Time for a Fisking

Time for Him to Go

By GAIL COLLINS

Published: November 22, 2008

Thanksgiving is next week, and President Bush could make it a really special holiday by resigning.

Seriously. We have an economy that’s crashing and a vacuum at the top....Blah, blah blah. Yes Bush like all the other presidents since the 20th amendment are lame ducks and it is suddenly a problem now because? Anybody? Buhler? Ah, yes! It is a problem now because a D is replacing an R. Got it.

Putting Barack Obama in charge immediately isn’t impossible. Dick Cheney, obviously, would have to quit as well as Bush. In fact, just to be on the safe side, the vice president ought to turn in his resignation first. (We’re desperate, but not crazy.) Then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would become president until Jan. 20. Obviously, she’d defer to her party’s incoming chief executive, and Barack Obama could begin governing...

And now, back from liberal fantasy land: Why should Bush and Cheney go along with this scheme? They undoubtedly think the country would have been better off with McCain winning, so the later Obama takes over the better.

Can I see a show of hands? How many people want George W. out and Barack in? Just guessing here, but I would bet that almost all of the 58 million votes for McCain would be against this. And this isn't even counting all the people who are already regretting their votes for Obama.

A great many Americans have been counting the days all year on their 2008 George W. Bush Out of Office Countdown calendars. I know a bunch of people like this. They seriously entertained the idea that Bush was a dictator who would never give-up power . Now the same people think he would give it up early? So what is it? Lack of memory or cognitive dissonance?

In the past, presidents have not taken well to suggestions that they hand over the reins before the last possible minute. Senator J. William Fulbright suggested a plan along those lines when Harry Truman was coming to the end of a term in a state of deep unpopularity, and Truman called him “Halfbright” for the rest of his life. Bush might not love the idea of quitting before he has a chance to light the Christmas tree or commute the execution of one last presidential turkey. After all, he still has a couple more trips planned. And last-minute regulations to issue. Are you trying to get him to go or to stay?

On the other hand, he might want to consider his legacy, such as it is. Because, nothing says success like quitting early.

“Doing nothing is almost the worst thing a president can do,” said the historian Michael Beschloss. Actually, most conservatives' fondest hope is that the president will do as little as possible. 9 out of 10 problems will solve themselves, but any problem "solved" by government, will likely either make the problem worse, permanent, or create two other equally bad ones.

Time for a change. Yes, the Times need a change: They need sane editorialists for a start.