Apocalypse . . .um . . .SOON said:
rove-bush and the Machiavellian Machine
Here comes the really fetid, corruptive rot/spin: I’ve watched our president for these past few years and believe I have discovered one of his most effective teflon methodologies. I watched it on the campaign trail, and I have seen him use it to effect horrible change in our social consciousness and subsequently our behaviors--and destroy lives--and not just in Iraq.
W usually starts out his plan and spin by attempting to appeal to common sense and his apparently obvious and practical intelligence. “If you don’t need gas, don’t buy it.” Think about this. How can anyone argue with such a statement? And it is so easy to do—for everyone. It sounds good. It sounds practical. It sounds soothing in a time of crisis. It sounds like anyone can do it and help the cause. What a good thing. What an optimistic and wise fellow leading the effort to fix a disaster.
He continues with his cheery, obvious, and wise homilies: “This is a terrible disaster.” and “This is not acceptable.” And I’m working on it right now.” He starts the process of both distancing himself and actively showing everybody on TV how hard he is w/porking. (Even though behind the scenes everyone knows he is ultimately at fault.) He is setting up the trap.
He sucks people into the Machiavellian machine. Through his early words and behaviors, he displays his optimism, his positive attitude, his practical, common sense wisdom—a simple, straightforward man of the folks. How can any true, patriotic American not believe him, not gather around him in a time of crisis. A real leader.
But when people start pointing out his errors, the set-up is already in place. He has begun distancing himself from the administrative arm of gov’t (This is not acceptable) he set up in the first place to deal with the problem. No apologies or admission of failure from W ever—that would be non-Machiavellian. He lets people confer responsibility on their own. He is too busy leading. Plus, he has selected ”personal loyalty” as the prime characteristic in determining the selection of these leaders, e.g. head of the Corp. of Engineers, FEMA, etc. (He selected personal and party loyalty over competent administrative skills or knowledge of the work that needed doing) So they won’t admit any responsibility. Besides, these bureau leaders are now too busy—fixing their own mistakes. The sick machine holds together.
So when the media and opposition party come forward to criticize, they are branded un-American trouble makers. W has sucked people into his ‘us’ machine of good, practical, hard working, optimistic, common sense sorts--and after this--everyone else must be ‘them.’ The damage has been done. The divide is created. All that follows is adjustments in the spin to maintain and perpetuate the divide and avoid responsibility.
I’ve watched this process too many times. Who wouldn’t want to stop WMD and nuclear bombs, especially if they were aimed at us? It would be un-American. When this was proven false, the switch was made to getting terrorists. When it actually created more terrorists, the switch was made to stabilizing the Middle East. When that situation got even worse, less stable, the target was moved full circle, a full 360 degree cycle of spin: ‘We need to stay in Iraq to honor our dead soldiers.’ W, you sent them there in the first place; now we’re supposed to stay because you lied or were stupid about sending them in the first place--and they died?
Watch the spin. Then stop the Machine.
--Greg
Just to be fair, the Democrats are a bunch of spineless weasels except, perhaps, Howard Dean. I also think we now need to stabilize Iraq before leaving. What a Bush legacy, what a mess—again.