Personal About Politics: What Price Loyalty?

I have always been intrigued by blind loyalty, both those who follow someone blindly, and those who command such loyalty.

Blind loyalty is a common thread throughout the Bush administration.  What keeps his “Bushies” so loyal? Is it the promise of money somewhere down the road? Is it power? The promise of power or just being close to someone powerful? For some, it is the only way they can ever hope for any power, by just being in the same arena of the power broker. It may be both, since it appears that many of those most loyal to Bush, who receive high paying jobs, are also the most incompetent.

It may also be the reason Bush is so loyal to them. By placing unqualified people in administrative positions, he can play on their inadequacies and therefore wield more control. Why, for example, did Bush continue to push for the nomination of Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court when she was glaringly unqualified and there was no support for her on the Hill?  Probably because, as we know now, she was doing his bidding behind the scenes, ticking off attorneys general to fire.

Bush supported then Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld as he continued to deny any failures in Iraq, even after it was obvious there were many failures, right up until the failure of the Republican Party to win a majority in Congress…..then he was fired.

And let’s not forget FEMA Director Mike “Bownie’s doing a heck of a job” Brown. He was the poster child for complete ineptitude, and had there not been a real disaster (Katrina) he might have waltzed through his entire tenure, garnering $148,000 a year, without ever having to do anything responsible. 

The entire world called for the resignation of Paul Wolfowitz after his embarrassing behavior at the World Bank. Not President Bush. Probably because Wolfowitz helped construct and promote the war in Iraq, which is exactly what the White House wanted. 
 
General Alberto Gonzales continues to have selective amnesia when testifying, giving all kinds of non-information, and blatantly admitting he doesn’t know what goes on in his own department. Both Democrats and Republicans are calling for his resignation and a revamp of the justice department, and yet Bush gives him support. Why? Because he is a firewall to the White House, keeping the investigation away from Rove and yes, Bush himself.

Bush selects people hungry for power. People who will do anything he asks just for the opportunity to be near the center of power. People with no conscience or morals, or sense of their own self-worth.  People he can use.  He wrings them out, then hangs them out to dry.


“George W. Bush has gathered around him….most frighteningly, psychotic personalities, or PPs, the medical term for smart, personable people who have no consciences.”
From the memoir of the late Kurt Vonnegut, published in 2006.



Cheri Cabot, Politics Correspondent
Cheri’s column, “Personal About Politics”, published every Tuesday, will reflect on how the life of a 57 year-old, middle class woman is affected by politics, policy and the current state of the nation - a look at the personal aspects of politics. The articles will be posted to Politics.gather.com as part of Gather Essentials.

Cheri is a single teacher and writer, living in Southern California.  She has two grown children, one in Iowa and one at Columbia University, and is the proud grandmother of two. Cheri is also a purveyor of fine coffee, warm chatter and dry wit.

You can find all of Cheri’s columns on Personal About Politics at www.ccabot.gather.com.  Keep up with Cheri’s other postings and Gather activity by joining her Gather network at www.ccabot.gather.com, and select the orange “Connect” button on the left-hand side of the page.

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