corrente

As happy as I was to see the Dems come out swinging at Bush in the debates last night, I remain incredulous that they still seem incapable of painting a larger canvas. It's no overstatement, and long overdue, to call the Administration's Iraq policy a "miserable failure," but what remains missing is the devastating argument that incompetence and irresponsibility is the Bush family trademark. As far back as TANG, Harken and Arbusto, continuing with the Silverado Savings and Loan bailout, right through the wrecking of the Texas economy, to the looting of federal treasury and now their unfunny ripoff of South Park's "Operation Get-Behind-the-Darkies" riff at the UN, the Bushes have specialized at indulging their ruinous appetites, then bolting on the check.

If we'd had a functioning press during Campaign 2000, the electorate would have known what they were being sold going in, but of course the price of Al Gore's dog's prescription medications was far more important. I think it's about time to hold a Bush accountable for a change, and the catastrophe in Iraq is the Bush modus maloperandi writ large. If the Dems can't frame these elements into one picture of lifelong personal, political and fiscal recklessness, they are wasting a god-given opportunity to visit on these people the karma they so richly (no pun intended) deserve.

Oh--and while they're at it, I want to see the Dems reprise the Dukakis tank commercial with Herr Codpiece on the USS Lincoln in the starring role. Imagine the scrolling text, reminding voters of the accrued and unaccrued costs of President Inigo Montoya's obsession with Saddam Hussein. "We Can't Afford the Risk" indeed. The damn script practically writes itself. Bush in the White House is like a spoiled, petulant child with a live hand grenade. C'mon guys. You can do it.