BUSH MANIA

ABOUT BUSH MANIA

By Peter Fredson

July 9, 2005

After watching George Bush for the past 5 years, I concluded that he suffers from some form of mental illness. I am not a psychologist, psychiatrist nor medical specialist, but I believe that G.W. suffers from some form of bipolar disorder.

This disorder is manifested by alternating periods of intense emotional activity and periods of depression.

For the past few months G.W. has publicly shown euphoria in which he attempts to ingratiate himself with his selected audiences. Yet, this euphoria has no ostensible basis. He seems to have failed in every program affecting the nation and his imperialistic expansion. I’m sure readers can list the many programs which have gone awry. So an explanation for the euphoria might be a symptom of mental illness.

Let me list some symptoms of bipolar disorder, and match G.W.’s behavior with them.

1. Irritable mood. Everyone has seen the fits of irritation when G.W. is thwarted or criticized.

2. Exaggerated or puffed-up self-esteem. G .W. loves to swagger. His MISSION ACCOMPLISHED fiasco illustrates his passionate desire to be considered “heroic.”

3. Rapid or “pressured” speech. Listen to G.W. trying to explain the war in Iraq .. his frequent pauses, linguistic gaffes, pronunciations, sudden starts and stops, and unintelligible phrases.

4. Impatience with other people. Watch G.W. when “explaining” his failures by shifting blame to others, then firing them.

5. Delusions of jealousy. Look at the way G.W. shelters” his wife and his obsession with being first in line.

6. Increased recklessness. G.W. swallowed all of the Neocon aggressiveness, preemptions, and pretensions to dominating the world. His war on Iraq, by using lies, and continuing his lies to the present day, shows his dangerous side.

7. Delusions of grandeur. Many people have remarked on his “imperial” manner, his allusions to his unwarranted “heroic” behavior on 9/11.

8. False beliefs or delusions. G.W. firmly believes that God Almighty reached down and selected him to save the world for democracy by making war on Muslim nations.

9. Inability to accept responsibility or criticism. G.W. himself publicly has stated that he never makes mistakes, or should apologize for anything.

10. Aggressive behavior. Just listen to G.W. excoriate other world leaders and threaten entire nations.

11. Increased talkativeness. Sometimes it is hard to get G.W. to shut up when he senses an audience or photo-op.

12. Distractability. G.W. cannot finish any project but must embark on several simultaneously. If he is criticized on his foreign policy he switches immediately to blasting gay conduct, or denouncing flag burning. Few projects are finished. Environment? Medicare? Domestic economy? Tampering with constitution? Terri Schiavo? Gay Marriage? Education? National Health Care? Diplomatic relations? Unemployment? Gas Prices? Terror alerts? Etc. etc.

13. Increased denial. Deniability is the very hallmark of G.W.’s regime.

14. Showing poor judgment. Deteriorating environment, Millennium contracts, AIDS will help eliminate unfit people, poor people are being punished by God, etc. etc.

15. Secretive. Another hallmark of the Bush regime.

16. Ignoring counsel. G.W. loves to take unilateral action.

17. Illusions of hearing voices from unseen persons. Like Son of Sam, G.W. says he talks to his God, but evidently never gets good advice.

18. Quick to anger. G.W. certainly needs Anger Management. His swearing at people he dislikes is notorious.

19. Poor concentration. G.W. says he never reads, and becomes fatigued with trying to solve problems. Things are “hard” for him.

20. General restlessness. G.W. paces, prances, pirouettes, swaggers, twitches his legs, has expansive gesturing, constant head motions, etc.

21. Firmly held erroneous beliefs. Once G.W. gets something into his head, he holds on to it and seems to believe his lies.

22. Confuses reality with fantasy. G.W. seems to live in a Neverland of his own, where everything goes his way, even if they don’t.

In addition, G.W. may suffer from megalomania, and probably is schizoid.

Readers that have advanced experience with mentally-ill persons are invited to comment. Am I right to consider G.W. Bush a dangerous person to be administering our country and engaging in diplomatic relations with the rest of the world?

On my previous blog on this topic, a commentator stated that Bush is simply a rich spoiled kid, who is immature, and was somehow boosted into national prominence by rich friends and True Believers. Is that right?