Boo waxes eloquently about some cabinet shuffling going on at the White House, and all I can say is that I really don't have an opinion or theory, because as has been the case so often in the last six years, it's clear we don't have "all the information" necessary to make a sound conclusion. Except this: historically, moving high level staff around in the manner of Bush these last few years is a sign of chaos, confusion, rudderlessness and lack of direction. I read a book about Nixon's last days some time ago, and this story reminded me a bit of that, as well as of Hitler's last days, in which he would scream at his generals and move invisible armies around the map, demanding that everyone in his cabinet follow through on his plans for "victory."

I was pissed off last night, having been reminded by my Betters in the Democratic establishment that I am of the Little People, and thus have no say in the decision making process. Which is fine, I guess, I've never really sought power. But I sincerely wish our Betters would occasionally recall, we Little People, in addition to caring about things like equality, the Rule of Law, sound fiscal policy, etc, because we have to, are very often right about the "big problems," as they used to call that program at one of my alma maters.

The list is almost too easy to make: we were right about the war, we were right about Katrina and the need for levies and improvements in NOLA, we were right about what would happen if Bush was given too much leeway and freedom with traditional Constitutional values, etc. Well, now we're being proven right in the belief that it's very, very important for our Leaders to be competent, professional, and the need for them to answer regularly to independent and critical entities of oversight and review. If we had a real Free Press, some part of that would be happening now. Instead we get Pravda on the Potomac, and have to read the tea leaves as we try to understand what this and other developments mean. We hope for oversight now, as the 110th takes their oaths today. Truly, that is what the people voted for in this election: oversight, accountability, competence, leadership.

For what it's worth: I think Bush and Condi have never really been responsible for all the decisions over the last six years, and that they are both shockingly incompentent, and that this fact is well known and appreciated by the "Poppy" Bush faction. I think the problem that's emerging is that Bush can perceive the many failures of his administration, and increasingly exercises his Pretzlenential authority by firing people for carrying out his wishes. The smart rats got off this boat some time ago, and now he's left with less competent sycophants who all have a tolerance limit for the blame and bullshit they have to swallow from him. I also think that a lot of the real decision making over the last six years has been done in the dark, by people in the Poppy faction and elsewhere, and that those decisions have been communicated to the Chimp the same way grown ups often tell children, "Yes, I sent your letter to the North Pole, I'm sure Santa will get it." But I think those same groups underestimated the extent to which the Chimp would "take command" at the wrong moments, as he seems to be doing now as the war becomes a complete and total failure. He's like that kid in "Twilight Zone: The Movie." He has total power, and the people still left in the house with him have to do anything he asks, for fear he'll morph their faces so they have no mouths at all.

And finally, let me express my belief that Condi has never been anything more than an invel-wife figurehead. I don't think she's ever been able to even understand the scope of her duties, let alone comprehend the full set of complicated facts relating to those places in the world she "stewards." I also don't believe that Republicans, even Bush's Republicans, would ever give a Negress actual decision making power. Hell, they didn't give any to Powell, and he was at least somewhat competent, in the cover up and bullshit department, and probably even more. No, I've never bought that the traditional order of decision making and seniority has been at play in this administration, and I don't believe it now.

But for what it's worth, as a Little Person who's worked in some "fucked company" jobs once or twice, I do know this: when no one is really in charge and everyone is working at corss purposes, nothing get accomplished. Expect the decsent of this sad, pathetic "administration" to continue, just as you should expect (our troops, the economy, our standing in the world, etc) to suffer the effects of that.