The Sunday morning talk shows included more discussion of President Bush's proposals for Social Security.
As I read and listen to the debate, what strikes me most powerfully is neither ideology nor politics. Perhaps because I grew up in decades heavily influenced by Freud, Bush's desire to destroy Social Security leads me to consider him psychologically.
I don't think Bush is cynical, you see, but truly believes it's sensible to replace the existing "collective" or "societal" program with a do-it-yourself "ownership society" approach.
Now if I were he, thinking along those lines, I would hesitate. After all, I would say to myself, I was born rich. Should I push everybody else to risk their dough in the markets, when I grew up prvileged, risk-free?
But W. doesn't hestitate. Meaning, I think, that he doesn't doubt. Why not? Because he found God. However, the W. who lucked out that way was an immature, ignorant and neurotic (e.g. his big love-hate relationship with Dad) young man.
Conclusion? He never had to grow up, thanks to being born again.
OK. This is an admittedly amateur analysis, but it helps explain Iraq and lots of other elements in his Presidency. I think of it not as a substitute for analysis of
his political ideology, but as what underlies that - what enables him to think and act with such strength and so childishly.