Tuesday, January 04, 2005

Damned if you do. Damned if you don't

I think I’m getting too cynical with regard to President Bush. I’m even questioning two of his actions vis a vis the tsunami disaster: his appointment of his father as co-head of one of the relief efforts and Jeb Bush’s trip to Indonesia at our expense. The President is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t.

It was a good move to appoint ex-Presidents, his father and Clinton, as co-heads. What other Republican ex-President could he have appointed? Ford is probably too feeble.

It is less obvious to me that there are not deeper political implications in sending his brother to Indonesia. True, Jeb was governor through three hurricanes this Fall. But, is this good training for really helping in a disaster of the scope of the tsunami? I guess running the relief operation for parts of a state of one of the most advanced nations on earth does give you some experience. But how transferable is it to the relief efforts in several under-developed nations? I really don’t have a firm opinion, but I have my doubts.

1 comment:

R J Adams said...

I think we're all getting too cynical about President Bush, Al, but doesn't he only have himself to blame? I feel sorry for Colin Powell. Since handing in his resignation, the poor man has been shuffled all over the world. He has never stopped for a moment!