Bush dancing

I was reading about the various rules and regulations and the "new" decisions the federal agencies have been initiating, adopting and implementing. This isn't new, every lame duck President does this, have the agencies in their administration starting sneaking in rules and regulations - sneaking it isn't because all have to be published in the Federal Register, but sneaking it the few people who read this daily publication.

But the Bush administration, seeing the likelihood of a Democrat President being elected and a real Democratic Congress, even maybe a filibuster-proof one, is exacerbating them into action. And they're sneaking more and worse rules and regulations which will take longer to undo and fix by the next administration. Add to this the major issues Bush is leaving on the table for the next President, and it's clear he's dancin' fast and loose.

It's clear the SOFA (treaty legalizing the American presence in Iraq) is going down the toliet, something they knew months ago could and would likely happen because Bush is a lame duck. Coming this January, when the SOFA expires, Bush will simply say something to the effect, "We're working on an extension." and then leave it to collect dust for the next President. He walk out the door saying, "So, don't forget to get a new SOFA."

And then there is Gitmo. Both candidates have sworn to follow the Geneva Convention and close Gitmo, but the White House staffers are making it hard to close the unlawful prison and follow the federal justice system to prosecute the prisoners. They're imposing decisions about the prisoners which will make their prosecution hard and closing Gitmo almost impossible.

And Bush will wave goodbye laughing, knowing he screwed the next President and the American people with his administrations illegal decisions and actions about prisoners of war (which is what they are, not enemy combatants as the courts have said all along) with the creation of Gitmo and the abuse of prisoners' rights. And closing it will be a nightmare.

I hope the next President's staff have been keeping a checklist of the rules and regulations the Bush administration is implementing in the latter days of their terms. And then prioritize them when they assume office. It usually takes a year to fix them, and Bush's may take longer because he and his folks are more mean and vindicitive and left some that will do more harm and damage than just words.

And some of the fixes will take Congressional help with laws, programs, and funds. It's being that disasterous to the American people and America. And with the real problems of the wars, the eonomy and the international situation, I worry some will last far longer than necessary and the damage will be lasting if not permanent.

But there's always hope, because at least we've stopped the tune and tone of Bush's dancing and changed the record for the better for America and the American people.