Bush Thinks He Kept Americans Safe

Let him explain that to the families of the thousands of Americans killed in the wars he started.

Let him explain that to the tens of thousands of Americans wounded in body or mind in the wars he started.

Let him explain that to the people of New Orleans and the Gulf coast who suffered and are still suffering from Hurricane Katrina.

How many Americans will be injured or die as a result of accidents in our crumbling infrastructrure? How many Americans will suffer and die as a result of the ways in which he weakened environmental and safety regulation? How many will suffer and die who would have been saved had he made progress on health financing reform? How many Americans will suffer or die who would have been saved had he pushed ahead vigorously with stem cell research?

We think of the economic disaster that occurred on the watch of the Bush administration in terms of jobs and homes lost, and perhaps in terms of the Americans who no longer feel safe in their lives, but the costs of this recession will be also felt in increased crime and indeed in deteriorating health. How many Americans will suffer and die who would not have had the Bush administration kept their economy safe by appropriate regulation.

Of course it is the spin doctors who are trying to find something positive for Bush to say about his failed presidency. However, it is a failure to understand and quantify risk that leads to such foolishness as to claim Bush has kept Americans safe. I wonder if he himself understands how much misery he has let loose in America. Surely he does not understand the misery that his actions have created around the world, or that will continue that could have been alleviated had he acted more wisely.