Our President is an Addict

And we are enabling him

While eating lunch with my husband the other day, it came to me like an epiphany: Our president is addicted to his illusions. You see, there is alcoholism on both sides of my family, so I know a lot about addiction and recovery. Most importantly, addiction does not make rational sense. If, say, past experiences prove that you can’t drink successfully, the logical thing to do is to quit.

For example, Bill Clinton’s personal misconduct in the White House does not make sense until one considers him a sex addict. He was smart enough to know Monica could not keep quiet and also to know detection would be ruinous. Yet he kept on doing it.

Bush has already established his credentials as an addict with his drinking career. A lot of addicts, when denied their drug of choice, will switch to some other substance. For Bush, it appears that living in a fantasy world has become his new addiction.

Think about it. Addicts seek release from the realities of the world, usually through chemical substances. Bush has been able to achieve that goal with a new substance–power. It’s as if you gave the keys to the liquor cabinet to a practicing alcoholic.

A common element in addiction is denial. Bush seems to have that down pat. No matter how much evidence contradicts his perceptions, he holds on tight to his illusions. No matter how ridiculous his position might seem, as in "we do not torture."

Previous attempts to explain Bush’s truth disabilities have focused upon his political shrewdness. Yet his veto of the stem cell bill is evidence there is more than expediency to blame. Poor George, it seems he just can’t help himself sometimes.

Naturally, addicts surround themselves with enablers–people who aid and abet their addiction. Think of what happened to people in the Bush White House who thought a little truth would help.

Of course, sometimes the enablers manipulate the addict for their own benefit. Karl Rove comes to mind.

Thus far, however, the most important enablers have been the American people. It’s time for us to practice a little tough love on the Addict-in-Chief. Let’s make the November elections the intervention that he needs.

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