I know most of you have seen this poll of historians (mostly history professors) that says a vast majority of them rate President George W. Bush as the worst President ever.
Fine. I think they are dead wrong and rather stupid for doing so at this time in history, but what do I know.
I will say however that it is widely accepted that a President cannot be honestly and unbiasedly judged until long after his term is up. So, I think the jury is still out on President Bush.
What if Afghanistan and Iraq become the first in a line of Arab nations to turn toward democracy? Will that change their minds?
A great editorial today in Investor’s Business Daily nailed it.
One aspect I found particurlarly interesting and enlightening was the following:
“History professors tend to be a Democratic lot. A study conducted by Daniel Klein and Charlotta Stern in 2003 found that the Democrat-to-Republican ratio among them is roughly 9.5-1.”
Ding, Ding, Ding!
They even provided a list that tends to undermine the cosensus of the Democrats, oops, I mean historians. Check it out:
• “Tax breaks for the rich” is the big lie come alive. Under the Bush tax cuts, 25 million Americans at the bottom half of the income scale have been wiped off the federal income tax rolls.
And the rich? The federal tax burden of the top 1% of earners has gone from 19% under Jimmy Carter (in 1980) to 39.4%. Meanwhile, the bottom 50% paid 3.1% of taxes in 2005. In 1995, they paid 4.6%.
• Since Bush has been in office, pro-Americans have been elected to lead Germany (Angela Merkel), France (Nicolas Sarkozy), Italy (Silvio Berlusconi) and Canada (Stephen Harper). Both Britain and Australia remain close to the U.S. though both are under governments less pro-American than their predecessors. Who’s been alienated? Iran, which has been at war with the U.S. for nearly 20 years?
History professors need to stick to teaching history. They seem to be seeing the unfolding of events through a cloudy lens. “
If Bush is so bad, then why are other countries electing Pro-American leaders? Hmmm…
Hold that thought ! When the present leaders start writing their memoires and tell what they really thought about GW Bush….. Vladamir Putin for example.
Thinking that history will be kind to GW Bush is wishful thinking.
I came across your blog on Technorati. Nice site layout. I will stop by and read more soon.
Mike Harmon
Nice Site layout for your blog. I am looking forward to reading more from you.
Tom Humes
What credibility does Vlad have Gasdocpol ? Otherwise I do agree. History won’t be kind to W but will he surpass Carter and Harding ?
Once the Bush administration ends more lies, misdeeds, and possible crimes will come out in the open so doubt his standing in history will benefit over time.
Gasdocpol, good point and I can see the quotes now… “He was one the dumbest people I ever met and I became jealous HE somehow was the leader of the free world.”
Let’s see you say more historians are Democrats and I have read more scientists, teachers and journalists are Democrats. This would seem to indicate Democrats are more educated. Interesting point, Dude.
We have been at war with Iran for 20 years? News to me… In that case it’s been dragging on for to long, nuke ‘em.
RE: “I have read more scientists, teachers and journalists are Democrats. This would seem to indicate Democrats are more educated. Interesting point, Dude.”
The main reason for that, MJ, is Conservatives want to make money. As a recovering journalist, I know that you can’t make any money in it and only the true believers would enter the profession these days.
As for Bush being the dumbest man….Well, I know he made a lot better grades in college than the Oracle, Al Gore (A powerful Senator’s son, who, by the way, was against the Civil Rights Act of 1964). Maybe your grades at Yale and Harvard Business School were better than Bush’s, but I doubt it.
in2thefray…
Credibility? I am not a big fan of Vladamir Putin but he has been a more successful leader then George. Russia has rebounded economically and has become much more influential in the world under him. Bush’s approval ratings are no where near Putin’s rankings.
Dude…
“The main reason for that, MJ, is Conservatives want to make money. As a recovering journalist, I know that you can’t make any money in it and only the true believers would enter the profession these days.”
Not sure what that has to do with being educated?
“Maybe your grades at Yale and Harvard Business School were better than Bush’s, but I doubt it.”
Every person who ever went to school with Bush ever heard quoted all mentioned he never went to class and partied all the time (abused alcohol and also maybe coke?). Some people can do this and still get good grades but looking at Bush now and seeing his command of the English language doubtful he was that type of person who could pull that off. Considering the man is a liar maybe rich boy paid someone to get those grades for him. Not that crazy of a idea…
Putin has recreated Soviet Russia yeah that’s a feather in the cap. The world wide influence he wields is all about gas and oil. It’s ultimately still holding a guy to the head of innocents.I’d also say Russia still fails to have a global influence that rivals the USA. To be fair that may be more so because Russia is very localized in it’s interests and therefore exertions of influence.
Let me get back to the post though. The Harding Administration had serious criminal issues. For people caught up in more current issues Harding Administration scandal (Teapot Dome,job placement etc) surpasses Watergate ! So let’s look at how historians will look at Iraq. That’s key . The legality,right or wrong and ultimate outcome will all need to be added up.The economy will score Bush as ok. Now get off the floor…The economy under his tenure had an overall plus and the current issues will fall under a number of categories in any honest historical analysis.The wars,the cycles,the various sectors that did well etc.
Under what I’ll call feelings over honest analysis there is the example off the Carter Administration. Many of his programs and policy choices left many with either hyper positive or negative feelings thus influencing their opinion of his place in history. Bush will not fare well under that formula.
And to jump into the fray of education and party / ideological affiliation. I’m not seeing it.The media is well documented Left.Business is stereotypically labeled Right.I’ve seen variations in both. This is just way to open to stupid thinking. I ‘ve met many a well degreed person who falls on either end,in the middle etc.I think much like most stereotypes this is an area we do well to ignore.
Sorry..GUN to the head…
RE: “I am not a big fan of Vladamir Putin but he has been a more successful leader then George.”
That’s one of the main problems with the left, they gloss over the evils of tyrants and dictators (Putin is ex-KGB and has a lot of blood on his hands), and ascribe all these terrible things to their own leaders, who fight for freedom in the world.
By the way, in Russia, if you said the same things about Putin that you do about Bush, you would be killed like many of the other journalists and dissenters have been.
You should be proud to live in a country like this one.
Dude…
I am sure I said was not a big fan (translate to don’t like him) of Putin and was referring to Russia’s upswing in their economy and world influence both which are on the downswing for us. Yes, Bush is losing in regards to civil liberties abuses but not from the lack of trying.
in2thefray…
Sorry, don’t read your long rants anymore due to your confusing grammar and irrelevant nonsense you go on about. No idea why you are talking about Carter.
Your loss Revolting.Let us try it in Western Union style.Perhaps you’ll get that ?
The post is about worst President.Carter is more than eligible under that category. Some people liked things like CETA and his work with Sadat. Others remember “malaise” and failed policy in Iran.
Russia is not involved in the world. Russia focuses on the regions of Europe and the Caspian. They are involved currently with Iran. This is tied to gas and oil.All of Russias influence is tied to the oil and gas. Stop. Ed. Have a nice day. Sstay revolting since insulting people is the only thing you do well. You fail there too.
in2thefry…
Not much better. Do you understand the concept of the complete sentence? Punctuation? Spell check? Proper spacing and use of paragraphs? I will be the first to admit I am not the best writer in the world but sorry it’s to damn hard to read you comments. Add to mix you always seem to be misinformed on the subject at hand so it’s hard to take you seriously. Sorry call them how I see them…
Why are we talking about the President 28 years ago? How come you are never worried about the President who is ass fucking us right now? You always change the subject when the discussion is about Bush.
What is your point about Russia’s influence is tied to oil and gas? Sorry, Russia has better relations (trade and militarily) with China and India then Iran. You may have heard of them because they have two of fastest growing economics and combine for 1/3 of the population of earth. Somehow you forget to mention this. This would make them a formidable trio and none are having their resources drained by a unneeded full blown war(s).
MJ-
The thread is about whether Bush is the worst president ever, so one would naturally make the comparison to other presidents throughout history when discussing this, no?
I was going to ask why you brought up Putin.
ChenZhen…
I wouldn’t mind if in2thefry could put together a coherent comment(see #9). Sorry my limit on uninformed right wingers is at my limit today. I did not bring up Putin, gasdocpol did (#1) then In2thefray had a dumb reply (#4).
Oh, to add my two cents in comparing Carter and Bush which never did… Carters mistakes had insignificant lasting effects after his administration was over. Bush’s fuck ups will hurt us for 20 years. I am referring to the ongoing war, 9 trillion dollar deficit (doubled of the previous 42 Presidents), and our wrecked economic fundamentals.
MJ-
Oops, my bad.
GW Bush, despite inheriting decent genes from George the Elder who was Phi Beta Kappa at Yale and Barbara who went to Smith College and being sent to the best schools he went on to be an incurious, anti-intellectual underachiever who was basically a drifter with a drinking problem until he was 40. Despite his family influence, he was a serial failure in business until he was propped up by Neoconservatives as their figurehead, first in the largely ceremonial post of Texas Governor and then Presidential candidate.
GW Bush, has rather good people skills in a social situation. He looked superb with the bullhorn at ground zero. In part, the situation called for his being a cheerleader and that was playing to his considerable strength. (A conspiracy theorist might say that he was almost too well prepared to give that speech.)
At the time, I thought that I had been totally wrong about how would be a George W. Bush Presidency. I was starting to think that his cheerleading skills would unite Americans and bring out the best in the rather impressive cabinet he had apparently assembled. While not very cerebral himself, his personality would catalyze the formulation of solid policy in the same way that the personality of Ronald Reagan had worked.
It is my view that, if GW Bush had listened to Colin Powell, Paul O’Neill and Christine Todd Whitman things would have turned out very differently and I would have gained a grudging respect for GW Bush in the same way I had gained a grudging respect for Reagan.
There was a very big difference between GW Bush and Ronald Reagan. Reagan also did not seem very cerebral but he came from humble beginnings, had been a solid actor ,was very good in motion picture politics and a solid California Governor. Reagan had a lifelong interest in current events and politics to the point that he got divorced from Jane Wyman because of their violent arguments about politics at the breakfast table.
Lawrence Wilkerson who was Colin Powell’s Chief of staff said that the GW Bush White House was run by a Neoconservative cabal headed by Cheney and Rumsfeld.This is consistant with accounts given by other Bush White House insiders Paul O’ Neill and Richard A. Clark.
Traditionally “tell all” accounts by insiders has been delayed until Presidents have left office. It will be interesting to see the ones that will follow the GW Bush Presidency. Whatever one concludes about Putin’s own career, that will take nothing from what was his candid opinion of GW Bush. Bush came back implying that he had come to terms with Putin and there was mutual respect between them. There was a very big difference in the way they each got to the top.
I never voted for Reagan or Carter and givin a choice in 1980, I voted for the Libertarian candidate. At the time of their presidencies, I was convinced that both were terrible. Since then, I have gained respect for BOTH REAGAN AND CARTER. I also gained more respect for Truman and Eisenhauer after they had left office. It is conceiveable that I will gain respect for GW Bush. It will be interesting to see what the historians will say. So the jury is out.