Tourettes and Bush

As a supporter of limited government, I am deeply disturbed by the economic profligacy of George W. Bush and the Republican Congress. It is correctly pointed out that in the interests of "letting the good times roll," we are loading the expenses onto the next generation despite a disastrous and seemingly unending war in Iraq. Yet people seem to be saying: "Party on!"

Rational analysis of this ominous situation doesn't seem to be working. Instead, some people are tempted to resort to a kind of Tourettes response. Bush is called everything from a "liar" (as if all politicians did not lie) to an ***hole. The latter is a word of uncertain metaphorical significance that is not as negative as it might seem. After all, without anuses, how could we continue to live? Well, there is the possibility of a coleostomy. Enough of that.

Many other illustations of Bush Tourettes could be cited. At all events, this kind of name calling leads nowhere. It is not even preaching to the choir, because the expletives turn off many, like myself, who are very worried about the current profligacy.

So reason doesn't work; invective doesn't work. What will? Can there be a new sort of emotional appeal? For a while, it seemed that John Edwards was onto something with his gentler, kinder version of the class war. But that faded. Is there something else that can be tried?