A Job Well Done
If you were to score success in life as a calculation of doing what you want, or feel necessary, while not receiving much flack from anyone else’s contrary thoughts or opinion, then I would have to surmise that the George W. Bush administration kicked ass in most every way possible.
I am, in a word, impressed. They asked President Bush about any regrets in his presidency when he left, and as I recall, he basically gave none. And honestly, I don’t blame him. You have to see that he is not using the same report card that you and I would.
Bush ended up getting to invade two countries outright, one of which was under our thumb for so many years. During this time, he was allowed to exercise tax cuts. That’s right, tax cuts; during two wars. He also managed to enact a prescription drug act that increased the federal budget. And the federal budget itself exploded during his two terms. And remember, he’s a Republican. Bush got to do what he wanted when he wanted.
And don’t forget that he also was allowed to use surveillance without warrants from a secret (FISA) court that nobody really knows about and rarely ever says “no” to surveillance. And what about detainee treatment? Or treatment of detainees who are actual U.S. Citizens?
One could blame us as citizens for not caring enough to do anything (the East Coast’s one week obsession with Michael Vick becoming a Philadelphia Eagle is about enough evidence one needs), but there were enough people writing about this since it began. The administration (and the machine in general) just did a better job at marginalizing those voices. In the end, it is a job (a crappy one) well done.
I am, in a word, impressed. They asked President Bush about any regrets in his presidency when he left, and as I recall, he basically gave none. And honestly, I don’t blame him. You have to see that he is not using the same report card that you and I would.
Bush ended up getting to invade two countries outright, one of which was under our thumb for so many years. During this time, he was allowed to exercise tax cuts. That’s right, tax cuts; during two wars. He also managed to enact a prescription drug act that increased the federal budget. And the federal budget itself exploded during his two terms. And remember, he’s a Republican. Bush got to do what he wanted when he wanted.
And don’t forget that he also was allowed to use surveillance without warrants from a secret (FISA) court that nobody really knows about and rarely ever says “no” to surveillance. And what about detainee treatment? Or treatment of detainees who are actual U.S. Citizens?
One could blame us as citizens for not caring enough to do anything (the East Coast’s one week obsession with Michael Vick becoming a Philadelphia Eagle is about enough evidence one needs), but there were enough people writing about this since it began. The administration (and the machine in general) just did a better job at marginalizing those voices. In the end, it is a job (a crappy one) well done.
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