The emergence of Bush's 'don't worry be happy' phase corresponded with the emerging certainty the economy would collapse while he was still president, wiping out the very last possible remnant of a near term legacy he could lay claim to.

And it's pretty clear from the acute urgency of the Fed's actions of late they know something we don't. Or can only guess at. Something that scared the shit out of them. Something George was told about. Probably that the entire financial system was tettering on the edge of collapse.

As most people are wont to do, when events spin irredeemably out of control and there is nothing, essentialy, left to 'worry' about, they throw up ther hands and stop worrying about it ... put it in the hands of GOD or FATE.