The Problem Is

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It's amazing to remember that when Mr. Bush first ran for president, he bragged about his understanding of Latin America, his ability to speak Spanish and his friendship with Mexico. But he also made fun of Al Gore for believing that nation-building was a job for the United States military.

The White House is in an uproar over the future of Karl Rove, the president's political adviser, and spinning off rumors that some top cabinet members may be asked to walk the plank. Mr. Bush could certainly afford to replace some of his top advisers. But the central problem is not Karl Rove or Treasury Secretary John Snow or even Donald Rumsfeld, the defense secretary. It is President Bush himself.

Second terms may be difficult, but the chief executive still has the power to shape what happens. Ronald Reagan managed to turn his messy second term around and deliver - in great part through his own powers of leadership - a historic series of agreements with Mikhail Gorbachev that led to the peaceful dismantling of the Soviet empire. Mr. Bush has never demonstrated the capacity for such a comeback. Nevertheless, every American has a stake in hoping that he can surprise us.

The place to begin is with Dick Cheney, the dark force behind many of the administration's most disastrous policies, like the Iraq invasion and the stubborn resistance to energy conservation. Right now, the vice president is devoting himself to beating back Congressional legislation that would prohibit the torture of prisoners. This is truly a remarkable set of priorities: his former chief aide was indicted, Mr. Cheney's back is against the wall, and he's declared war on the Geneva Conventions.

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I don't fully grasp wh at the NYT is espousing in this editorial. The only goal they seem to target is rendering Cheney immaterial. They've fingered the problem: George Bush. His failures at leadership, comprehension, vision; the problems of his Cabinet and advisors all come from the central problem of a useless President at best, and childishly dangerous one at worst. Yet the NYT seems resigned to thing that we can do little more than hope the president deals with his trifling little troubles, which are certainly bad for all of us, for the next three years.

Bush isn't going to do that. And America can't accept what he is going to do.

America needs to elect a true opposition party in 06; and in the meantime they need to demand of their opposition party that they craft a cohesive vision agenda based on competence, accountability, security, and provisions for all citizenry. And then they need to remove all power from these guys who have it right now. Because this is more than just stupifying- it is dangerous manipulation with utter disregard to the interest citizens.