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10/11/04

Eliminating Toxic People

In her book "Toxic People: 10 Ways of Dealing With People Who Make Your Life Miserable," Lillian Glass lays out a checklist of signs that you might have a toxic person in your life. Among the "gut checks":

"Do you often get sad or depressed in this person's presence or afterward? Do you feel "dirty" being with this person? Do you feel the person "deep down" doesn't like you, even though he or she never says mean things to you? Does this person make you feel disgusted? Do you feel betrayed by the person? Do you feel things are hopeless after being around the person?"

I finally realize what America has in George W. Bush . . . we have a "toxic president." Like a Midas, given the magic touch of "failure", everything he comes near turns out badly; the economy, the war, health care, tax cuts, education. Think of all the people that have dared to come near him, Tony Blair, Colin Powell . . . their careers are in free fall. Meanwhile Bush continues to strut blithely around, arms out like a cowboy.

Another gut check is: "Would you rejoice if you never had to see the person again?" I hope we'll all be rejoicing on November 2.