Spring Break
History will remember George W. Bush favorably
Egon Donnarumma
Issue date: 1/21/09 Section: Commentary
The start of a new era is upon us. Many are looking hopefully - albeit sometimes skeptically - toward the future and the new administration taking office in the White House after eight long years. Amid all the excitement and speculation about President Barack Obama, we should look back at the man whose chapter is coming to a close.
George W. Bush took office in January 2001 amidst the controversy of the infamous election 2000 recount. The Clinton administration did not make things any easier, with some staffers being so disrespectful as to steal the "W" keys off computer keyboards.
While Bush made some clear errors, the amount of unfounded and disrespectful anti-Bush sentiment is appalling. The 43rd president was the victim of a biased media that reported all Bush news negatively. For example, at his final press conference, Bush mentioned the controversy surrounding the landing Air Force One in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Bush was criticized for not landing, but had he done so, he would have been accused of pulling resources away from the emergency for the sake of his security detail.
Not all of Bush's disapproval is undeserved, however. Much is justified. Although the financial practices that caused the present economic crisis were in place when Bush took office, he failed to end them before it was too late. Not curbing risky lending or regulating oil speculation has put the country in the hardest economic environment in decades. So while well-founded criticism is beneficial and integral to the American system, blatant hate and rejection of the leader of the nation is not.
As commentators have said regarding the outgoing president, history will be the ultimate judge. Nonetheless, there are a few points to make in regard to Bush's presidency. Firstly, for as much as it has been repeated by his defenders and ignored by his opponents, the United States is arguably safer today than it was on Sept. 10, 2001. Like it or not, this is a substantial point. No one praises the engineer whose bridge remains stable and strong for years; only the one whose bridge collapses gets noticed. After the Sept. 11 attacks, there was a public outcry demanding how our intelligence and security apparatus could have failed us. Bush responded. Again, attacks that succeed get more attention than those thwarted. Keep in mind the arrests of those plotting to attack Fort Dix, as well as the foiled plot to blow up 10 airliners headed to the US in 2006. Despite these accomplishments, Bush faced a relentless sea of critics, whereby every decision was a wrong decision. After the NSA wiretapping was leaked, he received a lot of condemnation. Yet it can seriously be doubted that the American public would have accepted American deaths in defense of privacy had he rejected the wiretapping.
George W. Bush took office in January 2001 amidst the controversy of the infamous election 2000 recount. The Clinton administration did not make things any easier, with some staffers being so disrespectful as to steal the "W" keys off computer keyboards.
While Bush made some clear errors, the amount of unfounded and disrespectful anti-Bush sentiment is appalling. The 43rd president was the victim of a biased media that reported all Bush news negatively. For example, at his final press conference, Bush mentioned the controversy surrounding the landing Air Force One in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Bush was criticized for not landing, but had he done so, he would have been accused of pulling resources away from the emergency for the sake of his security detail.
Not all of Bush's disapproval is undeserved, however. Much is justified. Although the financial practices that caused the present economic crisis were in place when Bush took office, he failed to end them before it was too late. Not curbing risky lending or regulating oil speculation has put the country in the hardest economic environment in decades. So while well-founded criticism is beneficial and integral to the American system, blatant hate and rejection of the leader of the nation is not.
As commentators have said regarding the outgoing president, history will be the ultimate judge. Nonetheless, there are a few points to make in regard to Bush's presidency. Firstly, for as much as it has been repeated by his defenders and ignored by his opponents, the United States is arguably safer today than it was on Sept. 10, 2001. Like it or not, this is a substantial point. No one praises the engineer whose bridge remains stable and strong for years; only the one whose bridge collapses gets noticed. After the Sept. 11 attacks, there was a public outcry demanding how our intelligence and security apparatus could have failed us. Bush responded. Again, attacks that succeed get more attention than those thwarted. Keep in mind the arrests of those plotting to attack Fort Dix, as well as the foiled plot to blow up 10 airliners headed to the US in 2006. Despite these accomplishments, Bush faced a relentless sea of critics, whereby every decision was a wrong decision. After the NSA wiretapping was leaked, he received a lot of condemnation. Yet it can seriously be doubted that the American public would have accepted American deaths in defense of privacy had he rejected the wiretapping.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
L Mbah
posted 1/21/09 @ 5:38 PM EST
"...a stable democracy in Iraq is now a viable option."
a you serious?! A stable democracy in Iraq is at best a pipe dream, they are nearer to civil war. (Continued…)
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