Five Years Ago

Five years ago, George W. Bush was re-elected President of the United States. Republicans gloated. Bush had political capital, and he intended to use it. He set out to partially privatize Social Security. He vowed to stay the course in Iraq. He didn't worry about balancing the budget. He wasn't concerned about the economic impact of cutting taxes while pursuing two wars. Invading the privacy of U.S. citizens was just a necessary part of the "War on Terror." And Fox Republicans cheered him on at every step, damning his critics as traitors, alarmists and defeatists.

Five years later, George W. Bush is a pariah. When he leaves the U.S. he still meets demonstrators protesting his foreign policies. Social Security has not changed. By popular demand, the Iraq War is winding down, and there are questions now about the Afghan War. We have been through the worst recession since the Great Depression, and only now do we see signs of recovery. But Bush has no regrets.

Neither do Fox Republicans. They refuse to acknowledge that their beliefs and ideas lead to disasters. However, now that Obama and the Democrats have the upper hand, Fox Republicans are suddenly very concerned about government spending, government intrusion, government bureaucrats, and changes in government programs.

What a difference five years can make.