I'm done...

I can't do it anymore...I just cannot hide my contempt for the President anymore. Being that I work in news, I hear about wire-tapping and "pardons" and executive privileges all day long. Sometimes it's hard to filter out all of the analysis and commentary, but I'd like to think I do a reasonable job of just listening to the President's comments. I've listened to many, many clips of the President in the past two weeks, so I've had a lot of exposure to his, and other's thoughts on his, positions. As I'm sitting here, I'm combing through clips of his latest press conference, and it's maddening. (Oh, the Chairman got me thinking it was time to write about this. I think he offers a good view, especially from the perspective of one who has become more skeptical of the Bush Administration...if I may characterize him as such). I have to be careful because I could spend MONTHS listening to old audio clips, so I'll highlight one of the many, many things that I think are problematic.
For those who don't know, Congress submitted a bill that requires "satisfactory" progress on 18 benchmarks to be made by September. First of all, I have problems with the word "satisfactory." Anyone who has ever been to school knows that "satisfactory" implies that you did just enough to get by. Take, for example, a pass/fail grading option. In order to pass, one needs to receive at least a "satisfactory" grade of a "C" or higher (the standard "C" range is from 70%-79% accuracy...or is it precision? whatever...). In most settings, not a lot is required of one to obtain a "satisfactory" level (OF COURSE I am not a fool and realize that there are plenty of objectives for which a satisfactory level is next to impossible to attain). I think that the people of Iraq, and our men and women in the service, deserve better than "satisfactory."

President Bush said on Thursday:
"Today my Administration has submitted to Congress an interim report, that requires us to assess, and I quote the, the bill, whether 'satisfactory progress towards meeting these benchmarks is, or is not being achieved.' Of the 18 benchmarks Congress asked us to measure, we can report that satisfactory progress is being made in 8 areas"

What!?? 8 out of 18? So far, that's about 44% accuracy-decidedly NOT satisfactory (which, as stated earlier, I don't believe to be a high enough standard to begin with). YES, I know that these are to be met by September, but go to the lower right corner of your desktop and double click the time; you'll open up a calendar. September is 7 weeks away!

Low standards, lack of implementation and disregard for public opinion are very problematic for the Bush White House. These factors, combined with statements made by the President that he will let the generals, not politicians, dictate the Iraq timetable-along with reinforcing how HE is the Commander-in-Chief and how HE has a feeling about Iraq, etc, etc, drive me insane.

So, I'm done. My name is Nick, and I don't like the President. There...it's out in the open. Don't judge me.

-N

Check this report out on the BBC