Leader or Crook?

Here it is in a nutshell.  In 2001, the Bush Administration ordered up the famous warrentless wiretapping program, known officially as the Terrorist Surveillance Program, which they admitted to in 2005.  Along with the wiretapping, they also ordered up a data-mining program that largely remained secret although a poorly kept one.  Gonzo's deceptive testimony over the past few months is his pathetic attempt to remain within the legal boundaries of perjury, and explains why he may be successful.  Deceptive, duplicitous, arrogant, dishonest, untrustworthy?  Yes.  Of course.  Business as usual.

It just amazes me that Bush and cronies ordered this stuff secretly, knowing it was illegal and knowing that they would be vilified when caught. Their whole approach was to work outside the law, on their own, in secret.  This was in spite of the full-fledged support of Congress, the American people, and the Courts in the tragic days after 9/11.  President Bush commanded at that time a nearly 90% approval rating and could have ordered up pretty much anything he wanted that related to the security of the United States citizens!  A BLANK CHECK!  Instead he chose to work secretly, deceiving the American Public with secret probing into private information protected under law.

Right wing pundits always point out that the President was only working to provide national security.  They say that if the terrorists find out what we're up to, they'll be able to figure out countermeasures.  They say that because of the nastiness, cruelty, and danger of these particular bad guys, they MUST keep all of this illegal behavior under wraps. 

All I know is that when faced with legal options or illegal options with regards to national security, the Bushies have chosen the criminal road.  They don't trust America, because so many of us disagree with them.  We don't trust them because they view any of us who disagree as terrorist sympathizers.  Mr. Bush has squandered his place in history and his legacy, by trashing his 9/11 mandates.  Instead of riding the tidal wave of support from the American people, he chose to hunker down with his radical NeoCon advisers and cast off all but the faithful few who believed in his radical vision.  

Mr. Bush is a tragic figure of epic proportions.  He could have been great, but failed completely.  He could have brought us together, but he split us apart.  He could have joined with the world to make us safer, but chose to go it alone and has made the world a much more dangerous place to live.  He could have chosen bravely and well, but chose the cowardly, secretive approach of a leader motivated only by his own fear and the fear of his followers.