Blog For Arizona

Michael: X more years!

Why would Republicans sponsor a resolution to repeal the 22nd Amendment? The last time we heard rumblings about repealing the limit of two terms on American Presidents, it was Billy Clinton contemplating how much better job he could do than any of the 2004 candidates.

Now the Republicans seem awfully interested in repealing it, too. Could it possibly be that they think their lame duck, political capital wasting, barely squeaking back into office, 42% approval rating golden boy could wrest another term from the fates and the American people? Benighted by a rotten economy, a war most of us have had enough of (and believe the President lied to get us into), a mountain of debt that this Administration has the Treasury department lying about in an effort to cover it up, an explosion of growth in discretionary spending, and a chonic trade imbalance that has made us the largest debtor nation in the history of the world, GWB wouldn't even be renominated by his own party, if Republicans had any self-respect, or fidelity to any principle other than power. But even though some 85% of Republicans are still so misguided as to support him, he could never be elected to another term (of course I thought that in 2004, so what the hell do I know?).

The only explanation I can come up with that makes any sense to me, is that a lot of Republican Members are begining to miss the Clinton era and would like to have Billy back in the Oval. Personally, I think it's best to just move on. Eight years is enough for any man (or woman) to create a legacy with the most powerful office on earth. Any longer, especially an unlimited span, only threatens Americans' freedom by threatening to turn the Imperial Presidency into a Royal, Lifetime, or Hereditary one.

And besides, Republicans should be grateful for the 22nd Amendment's limit; it generally forces their Presidents to leave office before the indictments are served, neatly preventing the GOP from accumlating a well-deserved reputation as the party that puts criminals high political office. It's hard to execute the sort of political Ponzi grifts the modern GOP has used to gain power over the past 30 years if you can't stay one step ahead of the law, and the angry, cheated townfolk. Whether that deft sense of timing is going to serve Bush in avoiding the trainwreck that is hurling his way, I don't know, but I do know another term or two would only make things worse for him. Americans don't long suffer tyrants or fools, let alone both.

posted by Michael Bryan @ 6/25/2005 05:55:00 PM