THE BIG IDEA

The Price of Loyalty

Bush made personal allegiance a threshold test. The result was a surfeit of reliable hacks and outright incompetents.

By Jacob Weisberg | NEWSWEEK
Published Nov 29, 2008
From the magazine issue dated Dec 8, 2008

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  • Posted By: bbednarz @ 12/06/2008 2:22:28 PM

    This grand scheme started - as many other things with Ronald Raegan. We should how we looked at Ollie North for biting the bullet -.- and covering for Raegan. Ronald Raegan's famous answer to the Congress' Questions: I Don't Remember". Carried over to today's administration - How did Alberto Gonzales a HARVARD LAW SCHOOL GRAD ANSWER - "REPEATLY"- "I DON'T REMEMBER"
    It isn't so much loyalty as it is covering for oneself - look at what this administration has done and is doing.
    The economy is is great shape ?.? Treasury "SECRET"ary say we are too naive to know what is happening.
    The Bailout of TOO BIG TO FAIL to BUY OUT OTHER COMPANIES TO BECOME BIGGER AND BIGGER......
    WALL STREET -.- THE BANKS -.- THE AUTO ASSEMBLERS -.- With no end in sight
    ...The Total dis-loyalty to the American People is Appalling - all of it HIDDEN WITH THE SECRECY ACT BY THE ADMINISTRATION............re-classifing and re-classifing document from the Raegan Era
    HIDE THE LIES OR WE'LL ALL HANG

  • Posted By: Tan Boon Tee @ 12/03/2008 12:01:53 AM

    Life is extremely strange and often unpredictable. The bottom line is human beings have always been irrational and inexplicable animals. What then price loyalty?

    When luck and fortune knock at the door, you are praised and applauded, showered with credits for things you have not even done or associated with. When bad luck and misfortune befall, you are blamed for things not even related to you.

    Poor Bush, once acclaimed as a strong leader after the 9/11 incident, is now receiving punches from every corner of the world (even from his erstwhile supporters). Does he really deserve all the bashes? Or is this just yet another unnecessary means of pre-glorifying his substitute?
    (Tan Boon Tee)

    • Posted By: Doc Howl @ 12/03/2008 11:57:22 AM

      "Does he really deserve all the bashes?"

      He hasn't received half the kicking around he deserves.

  • Posted By: ok4u @ 12/03/2008 11:37:49 AM

    That a president chooses those he can trust to do the job for which they have been selected, or chooses them to keep them harmlessly occupied, is not something that began with GW Bush.

    • Posted By: Doc Howl @ 12/03/2008 11:56:38 AM

      But Bush didn't hire people that could do the job. He hired people who would kiss his ***.

  • Posted By: varacefan @ 12/02/2008 4:03:45 PM

    Are you kidding? Obama is a master at appearing to be in the middle. We all know he is not anywhere near the middle on many issues. Now I do believe in giving the man a chance and lets see what he can do. I hope for our country he does well. But for you who are koolaide drinkers and Bush haters to act like Obama is the greatest thing since sliced bread is just foolish. You like I have really no idea how Pres. Elect Obama will perform. Soon it will be time put the rubber to the road. We know the man can talk a great line now lets see if he can walk the walk.

  • Posted By: swkidder @ 12/01/2008 7:16:49 PM

    The interesting irony here is that the right blend of different opinions tends to increase the chances that the strategy that's finally chosen will be successful. And that very success encourages those who may hold differing opinions to restrain their disagreements to the "constructive." And, as you said so clearly in your article, all this depends upon whether or not you have a leader with an appropriate level of self-confidence and not an inappropriate level of self-delusionment. That's a change in which I can believe.

    • Posted By: Doc Howl @ 12/01/2008 7:54:41 PM

      If success is not the actual objective, though, it doesn't matter. Bush needed yes men, so that's what he chose.

  • Posted By: YashBudini @ 11/30/2008 9:11:34 PM

    Smart people know when they are rearranging chairs on the Titanic. Only sheeple continue to fall in line, like the last 29% of the US voters.

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