Ennobled and Saved...

You apologist David Brooks was praising you yesterday, Bush, in the op-ed pages of the New York Times, for having "ennobled and saved American conservatism."

What???!!!!

I look around and I see half of your closest cronies under indictment or investigation for their nefarious activities to promote the conservative agenda--or themselves: your Frist, for securities fraud and your Delay, for political funding irregularities; your Rove, perhaps even your Cheney and his minion, Libby. I see the spreading morass of corruption centered around the sleazy Abramoff, erstwhile bosom chum of so many of your people. I see the disaster of the Iraq war, promoted by your neocons with their plethora of lies. I see the results of the failed policies of your brand of compassionate conservatism in the historic deficit, the continuing contempt for, and neglect of the poor, and the shameless coddling of the very wealthy. I see the insatiable greed and callous disregard for human rights and welfare. I see a world whose suffering has been multiplied immeasurably by the insistent, arrogant, ruthless implementation of the American conservative vision. I see women condemned to death in childbirth by the self-righteous moralism of rightist Christian bigotry. I see children malnourished and starving to death because their governments fail to meet with your approval and toe your democratic line.

I do not see this, Bush, as evidence that you have "ennobled and saved American conservatism." On the contrary, I believe that you have succeeded only in revealing the full extent of its moral bankruptcy and willful incompetence. The world of sleaze into which you now find yourself slowly and inexorably sinking is the direct result, Brooks notwithstanding, of a mindless, stubborn adherence to strict conservative views.

So where's the compassion, Bush, tell me? Where's the humanity? You boast about your great leadership capabilities: for God's sake, lead us out of the mess you have created.