The politics of legacy

The progressive non-profit advocacy group, Americans United for Change, has $8.5 million set aside for a drive to do nothing more than keep Bush approval ratings low by an onslaught and relentless smear campaign.

Americans United for Change plans to undertake a yearlong campaign, spending the bulk of the money on advertising, to keep public attention on what the group says are the Bush administration's failures, including the war in Iraq, the response to Hurricane Katrina and the current mortgage crisis.

In selling the plan to fundraisers, the group has argued that support for President Reagan was at a low of 42 percent in 1987 but climbed to 63 percent before he left office. "All of a sudden he became a rallying cry for conservatives and their ideology," said Brad Woodhouse, the group's president. "Progressives are still living with that."

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Woodhouse said one goal is to make sure Bush does not enjoy a resurgence in public approval toward the end of his presidency that could help Republican congressional candidates and the GOP presidential nominee in this year's elections.

"Framing his legacy helps us in the '08 elections, there is no doubt about that," Woodhouse said. "But our principal mission would be defining the failures of Bush and the ideology he represents."

Woodhouse, president of the AFUC, is also known as a spokesman for the union funded Emergency Campaign for America's Priorities.... another far left advocacy group headed by president, William McNary. From McNary's statement on their website...

USAction is a bold, broad, national grassroots organization determined to strengthen progressive political power in order to win social, racial, economic and environmental justice for all.

Woodhouse and ilk may attempt to seal "legacy" and historic opinion in order to sweep all balance of powers in 2008. However the Bush legacy will not be known for some time to come. While the AFUC (isn't that an interesting acronym.... perhaps maybe IFUCU would be more appropriate!) may continue to blame this admin for FEMA failures in the aftermath of Katrina, the fact is FEMA has been a broken arm of the federal gov't long before the Bush 2000 inauguration. However the flaws in the system, laid out and implemented by a "don't blame me!" Congress, were never exposed because the bureaucracy was never tested to the limits until Katrina hit the shores of the Gulf Coast.

Bush's legacy will hinge upon the future of a Middle East that will either embrace the western world, capitalism and the global economy, and aid in the fight to control militant Islam - or a Middle East that cow tows to the small percentage of militants who are bent on taking the region back to third world conditions under Islamic law. The future of the Middle East and their Arab democracies will not be known for decades, despite the concerted efforts of hate Bush advocacy groups.

But there's something that distinctly smells about an agenda to smear a sitting President , and to attempt to dictate a lasting historical legacy based on bias and lies... all for a political power grab to control over a nation and implement progressive socialist programs. Politics is a mudfest. And frankly, having such well funded powerhouses attempting to change my country into another Russia is downright frightening.