill to Congress that would, "include recruitment and retention bonuses to ease hiring, early retirement incentives, a form of merit pay (there go my risibilities again) called pay-banding and the lifting of a salary cap for senior government employees." 

I should preface the remainder of my remarks by saying that George W. Bush, as a man, husband and father, is probably a fairly decent guy. I'm sure his wife and kids love him; he probably doesn't beat his dog. He's a likable, if somewhat buffoonish, guy. And his approval ratings are the highest in history. 

But even a nice guy like Bush, once he assumes the presidency, suddenly becomes a lying, murderous thug. The position of President of the United States seems to require this. As Hans-Hermann Hoppe avers in the by-now well-known (and plugged relentlessly by anti-state.com) Private Production of Defense, "… the U.S. president in particular is the world's single most threatening and armed danger, capable of ruining everyone who opposes him and destroying the entire globe." 

Before January 20, 2001, I doubt if George had killed anyone, unless you count all those executions while he was governor of Texas. 

In mid-February, less than a month after taking the Oath of Office, Bush ordered US and British (what? Bush can't order the Brits to do anything? Think again.) planes to bomb targets outside Baghdad. If you believe that no Iraqis were killed in this incident, I have some resort property for you in Kabul. 

That was child's play compared to what is happening now and will happen in the future in Afghanistan and whatever other countries the government targets. It has been reported that over 300 civilians have died in the bombing of the past ten days. This number will surely increase, and very likely will surpass the approximately 7000 who died on September 11.  

But don't blame George W. Bush, the man. Blame the president. It's in his job description to lie and kill. Just once, in a presidential debate, I would like to hear a candidate, when asked why he is the best man for the job, say this: "I have the utmost respect for my opponent. He is a worthy adversary. He is a wonderful liar and an effective killer. But this office requires someone who is willing to work hard lying and killing for the American people and I submit to you that I will be the most persuasive liar and successful killer ever to occupy the Oval Office." Alas, we'll never hear it, because liars, by definition, don't tell the truth.

October 18, 2001