I’ll Bet Bush Thinks He’s ‘Batman’

Comic book-based movies tend to hit America with its own truths, at just the right – or wrong – time, depending on how you feel about the Bush Administration.

“The Dark Knight,” which I, along with half the planet, saw this past weekend, is no exception. In fact, I think this film mirrors nearly all of the social and political struggles America faces, despite Christopher Nolan’s insistence that he doesn’t consciously infuse his material with current events. Anyway, back to my point. Of the many themes and subplots, one resonated more than others. Recall the sequence where we learn that Batman/Bruce Wayne has fused cellular and sonar technology so he can listen to every Gotham citizen’s mobile phone calls.

Let’s compare and contrast Batman and Bush.

Batman justifies his outrageous invasion of privacy with the rationale that he’s after just one person – the Joker – in an effort to save lives. Sound familiar? I’ll bet our fair president liked that part a lot. The difference is, of course, Batman knows it isn’t right for one person or entity to hold so much power, especially without the peoples’ knowledge. At least he respects that and takes steps to keep the technology from falling into more sinister hands. Bush et al, on the other hand, still would be warrantlessly wiretapping – probably still are – if the New York (er, Gotham?) Times hadn’t caught them.

To Batman’s credit, he ensures the destruction of the communications technology that gives him power over so many people. Meanwhile, against the wishes of the American people, our elected representatives have given Bush and his telco buddies a free pass – complete immunity from prosecution for the warrantless wiretapping conducted since the 9/11 terror attacks.

In the end, Batman assumes a mantle of disgrace in a sacrificial attempt to restore Gotham residents’ faith in good vs. evil. Meanwhile, in the real world, as we – thankfully – near the end of the Bush administration, I could see Bush, with his low, low polls, thinking he’s a lot like our “Dark Knight” hero. He would be sorely mistaken. Batman will return to right the chaos he inadvertently helped to create. Bush will exit stage left convinced he did right by the American people he spied on, and we’re left to clean up the mess. Who’s the joker now?