Bush Family Fortunes: The Best Democracy Money Can Buy

Yes, here we have yet one more blistering account of malfeasance by our forty-third President, George W. Bush. You'd think that with all the accusations of self interest, incompetence and cronyism flying around that Georgie would be up for impeachment instead of reelection. (let's assume he was elected and not appointed)

But... what if it's true! What if the man, who the religious right reverently treats like is the second coming of Jesus Christ but in reality is seemingly fulfilling the prophecies his arch enemy, the Anti-Christ, is really as bad as all the books and videos are saying is true? Wouldn't I feel awful if I helped put this cretin back in office to wreak biblical havoc upon the world?

For those of you who have seen the film Fahrenheit 9/11, Bush Family Fortunes, will seem like deja vu, albeit on a much much smaller budget. Bush Family Fortunes is based on a book by Greg Palast. Never heard of him? Well that's because he's an American investigative reporter who happens to report in England, as in Great Britain. In fact in the extras section of the DVD, in an interview with the author/producer, Greg is a little put out that he can't seem to get his message out (get published) in the United States.

Bush Family Fortunes: The Best Democracy Money Can Buy

As I mentioned BFFTBDMCB rehashes much of the information disseminated in Fahrenheit 9/11 but it is dispersed using a different method. In BFFTBDMCB the film takes on more of an investigative news report feeling ie. Dateline or 60 Minutes. In Fact, the movie starts out with an indignant Assistant Florida Secretary of State walking out on Palast, stating the interview is over.

The overriding premise of the movie is that G. W. Bush's presidency calculates every move to increase his stature an make money for his friends and his family. Included as some of the beneficiaries of the president's largesse are bankrupt Enron's Chairman Kenneth Lay, Vice President Cheney's former company Haliburton of which Cheney was CEO, Arms manufacturer, The Carlyle Group, the bin Ladens and the Saudi Royal Family.

Palast also lays out a convincing case of what many have suspected. The real reason for the invasion of Iraq was OIL and shows a map supposedly surreptitiously obtained which shows the oil fields and allegedly depicts the areas various oil companies were to operate in.

Palast also delves into the Bush war record which has many unanswered questions. Ostensibly Bush leapfrogged over some one hundred thousand other applicants on the waiting list and tested 25 of 100 on the National Guard entrance test (after graduating from Yale), the lowest score allowed. In addition when Bush was Governor, he had staff members go through and shred many of his Air National Guard records.

CONCLUSION

For those that have seen Farhenheit 9/11, you may want to pass on BFFTBDMCB as it covers much of the same material, all of which is unfavorable to the Bush administration, unless, of course, you cannot get enough bad news about our president. However, much of the Florida election shenanigans that have been uncovered and continue to be uncovered that were shown in both films were the work of Greg Palast. Palast says the orchestrated problems that were evident in 2000 have not been corrected and that there is a potential for even more mischief.

One thing I heard that did not ring true and I don't believe, is when Greg was interviewing a big time lawyer, who had been involved in the big tobacco settlement and was now investigating 9/11, said in no uncertain terms that our intelligence agencies have known since 1995 that terrorists planned to crash an airplane into either a symbol of commerce or the military. If there was any truth to this then it would have been in the 9/11 Commission Report and it wasn't. When you see something like this that you feel is inaccurate you start to wonder if other things mentioned and not corroborated elsewhere are also inaccurate. This is a weakness in the film for me. Luckily, that for me was the only thing that stood out as being unlikely.

This movie and the proceeding book were based upon Palast's hard hitting investigative reports for BBC and UK's Guardian and Observer newspapers. The main film lasts approximately sixty minutes and has two special features sections, one an interview with Palast and the other, an examination of the incriminating documents that Palast has collected.

For inquisitive minds, may I recommend these other reviews

Bush's Brain: http://www.epinions.com/content_159390142084

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly : the Bush Dynasty: http://www.epinions.com/content_157054504580

Fahrenheit 9/11: http://www.epinions.com/content_157975088772

Uncovered: The Whole Truth About the Iraq War:
http://www.epinions.com/content_153684708996

Against All Enemies: http://www.epinions.com/content_134409784964

Plan of Attack: http://www.epinions.com/content_137910259332 For some reason this book is not listed under books by Bob Woodward

Political essays by daumco

The Semi-Official Republican Response to Democrat Zell Millers Diatribe!: http://www.epinions.com/content_4085751940

Another Milestone but a TRAGIC one: http://www.epinions.com/content_4083720324

My Opinion: http://www.epinions.com/content_3999768708

The Bushman Blew it - Invaded Wrong Country: http://www.epinions.com/content_3981156484

Career Opportunities: http://www.epinions.com/content_4094926980