It makes one yearn for the days of George W. Bush. Well, almost. After eight years of enduring what we considered the worst presidency in American history, the prevailing question then was how many years will it take us to undo the mess Bush left behind? With him the issue was merely incompetence. If only that was our worry today.

Oh, for those good old days.

Today’s presidency demonstrates an abundance of incompetence supplemented with greed, dishonesty, atrocious judgment, aid and comfort to our enemies, and corruption. Let’s not forget crude manners, bullying, all those other dimensions of his personal charm. But disdain for the truth could be the most troubling. All the lying. Is there anyone who has worked closely with this president who has not lied to protect him or himself or herself?

What should trouble us the most is why. Why are they lying? What are they hiding? If exposing the truth would pull back the covers to reveal high crimes and misdemeanors, they all go to prison. All of them? Including the boss? Like cockroaches scurrying to hide from the light, our president’s cronies lie about what they know and did to protect themselves and the boss.

When it all comes down, when the truth is revealed, then what? How does a nation ravaged by such an administration heal? How does it even begin? What must it do to restore mutual trust with other nations who have written us off as hopeless? How does it reverse all of the bad choices that threaten the environment, our health, our education, equal opportunity, treatment of immigrants?

We faced similar clean-up challenges the day after George W. drove away from the White House. But for the next eight years a Republican Congress would have none of it, blocking every effort by a competent, intelligent and compassionate president. Supporting any legislation that might hint of an accomplishment by President Obama was out of the question.

Is our Congress of today different? Will it have the guts? Once this incompetent, corrupt administration is gone, we need to get right to work to heal America.

First we must remove the liars.