The Problem with Bush

October 1, 2008

"For this is an infallible rule: a prince who is not himself wise cannot be well advised, unless he happens to put himself in the hands of one individual who looks after all his affairs and is an extremely shrewd man. In this case, he may well be given good advice, but he would not last long because the man who governs for him would soon deprive him of his state." - Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince

This is a profoundly wise statement that can squarely be applied to President Bush. Though I believe Bush to be a man of strong convictions and unwavering focus on his goals, Bush has indeed been bamboozled due to his lack of wisdom. He is being handled by forces much more intelligent than himself and that has led to the deprivation of his state.

Let's go back in history. When President Bush was elected, there was a hushed secret of sorts that implied that Bush was being heavily encouraged by Vice President Cheney. After September the 11th, the focus of the retaliation was, logically, supposed to be directed at Bin Laden and his crew of evildoers. Because Bush lacked insight on foreign affairs and because he was so obsessed with evil/oil/world dominance, he was convinced by his advisers to attack Iraq instead. An otherwise well-versed man would have questioned the intentions of the advice but not Bush. Bush seemingly stepped aside, handed the throne of power to those more savvy (and evil) and simply became the mouthpiece for the "War on Terror."

There is much to be said about the uninformed electorate that was convinced to believe that Iraq had a direct correlation with Afghanistan and Al Qaeda but the most disturbing issue is how the chief was also convinced. A man is only as wise as the lessons he learns and the counsel he receives. Looking at the defeated Bush who now stands in front of cameras with no credibility and a dismal legacy of corruption in his past, I would hope that before he leaves office he comes to term with his complete and utter failure as a president. I would hope that he comes to terms with his responsibility for the loss of thousands of soldiers and all but complete collapse of the American economy.

Deep down inside, I think Bush is a decent man who was merely used by the "axis of evil" better known as the Bush cabinet of advisers. Bush cannot be blamed for this completely but he can be blamed for being a weak leader. More than ever, the American public should now understand the dire importance of electing a decisive, wise leader. Strong convictions alone do not qualify a man (or woman) to lead this nation. For if the president is weak, we all suffer. I pray that the next president will do better.