Quick Notes #9
Greed: Some say that we went to Iraq to steal the oil; I don’t know who’s getting what money, so I can’t address that. I always assumed that a bigger aim was not to take the oil revenues, but rather to control the output, so as to control world prices. But here’s another thought: a war in Iraq–especially a long war, what Bush has pushed for and keeps on pushing for–in addition to instability in the Middle East–which Bush has certainly caused, without question–all provides for the perfect excuse to jack up gas prices at the pump far beyond reason. Maybe it’s not just stealing or even controlling the oil. Maybe it’s about creating the pretext for overcharging for the oil.
Any way you look at it, the oil companies have got this covered in several directions. Not the least of which is an administration, run by two former oil company executives, who have fought for and won billions in tax breaks for the oil companies, which are making historic profits.
But surely, I am an conspiracy theorist.
You speak of just one of the primary benefits to Bush and his constituency.
There’s another benefit.
Bush was put in place by the Republican aristocracy. I specifically recall a frontline documentary where George Schultz was interviewed. ‘”We got the usual suspects together” and questioned him, and came away impressed…'(last bit paraphrased). Prior to they meeting, they didn’t think he had the stones in his head to pull it off, but decided that he could hold a conversation long enough, and that he could represent and advance their interest. They gave Bush the largest campaign war chest in history and made him the heir apparent. Then McCain upset him in New Hampshire primary (Bush is the first person in history to be elected President who hadn’t won his parties New Hampshire primary). This meant that he had to win the next round of primaries in Michigan and South Carolina – it was do or die for Bush’s campaign so they pulled out all the stops (even claiming that McCains daughter adopted from Bengla Desh was really the result of an interacial trist – a claim aimed at moving biggots in South Carolina).
After Michigan and South Carolina, the record $65 million given to Bush with the intention of lasting the entire presidential process was down to a mere $5 million. No problem though, a short time later his war chest was back up over $60million. (The $60 million lost in those two campaigns should have raised some red flags for the Republican Polit bureau).
The point is these men put Bush in place and he is beholden to them. They put him in their to kill off the vestiges of Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal.
The problem with that is Bush came into office with a negative mandate. Within a few months, he lost control of the Senate when Jeffers switched sides.
How then could Bush pursue his duty of destroying the New Deal with a negative mandate?
Simple, acquire special war time powers: our system gives the Presedency exagerated powers during war time. So, in addition to controling the oil prices better, Iraq being a low grade, slow burning war, has provided him with the political power he needed to compensate for his lack of a real mandate.