Here we are, 18 months into a Republican administration in Washington. And just how are things going?

Swell, especially if you do not mind a few inconveniences- like a deflation of the economy, a precipitous drop in the stock market, a complete loss of confidence in the certified accounting business, and a growing lack of trust in so many of our country's long-vaunted institutions.

Call it the Bush Miracle- after eight years of Republican obstinacy against Bill Clinton and his domestic, economic and social policies (especially his "social" agenda)- good old George W. and his boys have quickly put their stamp on our government and our country.

The invasion of the corporate culture into national affairs has produced just what those who feared the worst had predicted: greed, avarice and economic downturn. Our first president with an MBA is quickly leading the country down the road to economic ruin and apparently he has no clue about how to make things better.

The pundits say all the signs are there for a return to vitality. The recession of George Bush's first year has already bottomed out, and now they tell us the recovery is well on course- or at least, it should be. The housing market continues to boom, consumer spending stays strong, and there's been an increase in unemployment of "only" one percent.

All of this, and yet, Wall Street continues to founder. The money boys are losing their shirts- well maybe not their own shirts, because remember, these business men and women are Republicans. But any working folk who invested their pensions funds into the market in the boom nineties have learned to their great dismay the old saw that, for them, what goes up must come down.

Does anyone recall that great Republican initiative to "privatize" Social Security? Remember George W. and his friends saying workers deserve to decide where to invest their retirement funds, that they should not be penalized by the heavy burden of paying into the Social Security pension plans, and instead pick and choose their own investments?

Consider where this country would be today if the leaders of the Grand Old Party had prevailed. They ridiculed Al Gore's demand for a Social Security "lock box." But without Social Security, the extreme anxiety over near-future retirements would now be a full-blown panic. Today, all most people have to look forward to is their Social Security income. Forget about the 401-Ks- they've all gone the way of Enron, of WorldCom and the other high flyers.

And now the American people learn their greatest fears were on target: when the going got tough, the business people at the top bailed out, cashed in and guaranteed their own future comforts- all at the expense of the rest of us.

Mitt Romney, please take note: There is a great lesson to be drawn from this corporate culture that tries to take over government. Remember, these are the people who want to run government "like a business."

Now we find out that expression means what we always feared: When the tide is rising it raises all boats, but when things turn tough, our business leaders take care of themselves, and to hell with the rest of us.

It is a strategy that previous GOP leaders once described as "trickle down" economics. Now we all can understand what that expression really means.

-Ed Forry