December 6, 2000

7:53 AM

Curious George W.
posted by Veruca (49 comments total)

I lost interest on the second page with the mention of "trust fund". This is apparently written by a jealous person who will never see a "trust fund"-- seems very childish indeed.
posted by chiXy at 8:28 AM on December 6, 2000

Drawn pretty well.
posted by thirteen at 8:31 AM on December 6, 2000

Mentioning the fact that George W. never had to do anything in his life without the help of his father and his father's friends—even now as he gathers his administration—is because people are jealous? Couldn't it just be that they are offended that they have to work hard and pay the consequences of their actions while other people simply get by without ever having to face the "real" world?

The only people who would think that mentioning trust funds was the work of a jealous person are probably those people with trust funds themselves.
posted by terrapin at 8:38 AM on December 6, 2000

Ok, we're now linking to plagiarism from last month's MAXIM magazine?
posted by tj at 9:15 AM on December 6, 2000

The only people who would think that people who would think that mentioning trust funds was the work of a jealous person are probably those people with trust funds themselves are probably those people who are jealous of people with trust funds.

That's what I always say.
posted by rodii at 9:22 AM on December 6, 2000

Fine by me. Saves me the pain of having to actually read MAXIM magazine.

I thought it was cute.
posted by jennyb at 9:23 AM on December 6, 2000

I would like a trust fund please.
posted by thirteen at 9:27 AM on December 6, 2000

I promise not to use it for evil.
posted by thirteen at 9:28 AM on December 6, 2000

I would, I promise
posted by tj at 9:36 AM on December 6, 2000

Couldn't it just be that they are offended that they have to work hard and pay the consequences of their actions while other people simply get by without ever having to face the "real" world?

Oh, boo hoo. I guess it's not fair that sometimes other people get lucky and have good things happen to them? So, if your father was exceedingly rich and lavished money on you and whose existence made you seem like you have credibility, you would say, "No thanks, dad, I want to get a job at Walmart?"
"Offense" used to mean that someone actually harmed you, now it's just anything you don't like?
posted by sonofsamiam at 10:05 AM on December 6, 2000

I have a trust fund, and none of you can play with it until you elect me President. Or at least give me a big chunk of a mediocre AL baseball team. So there.
posted by snarkout at 10:16 AM on December 6, 2000

tj: not just plagiarism.. but badly scanned plagiarism. They could have at least lined it up better. =P
posted by PWA_BadBoy at 10:18 AM on December 6, 2000

if your father was exceedingly rich and lavished money on you and whose existence made you seem like you have credibility, you would say, "No thanks, dad, I want to get a job at Walmart?"

Not at all, I just wouldn't want to think that my complete lack of worldly experience would somehow qualify me to be president...nor would I expect any significant number of voters to be stupid enough to believe that either...
posted by DiplomaticImmunity at 10:19 AM on December 6, 2000

It's copyright infringement, not plagiarism.

Thank goodness we have people to defend trust fund abusers. They lead such hard lives already.

posted by alan at 10:23 AM on December 6, 2000

Not at all, I just wouldn't want to think that my complete lack of worldly experience would somehow qualify me to be president...nor would I expect any significant number of voters to be stupid enough to believe that either...

So don't. Enough people thought he was qualified enough to make him the nominee for their party (whether they were right or wrong is debatable,) and near half the country thought he was qualified enough to vote for him. I didn't, but I also don't begrudge the man his life, unless it turns out all his money was actually taken from starving legless orphans or something.
And could someone refresh me, who was the last president we had w/ "real world experience?"
posted by sonofsamiam at 11:21 AM on December 6, 2000

Some people, they waste their time on such foolish things. I saw this idiot that claimed he spent weeks making a flash 2001/Al Gore parody, and it looked that, but it wasn't funny, nor did it have a point. Basic argument - Bush's an idiot/Gore's a liar who jerks off a lot. You can see the awesome intellect in all of this. Bush wouldn't have went as far as he did if he was really that dumb. Gore wouldn't have gone as far as he did had he not have some credibility. Often magazine show the two candidates slugging it out on the dirt, but I think it's the really left/right guys who are doing this, running stuff this and that way.

The saddness in all of this, is everyone's watching, and what happens is whoever's out next president, half the country is going to hate him. There is something wrong with that, presidents are meant to be looked up to, admired and such. Sure there were great presidents, but often they weren't all that different from today's candidates, just that calling the other guy a liar in front of millions and millions of viewers was un-heard of, atleast not in the less-than-edgy debates.
posted by tiaka at 12:02 PM on December 6, 2000

Nixon
posted by Mick at 12:03 PM on December 6, 2000

Nixon is the exeption, but he's still got a more favorable rating than say Clinton.
posted by tiaka at 12:20 PM on December 6, 2000

And could someone refresh me, who was the last president we had w/ "real world experience?"

Well, it depends what you mean by "real world experience." Clinton grew up poor (or at least lower-middle class) before going to college on scholarship, then went into politics for years and years. George H.W. Bush grew up rich, went to Texas and started a successful oil company, and then went into politics for years and years. Reagan had an at-least-moderately-successful career as an entertainment figure, then went into politics for years and years. Carter had served with moderate distinction in the Navy and was an at-least-moderately-successful peanut farmer, then went into politics for years and years.

W. started two failed oil companies, was let off the hook on an insider training scandal, and got brought into the Rangers ownership because of his family connections, then served as Texas governor a term and a half.
posted by snarkout at 12:39 PM on December 6, 2000

snarkout: I couldn't have said it better myself. :)

Of course, there's also the whole DUI thing too.... whether you consider that a "real-world" experience is debatable. =P
posted by PWA_BadBoy at 12:47 PM on December 6, 2000

and near half the country thought he was qualified enough to vote for him.

Or they were sufficiently disgusted with Al Gore that they'd vote for anyone with a chance of defeating him...

-Mars
posted by Mars Saxman at 1:14 PM on December 6, 2000

Or they were sufficiently disgusted with Al Gore that they'd vote for anyone with a chance of defeating him...

OR, they vote strictly down party lines, and it wouldn't matter if the candidates were a banana and a graprefruit, let alone fortunate sons of the political establishment.

Whatever.
posted by ethmar at 1:29 PM on December 6, 2000

BTW, I hate grapefruits, and bananas mess up my digestive process, so I'd have to cast a write-in vote for an apple or an orange.
posted by ethmar at 1:31 PM on December 6, 2000

Actually, about a quarter of the country voted for him, since about half the country didn't vote.
posted by alan at 1:31 PM on December 6, 2000

Interesting how people here think those who do have a trust fund are simply lucky-- don't you think that somebody had to work for the $$ sometime? I mean last I checked there certainly aren't trust fund trees that bear trust fund fruit. I hope one of the trust fund fruits hits me on the head.. so you can ALL be jealous! HA

And if GW senior made enough money to hand down to his offspring.. is that such a crime? What would you do? Bury in the back yard and not let your kids have it?

Jealousy is clouding judgement--it's perfectly clear here.
posted by chiXy at 2:16 PM on December 6, 2000

I hope one of the trust fund fruits hits me on the head

I'm not saying anything.
posted by ethmar at 2:22 PM on December 6, 2000

Chixy, I'm fascinating by your apparent assumption that, because some people on MeFi think that W. doesn't have the experience to be a good President, those people are somehow mindless class warrior seething with a secret resentment of anyone with more than fifteen bucks and an '87 Honda.

Are you claiming that those who have trust funds aren't "lucky"? That somehow the trust-fund-enabled person received the trust fund through being clever or hard-working or any of Bill Bennet's virtues, other than being related to someone who had money to leave them? In fact, from the person with the trust's point of view, there might as well be a trust fund tree; he or she certainly didn't do anything on his or her own to generate the money in the trust.
posted by snarkout at 3:03 PM on December 6, 2000

Errm. Fascinated, not fascinating.
posted by snarkout at 3:03 PM on December 6, 2000

And if GW senior made enough money to hand down to his offspring.. is that such a crime? What would you do? Bury in the back yard and not let your kids have it?

Yes. Simple as that. There's a difference between providing for one's children, and swathing them in a financial security blanket so that they turn into spoilt, lazy prigs. And that's not a matter of jealousy in any way: I've seen at close hand the damage that "daddy's money" can do to people.
posted by holgate at 4:01 PM on December 6, 2000

Affluenza.
posted by sylloge at 4:35 PM on December 6, 2000

Well, GWB didn't exactly get a trust fund in the sense of money, but in the sense of name. At least he had the smarts to make millions off his name.
posted by gyc at 7:13 PM on December 6, 2000

GWB is a moron and a rich kid. That's not jealousy, he really is a moron.
posted by lagado at 7:42 PM on December 6, 2000

There was a cartoon exactly like this in Mad Magazine from around 1992- with Bush Sr. as George and Reagan as "The Man with the Cowboy Hat". The last frame had George being voted out of office and sent to "Texas- what a nice place for George to live!"

One of the benefits of capitalism is that it allows for people to build a successful career through hard work. I think we've gotten to the point that many of the high blocks on the socioeconomic pyramid are occupied by (seemingly) undeserving recepients such as W. Therefore, not only does our economic system not discriminate against people who don't work hard, these very people prevent others who do work hard from attaining success. That's the main reason why I think inheritance taxes should be progressively raised and the revenue redistributed.
posted by kidsplateusa at 8:47 PM on December 6, 2000

The Curious George story was cool but did anyone check out the Beveas and Butthead photo? Now that's art!
posted by Brilliantcrank at 11:19 PM on December 6, 2000

I'm not saying anything
Damn... and that's what were all here for *shrug*

Chixy, I'm fascinating by your apparent assumption that, because some people on MeFi think that W. doesn't have the experience to be a good President...

No No I am fascinated by YOUR ability to assume that I am assuming W. doesn't have experience-- where did you come up with that?


swathing them in a financial security blanket
making him work at Wal-Mart would build better character? If only W knew where the garden hose nozzles were in the Austin Super Wal-Mart he could handle foreign affairs in a swift and just manner?

Back to the beginning... I was commenting on the author of the joke-- apparently he/she has a problem with the word trust fund

I love checking MeFi in the mornings to see the reactions... it's a damn good time. There needs to be a MeFi yearly convention so we can meet in person.

I suggest Matt's house??


posted by chiXy at 6:55 AM on December 7, 2000

man with the yellow hat.
posted by rklawler at 6:59 AM on December 7, 2000

chiXy, I suppose the creator of this Curious George parody could have substituted any of the following in the place of "trust fund":

Political Connections
Old Money
Ties to "Big Oil"
(etc)

I personally feel that "trust fund" was arbitrary. Besides, the Senior Bush was said to have his manhood in a "blind trust" by one Garry Trudeau (remember him?). But it lacked the poetic rhythm of "The Man in the Yellow Hat".
posted by ethmar at 7:28 AM on December 7, 2000

Let's face it, chiXy, GWB has yet to face a real challenge in his fifty-four years. I can cope with the idea of parents wanting to support their kids to some extent through college, but after that it gets a little embarrassing. So it's not a question of impoverishing children, but allowing them to mature. And to be honest, neither major candidate has reached that point, but Bush isn't even out of the frat house. That first G8 summit's going to be fun.
posted by holgate at 8:46 AM on December 7, 2000

Well, what do you want the guy to do? Change his name to George Jones and forsake any family money or connections? He simply did what many would do, which is to use his name and connections to become financially independent and be able to serve by becoming a public servant.
posted by gyc at 9:24 AM on December 7, 2000

Chixy, you wrote the following in the very first post on this thread: "This is apparently written by a jealous person who will never see a 'trust fund'-- seems very childish indeed."

Given that that's your response to the (rather lame) Curious George parody, it appears that you don't think that there's a reason for people to be doubtful of W.'s qualifications other than "jealousy" -- or, at least, that anyone who mentions W.'s rather sheltered, priviliged life (like, say, me) has that response due solely to class resentment.

And you wrote that it's "[i]nteresting how people here think those who do have a trust fund are simply lucky," to which I can only say that being born into a family wealthy enough to give you a significant trust fund is lucky. I truly can't understand how you think that it's not. It was true for JFK's family wealth; it was true for FDR's family wealth; it was true for Nelson Rockefeller's family wealth; it's true for W.'s family wealth. If Democrat Jay Rockefeller ran for for president in 2004, it would be true for him, too.

Inheriting wealth that you didn't yourself is a textbook example of luck, imho, to the point that it's entered the realm of cliché. ("My great-aunt Matilda just died and left me thirty million dollars -- if I can last the night in her spooky old mansion!") It won't prevent W. from being an effective president, but why aren't we allowed to say that W.'s rather spare resumé might be even sparer if he hadn't been lucky enough to be born rich?
posted by snarkout at 9:36 AM on December 7, 2000

And I think I should point out that I'm not convinced "real-world" (that is, as other than a public servant) experience has anything to do with one's success as a politician -- Ross Perot clearly has experience up the wazoo, and I think he'd have been an awful president.
posted by snarkout at 9:37 AM on December 7, 2000

ethmar: again the reason for my original comment was the fact that the author used the arbitrary 'trust fund' in a derogatory fashion as if socio economic status indicates certain abilities, character, morals, ethics, etc. Democrats preach 'tolerance' yet seem to be the worst offenders when it suits their mood. [Before the flames start-- I AM NOT registered with either of the two major parties nor did I vote for either of them in the general election, so I am not being partisan in my opinion] So substitute 'trust fund' with the whore house or welfare check, I never read past the trust fund. Perhaps I can not relate to the mindset of the author and the attempt at humor based on ignorance and jealousy.

holgate: Let's face it, chiXy, GWB has yet to face a real challenge in his fifty-four years
My question to you is this... Do you mean because he hasn't had to worry about financial issues he has had no "challenges'? Maybe if we didn't have to worry about those issues we could focus more closely on school or work or interests and learning. If I didn't have to pay for college I would have gone to an Ivy league school rather than a public university. Take away my worry about $$ for housing and transportation and I could devote more time to economic study. Also, what do you consider a 'challenge'?

snarkout: I would think coming from wealth you do not like it when people stereotype you because of your SES. Many people may assume you are sitting behind a computer in a silk smoking jacket and a pipe in your mouth handing down judgments on the less fortunate because that is their picture of wealth. Does the fact that W has a trust fund matter?(not that we even know he does or not). It only matters to those who would stereotype him.

Certainly anyone that doesn't have to face financial hurdles is lucky. What I mean is that trust funds don't just happen out of the blue. Somebody has to earn the money, pay the taxes, set up the paperwork for the trust fund and plan ahead etc. They don't happen simply by dumb luck. [Lottery winners excluded] Great nick BTW

Real world experience is rather subjective-- experience is who's world? oh, and which world is real?

Seriously, who is organizing the MeFi conference? ?
posted by chiXy at 10:47 AM on December 7, 2000

Seriously, who is organizing the MeFi conference?

Well, with all of this talk of personal responsibility going around at MeFi lately, what's preventing you from taking the initiative?

--------

the author used the arbitrary 'trust fund' in a derogatory fashion as if socio economic status indicates certain abilities, character, morals, ethics, etc.

The million dollar question is: DOES George Senior have a trust fund?

And though the quote has been bastardized the world over, how different would it have been if the author had made a "Curious Al Gore" parody and referred to him as the "man who invented the internet"? Worse or better?

--------

Perhaps I can not relate to the mindset of the author and the attempt at humor based on ignorance and jealousy

Perhaps not. But do you agree that "attempts at humor based on ignorance and jealousy" are neither confined to the Democrats or to politics in general?
posted by ethmar at 11:07 AM on December 7, 2000

Many people may assume you are sitting behind a computer in a silk smoking jacket and a pipe in your mouth handing down judgments on the less fortunate because that is their picture of wealth.

I totally want to wear a silk smoking jacket on the next casual Friday!

Does the fact that W has a trust fund matter?(not that we even know he does or not). It only matters to those who would stereotype him.

Well, no. As I was trying to explain, it's not so much W.'s wealth that gets me boiled -- there's been a correlation between wealth and political involvement in America for a long time, as anyone who visits Mount Vernon can see. It's W.'s lack of any experience or coherent philosophy that makes me believe he'll be a worse-than-average leader for this country. Put me down in the "it's not because he's rich, it's because he's a dithering rich dilletante with little comprehension of what he's doing" camp. (Dithering poor dilletantes don't tend to get to run for public office, but should Jean Teasdale make a go in 2004, I won't vote for her, either.)
posted by snarkout at 1:25 PM on December 7, 2000

Yikes! sorry for the unclosed italics tag... I didn't preview (I don't have the patience for it)
posted by chiXy at 2:52 PM on December 7, 2000

there
posted by tj at 2:56 PM on December 7, 2000

But is it really my responsibility?

Well, it seems to mean a lot to you, since you've brought it [the MeFi get-together] up, what, twice now?
posted by ethmar at 2:57 PM on December 7, 2000

thanks tj...


posted by chiXy at 7:59 PM on December 7, 2000