Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Appealing To A Higher Power
James Madison, the "Father of our Constitution," is quoted as saying:
yet the Bush administration is trying to use religion to its political advantage.
Although the invoking of religion is nothing new for Bush, I think it shows the hypocritical nature of his leadership. During the build-up to the invasion of Iraq, the Pope was very outspoken against military action. But like so many others, he was ignored. George and his PNAC buddies were going to war no matter what. However, now that it works to their advantage, the White House is looking to the Pope for help. I guess when the chips are down, a desparate man will resort to anything
However, this approach is not an isolated incident. You can draw parallels between Bush's approach to the Catholic Church and his approach to the United Nations. Anything that will help the President politically is fair game (like the recent U.N. resolution concerning Iraq), but if it goes against his intentions (like the advice of U.N. members who were opposed to invading Iraq) he conveniently ignores it.
I think the Republicans have a name for this affliction; they call it flip-flopping. Something they like to claim is one of the reasons to vote against John Kerry. Maybe George's mother forgot to teach him about people in glass houses.
- Every new and successful example, therefore, of a perfect separation between the ecclesiastical and civil matters, is of importance; and I have no doubt that every new example will succeed, as every past one has done, in showing that religion and Government will both exist in greater purity the less they are mixed together (Letter to Edward Livingston, July 10, 1822)
yet the Bush administration is trying to use religion to its political advantage.
- "During his June 4 visit, Bush asked the Vatican to push the American Catholic bishops to be more aggressive politically on family and life issues, especially a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.'' A Vatican official was quoted as saying that Bush complained that "Not all the American bishops are with me.''
Although the invoking of religion is nothing new for Bush, I think it shows the hypocritical nature of his leadership. During the build-up to the invasion of Iraq, the Pope was very outspoken against military action. But like so many others, he was ignored. George and his PNAC buddies were going to war no matter what. However, now that it works to their advantage, the White House is looking to the Pope for help. I guess when the chips are down, a desparate man will resort to anything
However, this approach is not an isolated incident. You can draw parallels between Bush's approach to the Catholic Church and his approach to the United Nations. Anything that will help the President politically is fair game (like the recent U.N. resolution concerning Iraq), but if it goes against his intentions (like the advice of U.N. members who were opposed to invading Iraq) he conveniently ignores it.
I think the Republicans have a name for this affliction; they call it flip-flopping. Something they like to claim is one of the reasons to vote against John Kerry. Maybe George's mother forgot to teach him about people in glass houses.
