Laughingstocks All Around!

I'm still amazed by the news of the George W. Bush Presidential Library. It's a half billion dollar project and they're putting the squeeze on friends, benefactors, and lackeys for contributions.

Like the Bush presidency, this library promises to be different. Only those who suck up, kiss up, or otherwise genuflect to the memory of the soon to be departed (hallelujah) president will be able to use its many resources.

Of course it's no joke to say the "resources" might be limited -- and I haven't even got the energy to make the obvious jokes here. They've been done to death anyway!

Here's one of the weirdest quotes:

However, the George W. Bush Presidential Center will come with a catch. It “will also feature an institute — independent of academic governance of the university — to sponsor research and programs designed to promote the vision of the president” and “celebrate” Bush’s presidency.

That's right, the library will promote the vision of the president and "celebrate" his presidency. LOL! Precisely what "vision" that might be is not specified. But we can well imagine a courtyard in a complete shambles, perhaps a lower section completely flooded, visitors seeking any kind of help to get out. Maybe there will be a big globe smoldering. And as to any "celebration" of his presidency, perhaps this will be represented with the hooded guy in Iraq standing on the box with electrodes leading to his fingers. Yes, we'll let that guy speak for the world in "celebrating" President Bush.

The flat out truth, folks, is this presidential library/center will be the laughingstock of presidential libraries, which is appropriate. And Southern Methodist University will be the laughingstock of universities for being foolish enough to give it a home. How about reconsidering? Maybe just become a nuclear waste dump instead, and do something good for the country.