[Brutha]

Failure to understand that might have other values than themselves.
Their are conversatives in America who think America should domitate the world.
Whether you agree or disagree a idea like that isn't motivated by self interest but by political ideology.
People who follow an idea like this give any reason they can think of to push their agenda.

That doesn't make them evil people who conspire to do harm.
They think that what they are doing benifits their country and the world.

Power is always an end. People feel good using power to do thing that make the world a better place (in their own eyes).

In addition people take opportunitys to profit personally (giving contracts to friends, and excepting the same in return). But a decision to lower the standart of education by George Bush wounldn't profit him personally. It has no place in his ideology.
He might think that public education cost to much money and cut the funds of education to allow the state to lower taxes, because according to his ideology he doesn't like taxes.

People think that their view of what it good is held by everyone. Because certain people think otherwise they get the "evil"-label, because that explains their acts.
In addition humans are pattern seekers, we see faces on the mars and look for patterns. Intelligent people are better at finding patterns (regardless whether those patterns have anything to do with reality). If you find a pattern your brain releases endophines which make you feel good.