Does Bush believe in anything except retaining power?

Bush was given a golden opportunity to use 9/11 to unify America behind him, work to reduce terrorism, and build a stronger America. Instead he used it to win the 2002 midterm elections for the Republican Party. Today he uses the War in Iraq as a club to hit anyone who questions his handling of Iraq, the Middle East, and the War on Terror. Any criticism of Bush automatically is translated into not supporting the troops.

Kevin Drum has a really insightful post on this subject. This from Kevin:

After a calculated display of bipartisan mourning for public consumption, the Bush administration thereafter refused to consult with or even take notice of the existence of an opposition party. Republican consultants advised their clients to use the war as a wedge issue in reelection campaigns and the Republican leadership declared rhetorical war on mild-mannered Tom Daschle. Andy Card talked about marketing plans for the Iraq invasion. The White House cynically proposed a union-busting plan for the Department of Homeland Security designed solely to arouse Democratic opposition. The President told cheering audiences that Senate Democrats didn't care about the security of the country and campaigned tirelessly even against congressmen who had supported him. In Georgia, Max Cleland was likened to Osama bin Laden.

And it worked: Republicans won the election. And Democrats finally woke up and realized that George Bush was more interested in using the war as a partisan club than he was in actually fighting terrorists.

And that's not all. Unlike his father, Bush deliberately timed the vote on the war declaration for maximum impact on the 2002 midterms; he delayed progress on the UN declaration in order to maintain that as hot button for his base; and the Downing Street Memos make clear that the timing of "spikes of activity" against Iraq were related to the midterm elections as well.

The rest of the world sees this too and asks the obvious question: If Bush himself treats the war on terrorism as just another partisan club, like tort reform or tax cuts, why should anyone else take it any more seriously? It's a hard question to answer.

When you time the initiation of a war of choice to use it to win the next election, which is priority? The war or the election? The answer is obvious. It is the election.

If the actions of the President are geared entirely to maintain his power and power for his party, and most of the American population gets no benefit from his administrartion (e.g. the failed government reaction to Katrina - Rita) why should any American be expected to support Bush and the Republican Party? They aren't working for America. They are working for themselves.

Anytime Bush or any Republican states that what some critic says threatens America or weakens the troops, you know it is because they feel personally threatened by the question and want to both change the subject and intimidate the questioner.

The Republican Party and Bush are not America. They do not represent America. They represent only themselves and are working only to enrich themselves as fast as possible. It is today's Republicans who are not Americans.