The Focused Presidency (Left Coast editorial against protesters, pro-Bush)

The Seattle Times ^

[Political Numbers Guy]

Editorial
The focused presidency

President Bush

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President Bush will get an earful from protesters today. Aggravated Americans are a native species here, part of the culture and entitled to their protests. But this is an industrious state, and most Washingtonians will be going about their business without obsessing about the president of the United States.

This page supported the election of George W. Bush, and though we have disagreed with some of his environmental measures and the clash between homeland security and civil rights, we stand by the man.

We reckoned that Bush understood better than his opponent the incentives and protections that make the economy work. We still think so. His cuts in income taxes look risky now but will pay later by increasing investment and keeping a lid on federal spending. His work to eliminate the federal estate tax, a matter of importance to this newspaper, will help thousands of family enterprises. His attack on the double taxation of dividends aims for an improvement in both efficiency and fairness.

None of these is a quick fix. This is not a quick-fix president. He understands that the economy is not run by him, but by what millions of Americans do. He can push for a change in the background conditions, such as tax rates. He can make specific interventions such as settling the no-win antitrust case brought by the Clinton administration against Microsoft. Bush's administration has been wrong on a few things, such as changing the rules for media cross-ownership, but most of its actions have been sound.

When this page endorsed Bush, it was in spite of his lack of experience in foreign affairs. Bush learned on the job — and fast. He paid his respects to the United Nations, but he did not hang American security on a U.N. vote. The president presides over a democracy in a very different world, and a different America, than the contentious moment of his election. We believe that, overall, he has acted responsibly and well when it comes to the overriding issue of our times — our country's security. We need a strong leader in a world threatened by insane terrorism. He has been that.

This page expected that Bush would fumigate the White House of its odor of licentiousness, pardon-selling and general juvenilia. He did, which is why nobody talks about those things any longer. He has surrounded himself with adults.

Finally, he is focused. All presidents know that they have eight years at most, maybe four. Some waste that time on tricks to get their poll numbers up, or a dozen other things that seem important at the time, but aren't. Bush is making his time count.

[tkathy]

Terrific article. Says it all.

[Uncle Miltie]

This is a gutsy editorial, considering it will result in thousands of subscription cancellations.

[talleyman]

Someone has obviously taken over this paper at gunpoint.

[CatoRenasci]

Nah, this is the 'sort of conservative' paper in Seattle. Neither it nor the Post Intelligencer (the leftist rag) is any good. The papers in Seattle have always been lousy by West Coast (SF, LA, Portland) standards, not to mention by East coast standards.

[Coop]

We need a strong leader in a world threatened by insane terrorism. He has been that.

Well, I'll be da**ed.

[Southack]

Nice editorial, overall.

[ChewedGum]

None of these is a quick fix. This is not a quick-fix president. He understands that the economy is not run by him, but by what millions of Americans do. He can push for a change in the background conditions, such as tax rates. He can make specific interventions such as settling the no-win antitrust case brought by the Clinton administration against Microsoft. Bush's administration has been wrong on a few things, such as changing the rules for media cross-ownership, but most of its actions have been sound.

Somebody at the Seattle Times stopped drinking their kool-aid. I fear they are about to lose their job. This is far to coherent to be written in a Seattle newspaper.

Gum

[gogeo]

I canceled my Times subscription because of a particularly putrid W editorial. Whatever sanity there is will be fleeting.

[eureka!]

I'm burning in H*ll with you. So much said in so few words. Thanks for the ping...

[Political Numbers Guy]

Here's a great anti-protester, pro-Bush editorial you should blog about: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2001584177_bushed22.html

[randog]

Someone has obviously taken over this paper at gunpoint.

LOL!!

[CyberAnt]

Geeeee ... I wish that would happen in San Diego.

Although our paper did come out and support Simon during the last election.

[Coop]

BTTT

[Not A Snowbird]

Most of the a**holes in Seattle have skipped work to go over to Bellevue and wring their hands and fuss about how this President doesn't care about them and their pet issue of the day.

Others, like myself, remain at our desks WISHING we could go over to Bellevue and support him against these whack jobs. :-)

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thank you for this refreshingly sensible editorial.

8 Unapologetically Pro-Coalition News Links and Articles

[zarf]

What the hell is this? I don't believe this came out of the anus called the Seattle Times.

[livius]

SEATTLE???

[deport]

His work to eliminate the federal estate tax, a matter of importance to this newspaper, will help thousands of family enterprises. His attack on the double taxation of dividends aims for an improvement in both efficiency and fairness.

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Vested interest it looks like to me.......

Founded in 1896 by Alden J. Blethen, The Seattle Times Company is a fourth- and fifth-generation family business.