The Unreliable Narrator

Update below.

Josh Marshall:

I would argue that the worst blow dealt by Bush has been to America's reputation, domestically and internationally, as a more or less reliable narrator of the passing parade of world events. That reputation was shattered internationally when we re-elected Bush, but wasn't seriously tarnished domestically until later, beginning with Katrina. That particular loss is worse for a number of reasons, not the least of which is because restoring our self-image as a can-do nation is easier--we simply must start doing again.

Yes.

I would add that in addition to the whole world thinking we are full of shit, that it now knows that a bunch of religious whackjobs wielding homemade bombs can bog down the biggest, most expensive military on the planet. Yes, a new commander in chief would be a first step in fixing that problem, but related to Attaturk's point below, we know that the government is seeded with people who view their résumés as "God's Instrument." We also know that at a bare minimum that such people are running the Air Force Academy. Who is to say that they are not running the entire military at this point? Those people don't just go away when a new commander in chief takes over. What do we do about them?

The only way to really get rid of these "Loyal Bushies" is not just to elect a new president and congress, but also to fire every single person who was hired into a government position after January 20, 20002001. It is the only way. But the military? That is an entirely different problem.

Comforting, huh?

On a completely different subject -- to those who observe: Happy Easter.

Update: Thanks to commenter whack, who reminds me that it is those hired after January 20, 2001 who are problematic. whack also suggests that the focus should be on political appointees and "Loyal Bushies" burrowed in the career service when the time comes. whack is right on both counts: see here, for example. Finally, a lot of these people are out of fundie farms like Regent University. There will be a lot of howling (and possible lawsuits) about firing large groups of people who all happen to be evangelicals. Democrats had better be prepared for it.

Atrios points out that those "Loyal Bushies" who are allowed to stay after January 20, 2009 will "fully understand that their job in a Democratic administration is to take it down." There's a solution to that problem: Fire.Them.All.