George W. Bush worst president ever?

[davefoc]

I was thinking about starting a thread on whether Bush was the worst president in my life (starting with Eisenhower), but before I started the thread I came across this editorial:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ucrr/200512...s0EfEqs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-

My personal view is that if Bush was right to invade Iraq he is one of the best presidents of my life. I find it very doubtful that most people that might have been elected would have invaded Iraq and so if it works out well it must be seen as a terrific accomplishment for Bush. Of course for similar reasons if it works out poorly he must be seen as one of the worst.

If the issue of Iraq is ignored I think Bush is probably the worst president of my life.

My list of problems would be similar to the one in the editorial but I would have included the massive run up in agricultural subsidies as one more example of a Bush presidency without out any driving principles except to dole out government funds to any groups that serve Bush partisan political purposes.

 

[Zep]

I think it depends entirely on what you are expecting your president to do!

For example, if you want him to be the perfect daddy's-boy sock-puppet and dumb-ass fall-guy for some neo-con expansionism arranged by some anonymous backroom cadre of self-serving industrialists, then he's been brilliant!

If you were wanting a statesman of quality and humanity who spake careful sooth with due consideration, and of whom all the country could be proud, and who was respected in the world, well...

 

[clarsct]

Hmmmmmmm.

Dubya is probably one of the worst natural disasters to befall the US. I think he has actually done more damage than the hurricanes, both in money and suffering.

But some people find my views to be extreme.

 

[Cain]

Richard Reeves is a propagandist for the Democratic Party. Liberals cannot sustain their negative opinions against Bush in the face of intelligent questioning. Stephen Colbert has sat down with a number of Democratic congressmen and all of them endup admitting (including Barney Frank) that Bush is a "Great" president. Look it up.

 

[aerosolben]

My personal view is that if Bush was right to invade Iraq he is one of the best presidents of my life.

I would actually say that Bush's legacy will largely hinge on whether Iraq succeeds as a democracy, regardless of whether the war was justified or not.

 

[Kerberos]

Richard Reeves is a propagandist for the Democratic Party. Liberals cannot sustain their negative opinions against Bush in the face of intelligent questioning. Stephen Colbert has sat down with a number of Democratic congressmen and all of them endup admitting (including Barney Frank) that Bush is a "Great" president. Look it up.

Or better yet, you could actually back up you own claim. Let's see a link.

 

[Cain]

I would actually say that Bush's legacy will largely hinge on whether Iraq succeeds as a democracy, regardless of whether the war was justified or not.

Don't forget that if Iraq fails it will because Bush bravely had to fight a war on two fronts: against Islamo-fascists abroad and the treasonous domestic Democrats who love them.

Kerberos: It's difficult to navigate Colbert's impressive website: http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_colbert_report/videos/most_recent/index.jhtml?start=17

That's in the right direction. On that page is an interview with a loathesome Democrat from Ohio (lower left-hand corner as of this writing). Yes, the truth hurts.

 

[Kerberos]

Don't forget that if Iraq fails it will because Bush bravely had to fight a war on two fronts: against Islamo-fascists abroad and the treasonous domestic Democrats who love them.

Kerberos: It's difficult to navigate Colbert's impressive website: http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_colbert_report/videos/most_recent/index.jhtml?start=17

That's in the right direction. On that page is an interview with a loathesome Democrat from Ohio (lower left-hand corner as of this writing). Yes, the truth hurts.

I couldn't find it, but somehow, perhaps because of the source, I sense the vile stench of sarcasm rising.

 

[Ryokan]

Argument by Stephen Colbert... Gotta love it!

 

[Hutch]

Gettng back to the OP, while I have no massive love of GWB, the title of Worst President ever has a long list of contenders, among which are:

James Madison--got us involved in a War with Great Britian, got the Capitol building burnt and pretty well bolloxed up the US Economy.

James Buchanan--Showed massive lack of skills during the 1856-60 run-up to the Civil War.

Ulysess Grant--While personally honest, had no conception of Governing and allowed massive corruption to take place.

I'm sure others will have their choices (I think some time ago Shanek gave Lincon an "F" grade as president), so Bush has some stiff competition.

Plus it will take time. All of you young people, rushing to judgement. Give Old Lady History some time. That's what she deals in.

 

[Ed]

Maybe we can have the discussion in 100 years or so. I think that is sort of the rule of thumb for historical assessemnt of people and events.

 

[Cain]

Maybe we can have the discussion in 100 years or so. I think that is sort of the rule of thumb for historical assessemnt of people and events.

Bush has maintained that only historians 20 years from now can tell us if he failed. I mean, dinosaurs went extinct a LONG time ago (circa Noah) and we're still not sure about their biological functioning, why they went extinct, how they co-existed with humans etc.

More seriously, it's impossible to judge Bush against previous presidents. He's not even out of office. I will wager 1000 dollars that he will not make any reputable top 10 list in my lifetime.

I'm sure others will have their choices (I think some time ago Shanek gave Lincon an "F" grade as president), so Bush has some stiff competition.

Yes, well, Shanek is a lunatic. He said Polk was a pacifist president who reluctantly went to war with Mexico.

 

[Mark]

George W. Bush inherited a balanced budget and immediately turned it into the worst deficit in U.S. history. What else do you need to know?

 

[Wally]

If not the worst, at least in the top 5.

At the present rate, by the end of his term he will be responsible for more unnecessary American deaths than Osama Bin Laden.

The damage to our national integrity will take generations to undo in the international community.

The bleeding of our treasury to enrich his cronies is another multi-generational disaster.

That’s just 3 off the top of my head.

 

[Regnad Kcin]

I think it depends entirely on what you are expecting your president to do!

For example, if you want him to be the perfect daddy's-boy sock-puppet and dumb-ass fall-guy for some neo-con expansionism arranged by some anonymous backroom cadre of self-serving industrialists, then he's been brilliant!

If you were wanting a statesman of quality and humanity who spake careful sooth with due consideration, and of whom all the country could be proud, and who was respected in the world, well...

Your post, well-written as it is, brought a smile to my face.

 

[Regnad Kcin]

Don't forget that if Iraq fails it will because Bush bravely had to fight a war on two fronts: against Islamo-fascists abroad and the treasonous domestic Democrats who love them...

Zzzzzzzz

 

[peptoabysmal]

George W. Bush inherited a balanced budget and immediately turned it into the worst deficit in U.S. history. What else do you need to know?

LOL! If raping trust funds like Social Security is what you call "balanced."

After bragging in the late 1990s about budget surpluses, when in fact the general government was in deficit (not surplus) despite the highest tax revenue share of the economy in peace-time history, we know they were claiming trust fund surpluses as their own. They were understating their claimed deficits by mixing in surpluses of trust funds.
http://mwhodges.home.att.net/deficit-trusts.htm

 

[peptoabysmal]

If you were wanting a statesman of quality and humanity who spake careful sooth with due consideration, and of whom all the country could be proud, and who was respected in the world, well...

Been there, done that, didn't work.

It's time to kick ass and chew bubblegum.... and I'm all outta gum!
-Duke Nuk'em

 

[Kerberos]

Gettng back to the OP, while I have no massive love of GWB, the title of Worst President ever has a long list of contenders, among which are:

James Madison--got us involved in a War with Great Britian, got the Capitol building burnt and pretty well bolloxed up the US Economy.

James Buchanan--Showed massive lack of skills during the 1856-60 run-up to the Civil War.

Ulysess Grant--While personally honest, had no conception of Governing and allowed massive corruption to take place.

I'm sure others will have their choices (I think some time ago Shanek gave Lincon an "F" grade as president), so Bush has some stiff competition.

Plus it will take time. All of you young people, rushing to judgement. Give Old Lady History some time. That's what she deals in.

True, among any but professional historians and perhaps a few other very well informed people any "worst president in history" contest will be heavilly skeved towards recent presidents. Something similar might be true for " best president ever" but less so I'd think.

 

[Tmy]

Andrew Jackson was an SOB.

How can you look at Bush wh/o the Iraq war? The war caused a chain reaction through every aspect of govt.