What Goes Around Comes Around

Perhaps it's obvious to everyone else, but...

The virulence of the anti-Bush crowd (horde, really) reminds me of the virulence of the anti-Clintonistas:

1. The trouble began with Clinton when he beat Bush 41 because of Perot's presence in the 1992 race. The trouble began with Bush when he beat Gore because of the controversial outcome in Florida.

2. Clinton initially tried to push a left-wing agenda, especially with his proposal for "reform" of the health-care system. Bush initially tried to push a right-wing agenda, especially with his "faith-based initiative" and nomination of pro-life jurists to judgeships.

3. Conservatives saw Clinton's tax increases not as valid economic policy but as a way of punishing achievement. Liberals see Bush's tax cuts not as valid economic policy but as a way of rewarding "fat cats".

4. Clinton made a major rightward move by embracing welfare reform, but that didn't placate Clinton-haters. Bush has made a major leftward move in his domestic agenda, but that hasn't placated Bush-haters.

5. Far-left Democrats viewed Clinton as a traitor to his party because of welfare reform. Far-right Republicans view Bush as a traitor to his party because of his "profligate" domestic budget.

6. Given everything else, conservatives weren't willing to cut any slack for Clinton in the Jones-Lewinsky affair. Given everything else, liberals haven't been willing to cut any slack for Bush when it comes to the war in Iraq.

I know just how the Bush-haters feel. I was a Clinton-hater.