Tim,

Let me start by saying that I dislike talking about politics and I disapprove of anyone using science to prop up their personal politics or morality.

I completely leave aside the point that I personally despise Bush. Whom I love or loathe is irrelevant.

That said, I think the point that George Bush is elected is not entirely the full story. Yes, we collectively, voted for him. However, he is making decisions on a global scale that will effect the progeny of many, many nations for many decades to come. There are a whole lot of people in the world who did not vote for GW.

I don't think he is competent and I think he and some of his allies are a bunch of bullies. That is also irrelevant to a science forum. The fact that my fellow americans could TWICE vote for such a goober fills me with shame and imbues me with an unshakable depression. Also irrelevant to a science forum.

My opinion is not directly related to a war in Iraq which I could have supported even on such scant evidence as was supplied were it not that .... well, it's all irrelevant.

This guy - these guys - may 'listen' to others, but they don't pay attention. They pick and choose among the voices in the crowd - oil companies deciding national oil policy; tossing out CIA reports till they find one that supports what they want to believe; contradicting what his own science adviser says about evolution; firing an army chief of staff (Shinseki) who gives him an answer he doesn't like and overlooking his peers to bring on a former AF 4-star (Schoonmaker, a brilliant man, but with no experience to judge ground issues) to oversee the army; ignoring the best counsel of close allies and long-forged and hard-wrought friendships to forge a coalition of the willing. His selective use of 'information' is so infuriating, so contrary to the spirit of scientific inquiry, so utterly asinine that it's barely possible to hold one's head up.

I won't write another post on the topic of Bush unless it is sufficiently related to science, but I wanted to lay out a few things that have been bugging me.