I'm intrigued by your statement that phasing out the shuttle is a good
thing. What makes you think that CEV will be any better?

Nothing. I don't think that, other than that it will probably be
(slightly) cheaper.

Ah, so the statement

the new groove that the second President Bush has carved for it, which
does mean, among other things, the end of the shuttle program (a good
thing).

is a statement that CEV-only is better than OSP+shuttle?

If so, that makes sense.