President Bush

[TheNiche]

What do you think? What has been your problem with the Bush administration regarding the job he has done.

Of our or your current state of affairs, what do you attribute as being the administrations fault?

He has not been sufficiently aggressive at promoting his policies on free trade or immigration. He was also unable to articulate the benefits of free trade, free movement of labor, or globalization in general. Same problems for medicare/social security reform. And he hasn't been sufficiently budget-oriented (EDIT: Mind you, I'm not complaining about deficits, just about the amount spending; that spending is financed primarily by debt was actually a terrific outcome considering how inexpensive treasuries are), or a particularly effective administrator.

Otherwise, he's just made a whole lot of critical tactical errors.

Edited September 4, 2008 by TheNiche

[BryanS]

Supreme Court.

[cottonmather0]

I heard Obama try to quantify today his problem with the Bush administration today.

He said something along the lines of 8 years of failed economic and foreign policy when going into his spill about change...four more years of the same...yadayada

I personally think this is revisionist history. What do you think? What has been your problem with the Bush administration regarding the job he has done.

I don't want to hear about your philosophical differances. We all have them. I want to hear about his supposed failed policies.

Of our or your current state of affairs, what do you attribute as being the administrations fault?

I'll say as a republican voter that I have been dissapointed with his weak stance on illegal immigration. However, I understand this is politics and things like this hot button issue will likely never change not in the abrupt sudden way I suppose there is too much at stake in this case.

He's done a great job and I think you are correct that (and I paraphrase) most of the criticism of him is unwarranted and unrealistic and not bounded in fact, not to mention unfair.

Similarly, I think Clinton did a very good job as well leading the country - and would have made many of the same decisions as Bush has made had he been forced to - the difference of my opinion (and most other Americans' opinions) of the two (in both directions) being grounded in what you would call "philosophical differences" and thus I won't go there.

Edited September 4, 2008 by cottonmather0

[houstonmacbro]

1. Unfunded or underfunded No Child Left Behind Act

2. Iraq War -misled and lied

3. Dick Cheney (hey ... he hired him, not me)

4. Condi Rice (another mistake)

5. Katrina and New Orleans - completely mishandled

I am sure there are more.

[TheNiche]

...Wrecked our economy...

No, that's really more of a pre-Bernanke Federal Reserve issue coupled with a rash of irresponsibility among homebuyers, mortgage brokers, commercial banks, investment banks, and investors. Everybody was working off of bad assumptions, got into a herd mentality, and ____ed up. And its hard to blame government for not catching it as it was happening, because after all, even sophisticated investors didn't really grasp the problem until it was too late not to have a very big financial correction.

To the extent that Bush engaged in damage control, it may have been high-profile and somewhat controversial, but it was effective in proping up confidence in all of the institutions in one relatively inexpensive bailout (and in the grand scheme it was an inexpensive bailout).

Some people would criticize him for inflation--primarily in terms of energy--but a lot of that just has to do with a weakening dollar. And that started ramping up in the late 90's. To the extent that Bush has publicly embraced a strong dollar policy, I think he secretly was pushing for even more weak dollar policies. The nice thing about a weak dollar is that recessionary periods are manifested by stagflation rather than by massive job losses. And while it isn't to say that there haven't been job losses, they have been offset by gains related to a sharp rise in exports.

The other part of inflation is tremendous economic growth abroad, which outpaced the rate at which the supply of raw materials could be brought on line. Clinton really set the stage for it...and kudos to him for what he did. A wealthier, more interconnected world is a better and ultimately more peaceful world.

[PapillionWyngs]

I guess it started in Florida...

[KinkaidAlum]

Patriot Act

Kyoto

Iraq invasion

Torture

Katrina

Coining the ativist judges term and then nominating activist judges with a litmus test

Expansion of executive branch powers

[houstonmacbro]

I guess it started in Florida...

Well damn. I guess it did start there but the Supreme Court kinda messed with things too so you can't totally fault Uncle Bush on that one.

[memebag]

After 9/11, we had national unity and the world's support in ways we've never seen before. We could have done wonderful things with that. Bush pissed it away with a war that made no logical sense.

[houstonmacbro]

After 9/11, we had national unity and the world's support in ways we've never seen before. We could have done wonderful things with that. Bush pissed it away with a war that made no logical sense.

I think one thing that I really dislike about Bush (and this could be more of Karl Rove's legacy) is the divisiveness that has permeated not only politics, but otherwise rational Americans.

You can see it here on this message board, at work, and elsewhere.

We are no longer just Americans .. but we are right-wing, left-wing, progressive, gay, African America, etc. and we are all played one against the other. We no longer care about this country, only our hot-button issues. We don't think about what it's like to walk in someone's shoes, and we are more concerned with proving our point of view, as opposed to considering someone else's.

This is a Bush-legacy that none of us should be proud of.

[TheNiche]

I think one thing that I really dislike about Bush (and this could be more of Karl Rove's legacy) is the divisiveness that has permeated not only politics, but otherwise rational Americans.

You can see it here on this message board, at work, and elsewhere.

We are no longer just Americans .. but we are right-wing, left-wing, progressive, gay, African America, etc. and we are all played one against the other. We no longer care about this country, only our hot-button issues. We don't think about what it's like to walk in someone's shoes, and we are more concerned with proving our point of view, as opposed to considering someone else's.

This is a Bush-legacy that none of us should be proud of.

Don't kid yourself. Political and cultural partisanship is nothing new. It pre-dates our nation. George Washington talks about his fear that it will consume us as a society in the speech that he gives upon stepping down from office.

One of the chronic things I dislike about Bush is actually that he comes off as a sort of insincere fratboy making the rounds within a crowd, patting everyone on the back, friends and enemies alike. The only people he's willing to come down on hard are external demons that he believes we can all unite to oppose. It was a workable strategy for a while (by chance), but ultimately everybody knows that he's insincere and he has no friends and can get nothing done because of it.

[RedScare]

Don't kid yourself. Political and cultural partisanship is nothing new. It pre-dates our nation. George Washington talks about his fear that it will consume us as a society in the speech that he gives upon stepping down from office.

One of the chronic things I dislike about Bush is actually that he comes off as a sort of insincere fratboy making the rounds within a crowd, patting everyone on the back, friends and enemies alike. The only people he's willing to come down on hard are external demons that he believes we can all unite to oppose. It was a workable strategy for a while (by chance), but ultimately everybody knows that he's insincere and he has no friends and can get nothing done because of it.

Agree.

Because Bush politicized virtually ever segment of the government, including completely previously non-political subdivisions such as FEMA, there is virtually nothing about Bush that I liked. I will give him credit for his failed attempt at immigration reform, as he actually acknowledged the benefits of immigration, while also confronting the failed aspects of current policy. Ultimately, demagogues within his own party doomed his plan to failure. Kinda sad that the one thing I thought Bush did correctly was a failed iniative.

Ultimately, I believe Bush's most damaging act was the politicizing of the Justice Department. Nothing Bush has done has more damaged the civil liberties of Americans than this, though it receives comparatively little press. He attacked the Constitutional rights of Americans in so many ways. Alberto Gonzles should have his law license revoked for being an enemy combatant of the Constitution. Hundreds of competent and intelligent Justice Department employees were run off and replaced with uneducated partisan hacks.

The damage is incredibly long term, as Justice has forever lost its most knowledgeable and proficient lawyers, and is now saddled with incompetent employees...ironically, the very type of bureaucrat Republicans most hate. If the new president, whoever it may be, will at least restore some of the independence of Justice, I can almost tolerate some of the other policies. Bad foreign policy may create many enemies of the US, but a bad Justice Department makes our own government the enemy.

[barracuda]

In addition to handing out positions based on partisan loyalty rather than competency and expertise, I'm bothered by his tendency to reward and congratulate those in his administration when they fail miserably. For example, saying to FEMA Chief Michael Brown "heck of a job, Brownie!" as the city of New Orleans literally drowned during Katrina. Or maybe the parting words from his loyal Bushies to former Attorney General Alberto Gonazles. http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/14/gonzales-farewell/. There are many, many more.

[westguy76]

I don't like his dog!

his dog is cool!!!

have you ever seen the video of him fishing with his dog on the boat?

It's probably on youtube, going to look now..

couldn't find it, anyways it seems his dog has died.

So you are all free up to change your mind on his legacy.

Edited September 5, 2008 by westguy76

[RedScare]

his dog is cool!!!

have you ever seen the viseo of him fishing with his dog on the boat?

It's probably on youtube, going to look now..

"As an expert on this matter, I think Barney is a douchebag."

- Valentina

[crunchtastic]

Ultimately, I believe Bush's most damaging act was the politicizing of the Justice Department. Nothing Bush has done has more damaged the civil liberties of Americans than this, though it receives comparatively little press. He attacked the Constitutional rights of Americans in so many ways. Alberto Gonzles should have his law license revoked for being an enemy combatant of the Constitution. Hundreds of competent and intelligent Justice Department employees were run off and replaced with uneducated partisan hacks.

yes, yes and yes. I do not blame Bush for economics, but I do blame him for this.

But no one seems to care.

"As an expert on this matter, I think Barney is a douchebag."

- Valentina

Is that your dog? Good girl!!

[RedScare]

Is that your dog? Good girl!!

Yeah.

And even though it appears that she may be reading off a teleprompter, I can assure you that her opinions were not written by a speechwriter, but are entirely her own.

[august948]

Pardoning his buddy Scooter Libby and refusing to pardon Ramos and Compean.

[infinite_jim]

Perhaps it is a universal truth that the loss of liberty at home is to be

charged to provisions against danger real or pretended from abroad.

[CoolBuddy06]

I consolidated my first 2 semester loans at 3.345%. The rest at 6.8%. I had to keep transfering what I can to 0% credit cards every year. C'mon when your car and home loan rates are lower than Stafford loan, we have a problem.

That's my biggest bif with him.

[Native Son]

his dog is cool!!!

have you ever seen the video of him fishing with his dog on the boat?

It's probably on youtube, going to look now..

couldn't find it, anyways it seems his dog has died.

So you are all free up to change your mind on his legacy.

I was talking about his pit bulls, rove and cheney

[westguy76]

This is worse than I thought it would be, come on sheeple.

Some of you really need to educate yourself. Because whatever blog you are reading or what your friends are telling you is not working.

Your credit card rate is to high and it's the presidents fault. He mishandled hurricane response. Hello how about holding the mayor, govenor, fema director responsible?

"I guess it started in florida".. I don't even know what this means but I can guess. Oh it was his fault the local gov. had problems with the punch cards and voting process, or it was his fault Al Gore couldn't conceed and held the country in an embarrissing halt taking the hanging chads to court?

Got a few reasonable responses here (like I don't like his dog), keep them coming.

Edited September 5, 2008 by westguy76

[Mark F. Barnes]

His Dance moves suck

[Native Son]

This is worse than I thought it would be, come on sheeple.

Some of you really need to educate yourself. Because whatever blog you are reading or what your friends are telling you is not working.

Your credit card rate is to high and it's the presidents fault. He mishandled hurricane response. Hello how about holding the mayor, govenor, fema director responsible?

"I guess it started in florida".. I don't even know what this means but I can guess. Oh it was his fault the local gov. had problems with the punch cards and voting process, or it was his fault Al Gore couldn't conceed and held the country in an embarrissing halt taking the hanging chads to court?

Got a few reasonable responses here (like I don't like his dog), keep them coming.

you are sooo right! if we all just watched Fox News and paid attention to Rush we would know how right you are! you don't want discourse, you want agreement..now please pardon me and my dissenting opinion.... good luck, and don't forget to vote

[RedScare]

His Dance moves suck

That should provoke bi-partisan agreement.

[westguy76]

you are sooo right! if we all just watched Fox News and paid attention to Rush we would know how right you are! you don't want discourse, you want agreement..now please pardon me and my dissenting opinion.... good luck, and don't forget to vote

No I don't want agreement, just more sensable logical answers. there are some here but try to defend the ones I just listed as ridiculous, go ahead.

[Native Son]

No I don't want agreement, just more sensable logical answers. there are some here but try to defend the ones I just listed as ridiculous, go ahead.

point taken...I won't defend anyone's position...I am simply grateful that I can still express my own opinion freely, and seriously, don't forget to vote

[wernicke]

I think it would be much easier to list the things that Bush has done well...

But I personally can't think of anything that his administration has handled well. We are far worse-off than we were 8 years ago.

[Vertigo58]

His redneck and good old boy swagger. Too much of a southern draw. Seems a bit trite and unimportant but non-southern people dont take well to it.

Now, lets all turn to the next page students.

[Toggle3]

You'll have to excuse me, I slipped into a Socialist State today and bumped my head.

Oh, and props to Sarahiki for seeing past the talk radio buzz calling this a handout to irresponsible individuals.

Facetiousness, right? You really can't be serious when you take the stance that socialism is an innoucuous bit of political difference.

You know (on some level don't you) how very lucky you are to be living in a democracy and not living in a socialist state? You haven't lost your understanding that socialism deprives people of freedom and that loss of freedom is a bad thing?

It's one thing to bash Bush or conservative ideaology in general but don't be too glib as to dismis socialism as just another acceptable political position. Socialism cannot ever be ethically presented as acceptable; it's on the list of political idealogies containing marxism, nazism, and totalitarianism.