Trying to lure Bush out of his bubble

April 7, 2005

Bush’s very expensive bubble, which carefully shields the president from any kind of dissent, is pretty tough to pop. Nevertheless, the top two Dems in Congress are doing their level best to lure our shy president out of his shell to deal with Americans who aren’t pre-screened sycophants.

In fact, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi wrote to the president this week with a clever little pitch: if you like “town-hall meetings” on Social Security so much, maybe we should all hold one together.

“As you may know, throughout this entire session of Congress including this most recent Congressional recess, we and the members of our Caucuses have traveled throughout our states and districts, talking directly to the American people about Social Security and our concerns about privatization. We have heard from our constituents and Americans from all across the country that they are concerned that the deep benefit cuts and massive new debt required by your privatization proposal will do more to dismantle the Social Security system than strengthen it.

“As we have watched you and members of your administration travel throughout the country on your “60 Stops in 60 Days” Tour, we have seen and heard numerous accounts indicating that your events have been carefully staged and scripted to ensure that you will only hear from handpicked participants who support your privatization plan. Despite your statements that you welcome hearing all views on this important issue, it seems increasingly clear that the vast majority of Americans who oppose your privatization plan are excluded from participating in the conversation.

“We believe it is critical to hear voices from all sides of the debate to ensure that the positions we take and the decisions we make truly reflect the national interest.

“Therefore, as you reach the mid-point of this sixty day tour, we would like to invite you to participate in a National Town Hall on Social Security privatization. We would work with you and your staff to ensure that members of the general public would be invited so that you could hear first hand the concerns most Americans have about your privatization plan and its deep benefit cuts and massive debt increases.”

Now that’s a good idea. Bush kvetches constantly that Dems don’t want to talk to him about Social Security, despite his stated desire to reach a bi-partisan approach. He even tells his (carefully screened) audiences that he’ll listen to anyone with a good idea.

Well, here’s his chance. Reid and Pelosi have an offer on the table: a bi-partisan gathering with regular Americans for an open discussion on the president’s top domestic policy goal. Bush, who insists he wants to hear good ideas, work with Dems, and reassure people about his agenda, should jump at the chance, right? Right?

Yeah, right.

  • I like the new tougher talk coming from Reid and Pelosi, but you can’t lead this horse to water, much less make him drink. His “mandate” means he can put his fingers in his ears and go “Worthless IOUs” all day long.

  • Oh please. Those liberal rats Reid and Pelosi would have a crowd full of ringers who want to make our brave president look bad. Don’t you guys listen to Tom DeLay? The liberals are out to ruin America!!

    Our president will not subject himself to partisan attacks when he’s trying to educate Americans about the Social Security crisis.

  • Tom Friedman had a great quote about Bush, “The hallmark of George Bush’s presidency is that he’s never asked Americans, let alone his own base, to do anything hard.” This president is not willing to be honest, pay a price or or expose himself to any personal risk. Like a spoiled kid with a new credit card, his excesses will be paid for by someone else. And frankly, very few have been raising their voices to tell this emperor he has no clothes when the obvious is always covered over, or covered up, with a veneer of “patriotism” or Sept. 11. Congrats to Reid and Pelosi to challenge Bush’s lack of bravery in front of the taxpayers he’s screwing.

    The liberals aren’t ruining America. In Colorado,the Democrats gained control of both houses of the General Assembly because the public was tired of conservative tirades about gays, flag burning and other silly social crusades. The Republicans simply couldn’t conduct the business of the state like confronting budget issues. Why are the Republicans running ads telling the Dems to come up with a plan for Social Security? Because the Dems are the only party that still gives a s–t.

  • Push this! Mention it everywhere! If he’s so sure his plan is right, why can’t he defend it to the american people? What is he afraid of? Why can’t he lay out a solid plan with details before demanding the same from the dems – it was his idea to gut SS in the first place, after all.

  • George W(MD?) Bush will never have an honest town hall meeting to discuss how to fix S.S. because he’s not trying to fix it. He and his fellow conservatives trying to destroy it. “Hey, hey, ho, ho Social Security’s gotta go…” remember?

  • Bravo to Reid and Pelosi! Now let’s see if the liberal media actually makes a story out of this…

  • The scary part of the picture is that if Cheney pulls his nuclear option there won’t be any debate on anything, social security or otherwise.

    If the Congress renews the Patriot Act as they are debating right now he’ll have the perfect weapon to “intimidate the justices” as DeLay has been advocating. This will effectively neutralize the last check on his powers.

    During on of Bush’s town Meetings he joked, “things would be far easier if I was a dictator but I’m not.” Senator Byrd has been the only one to tell the truth, “I haven’t seen parlimentary manuevers like this since Germany in 1933.” He was roundly chastised for that… the truth hurts!

  • Our great president will have nothing to do with any honest town hall meeting. He is the leader of charades and fake newscasts.

  • I don’t think many people are now being fooled by Bush’s tactics. Polls show that Republicans have lost credibility with the vast majority of people, no doubt in part due to the transparent deception used by Rove, et al. The more they try to fool the public on Soc Sec, the more their poll numbers go down. Same thing on Terri Schiavo.

    It is good public relations by Reid and Pelosi to call for a real town meeting to help highlight the ridiculousness of Bush’s pre-scripted one-sided events. They should hold at least one event, with some real debate among audience and panel, and it would be great if Bush and his representatives didn’t show (like when a candidates debate is held and with one competitor’s seat empty).

    I think it would be great for Bush’s sixty day Soc Sec push to be extended for 6 more month. He is looking silly and out of touch.

  • I like Waxman’s approach a lot (asking how much it costs and if it’s crossed the line into propaganda).

  • It occurs to me that, sans opposition, this administration is unable to form a coherent message. But they’re loath to actually face any opposition on substantive policy issues. It’s a posture of complete gutlessness. Attempts to erect straw man opponents are becoming less and less successful. Calling their bluff looks like an excellent move, if the media can be induced to disseminate the call.

    Aye, there’s the rub.

  • I love it, the Democratic Party has become the party of “firing off nasty letters”.

    Why don’t we just rename ourselves Earl, move in at the kids’ duplex and complain about kids on the front lawn, the Brewers’ lack of a decent bullpen this year, the thickness of the bags at Value Village these days and how you can’t get a decent red onion anymore.

  • I think that Bush actually believes that the crowds he meets in his townhall meetings are actually representative of the American people. In my opinion for whatever it’s worth I think that Bush’s handlers know that he is mentally unstable and couldn’t deal with that reality of opposing viewpoints. Does anyone recall a little reported story last summer about Bush storming off the stage at some kind of event screaming keep these mf’s away from me or I’ll find someone else that will. When I started looking at the Bush adminstration from this angle, a whole lot of things that didn’t seem to make sense started to. Unfortunately it looks like with Republicans that mental illness is contagious.

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