What do you think motivates guys like Cheney and Rumsfeld?

I ask this in seriousness, because many or most top WH or cabinet people are already very rich, tens of millions type of rich, from stints as corporate CEOs (Rummy at Searle and Cheney at Halliburton of course, Paul O'Neill from Alcoa I believe it was).

So I'd put enriching themselves not at zero, but relatively low on the scale of motivations, as most could stay at their corporate jobs and make a lot more money and be subject to much less scrutiny. And especially someone like Cheney who has excellent odds to not survive this second term just based on the severity of his heart disease.

Obviously I feel different people fall into different categories here. All probably enjoy fame and glory to some extent. From reading his book, I felt that Paul O'Neill fell mostly into the "believed in government service" category. I put Wolfowitz in the rabid "true believer" who actually believes in their PNAC policies and got a chance to enact it. People like Brownie probably couldn't hold down a decent comparable job otherwise (see Arabian horse show job). Cheney is probably the Fame and Power category. Rummy is a megalomaniac who probably enjoys the Fame and Power aspect most.

How say you?

because it gets them better "p---y" and that comes straight from those who have enormous power and the bank accounts that go with it.

If they use it to get it or use it to replace it - it's still very much a motivator.

"In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women. "

i have seldom seen a public official who is so clearly uncomfortable being in the public eye, the only famous person i can think of who even came close to being this uncomfortable in the public eye was kurt cobain and maybe if you go way back greta garbo

i think he climbed on a horse and couldn't get off, halliburton was going to declare bankruptcy because of the dressler buy-out and asbestos liability, he had to steal the election to keep the money coming in by starting the never-ending war, now halliburton's in clover but he can't quit it because once he loses power the investigations come out and he's in jail

but as far as fame, glory, power, all that, he doesn't seem to enjoy these things, rather it's what he's stuck with because it's the only way to keep the millions coming and he's addicted to the money

he clearly hates being in the public eye & shirks the classic duties of the vp such as funerals, glad-handing, meeting the public so much that it has become a joke abt the man hiding in his hidey hole

rumsfeld prob. it's a power thing and being all famous and important, he's a personality type that seems to thrive on attention

let you be lowered slowly into the volcano while he went back to rubbing his hands and admiring his new superweapon.

They never had one, and their rage at being deprived knows no limits. So, they channel it into grabbing power.

All in the vain hope that the power will, somehow, make them blowable.

It won't.

As a senior citizen with my future behind me I often wonder at the motivations of 'leaders' in my age group and state of health.

It seems unfair to my children and grand children to have a person like Rumsfeld (For example) affecting the future where he and his ilk will not be.

I would feel better if those in charge today would stick around and possibly be held accountable for the plans they make today.

The Bush statement "We will all be dead" about sums it up. The future is being planned by 'Today' people. Tomorrow be damned.

These are difficult thoughts to be thinking.

I think.

180

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