What Bush Inherited, and What He Left Left Behind

NRO ^ | November 13, 2009 | Victor Davis Hanson

[RobinMasters]

George W. Bush inherited a recession. He also inherited the Iraq no-fly zones, a Middle East boiling after the failed last-minute Clintonian rush for an imposed peace, an intelligence community wedded to the notion of Saddam's WMD proliferation, a Congress on record supporting "regime change" in Iraq, a WMD program in Libya, a Syrian occupation of Lebanon, Osama bin Laden enjoying free rein in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, a renegade Pakistan that had gone nuclear on Clinton's watch with Dr. Khan in full export mode, and a pattern of appeasing radical Islam after its serial attacks (on the World Trade Center, the Khobar Towers, U.S. embassies, and the U.S.S. Cole).

In other words, Bush inherited the regular "stuff" that confronts most presidents when they take office. What is strange is that Obama has established a narrative that he, supposedly unlike any other president, inherited a mess.

[DoughtyOne]

I agree. I was focusing on who would normally be thought of as a threat against the United States, and who wouldn’t be.

Our traditional allies and Israel are useless to this guy. And he does seem to have an inbred bone to pick with Israel, something akin to a score to settle. I’m not sure why, unless it comes from his intimate associations with terrorists.

[DoughtyOne]

2010 is my guess. I think Congress will be rocked to it’s foundations next November.

[EGPWS]

...but I think Obama hates Israel and the UK also.

Wouldn't YOU tote an attitude of hate if you hit the rack next to one of these creatures via protocal?

[EGPWS]

I think Congress will be rocked to it’s foundations next November.

The will of the people, will it prevail?

Or will Al Franken be cloned X many?

[Grizzled Bear]

Economy in the toilet: Lies to the effect it is turning around

But sir, the media reported back in March that they saw "Green Shoots of recovery."

Where are the "Green Shoots" we were promised?

We want our "Green Shoots," please.

[smoothsailing]

I don’t remember Bush COMPLAINING about what mess he inherited like the man-child CRYBABY we have now.

[MEG33]

Indeed!

[DoughtyOne]

I think the Independents gave Obama a chance. That chance is over. There’s going to be a pretty big shake-up coming. The incumbent party is going to catch grief. That’s my take on it.

Obama just didn’t know when to quit. He, Pelosi, and Reid, just won’t let up, and it’s going to cost them dearly.

They are willing to sacrifice their careers. The only question is, will those who replace them be as rabid a force in the pursuit of returning this nation to a Constitutional Republic?

That’s what the fight in the Republican party is all about today.

[DoughtyOne]

I agree. Where are the green shoot? ;-)

[La Enchiladita]

You left out this:

“For what, pegging Bush for who he was all along? No, it’s because you can’t accept that Bush had a Republican Congress for six of his eight years and failed miserably to advance our cause. He also handed off a terrible recession, an economic abyss, teh beginnings of massive debt, and a political environment perfectly staged, for an activist Marxist to come in and manipulate for optimum destruction of our founding principles. He didn’t get our borders under control. He tried to get the illegal immigrants naturalized. He passed a new Great Society program. And he more than any other person, is the reason why we have Barack Obama in the White House today.

....

22 posted on Friday, November 13, 2009 12:53:05 PM by DoughtyOne”

[La Enchiladita]

And this:

“People get really defensive about Bush. He’s in effect their Reagan. I have no idea how that came to be, remembering the genuine article, but it none the less seems to be the case.

They thought Obama was going to teach us a real lesson, oh boy Bush was going to look good to us now. Aren’t we sorry for trashing him?

Well, sadly, Bush remains the same in my mind, a person who threw away so much opportunity with both hands, and prepared the table Obama eats at. For that alone he should be skewered for eternity.

.....

30 posted on Friday, November 13, 2009 2:06:37 PM by DoughtyOne”

Are you two people, or one? Or just a phony, a liar.

[SuziQ]

"What is strange is that Obama has established a narrative that he, supposedly unlike any other president, inherited a mess."

Not strange at all when you consider how ill-equipped he is to handle ANY sort of serious situation. He'll always try to blame President Bush, or the Republicans in Congress; anyone, but himself, for any lousy outcome.

[alecqss]

I think they have similar tastes.

[karnage]

Excellent piece by VDH.

And great graphic by RobinMasters!

[TribalPrincess2U]

Thank you NRO. And thank you RobinMasters for posting. This needs to be everywhere.

This puts things in perspective.

In fact, it needs to go to all news outlets just to keep them ‘aware’.

[DoughtyOne]

Below this response, people will be able to review the posts across two threads that prompted it.

This makes it two threads you communicated on with me.  You've been quite upset on both.

One thread was titled, "Bush to Develop Think Tank Affiliated With His Library"

The other thread was titled, "What Bush Inherited, and What He Left Left Behind"

The first thread focused on Bush intending to start a think tank.  I explained that I do not care to have Bush start a think tank, because I do not think he was sound enough in his Conservative principles, to be seeking to influence policy decisions.  I then mentioned some reasons why I have come to that conclusion.  At no time did I rag on him for not implementing more liberal agenda.  Whether you agree with me or not, there should be no doubt whatsoever what side of the isle I'm coming at this from.

The second thread did list what Bush inherited, what some of his actions were, and what he passed off.  It's emphasis IMO made it clear that Obama needs to stop blaming Bush and move on.  I chose to address that premise.  I stated my thoughts on that point clearly.  Yes, I could have pointed out that the recession Bush inherited is laughable when you consider the economic melt-down he handed off.  It was still my opinion that this sought to take Obama to task for continuing to blame things on Bush, and that he needed to start taking responsibility himself.  I agree with that.  I reinforced that premise with my response on the second thread.  I did not give Bush kudos.  I did not make contradictory comments on one thread compared to the other.  That is not the reality of it, and where that impression exists at all, it is in your own head, and possible the head of a few others who haven't given my responses enough thought.

In loose terms, this was actually a stand that could be seen as favorable to Bush.  It said, no matter what Bush did, positive or negative, it's past time when you can still legitimately blame continued downward spiral on him. I believe that to be true. It's also my belief, which I have stated on this forum many times, that the Democrats in Congress, the Republicans in Congress, Bush, and even former presidents share fault that this economic melt-down that took place.  Obama even contributed to it along the way, through his association with ACORN.  Still, in the eight years of the Bush administration, he and the Republicans could have taken measures to avoid or at the very least, minimize this problem to some degree.  They didn't.

I admonished the Obama administration to take ownership, and knock off putting the blame on Bush.  By now Obama's actions should be resulting in progress.  Are they?  No.

Is it possible to give Bush grief for his actions outside the bounds of what traditional Conservatism values would be, but then be critical of Obama for continuing to blame Bush for the nation's ills?  Yes.  Does that reflect a conflict in arguments?  No.  Would one have to be lying or misleading to make the cases I did on two different threads?  No.

I take Bush to task because he implemented leftist policy, and I don't want that repeated.  Obama takes Bush to task to avoid blame.  These are two entirely different reasons aren't they.  Point to one place in all this where I absolve Obama of anything.  Point to one place where I blame Bush for implementing Conservative policy.

There is a tendency, for some Republicans to defend Bush's every move, because he was "one of our own".  When his policy was sound, I agree.  Where his policy wasn't sound, we need to recognize it and speak out forcefully in objection.  If a policy is leftist in nature, it doesn't matter if it's implemented by a Bush or an Obama, IT IS BAD POLICY.  It should be spoken out against.  And the person pushing the bad policy should take plenty of lumps for it.

I am critical of our side for implementing leftist policy EVERY SINGLE TIME they do it.  The left doesn't implement Conservative policy ever.  NEVER NEVER NEVER.  So over time, which way does this nation move?  Why it moves left.  Is the proof in the pudding?  Why yes it is.  Our nation has moved considerably left in the last twenty years.  That must not only stop, it MUST be reversed.  We won't reverse it by shielding bad policy decisions by our own, and only attacking the implementation of bad policy by our political enemies.

It's time we face up to the sad fact that anyone who implements leftist policy is to one degree or another, our enemy.  This insidious movement left with baby steps by people professing to be a player on the right, MUST END.

You and I carrying on exchanges like this, when we both realize this nation must stop moving leftward, is ridiculous.  I ask you to join me in attacking everyone who seeks to implement leftist policy.

Does Bush deserve our thanks for some of his policies?  I have said so countless times on this forum.

Obama will do bad 100% of the time.  He can't help himself.  Bush did bad 33% to 50% of the time.  That means that 66 to 75% of the time, our nation moves left.  If you want to defend that go right ahead.  I won't be joining you.

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I have no problem with you pulling my quotes over from other threads, because I believe that if folks get to read them in context, they'll understand why I made them.

For that reason, I ask you to link those comments, even if they are copied verbatim, so that folks can read them in context.

If your arguments have merit, it won't damage your case to do that.

Just providing the name of the other thread and the response number, makes folks have to go to too much work to find contextual relevance.

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Bush to Develop Think Tank Affiliated With His Library
Saturday, November 14, 2009 2:35:37 PM · 62 of 72
La Enchiladita to DoughtyOne

It’s too bad you think it’s okay to take a dump on this thread and then you sing a different tune on another thread with similar theme. You’re a two-faced snake.

Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies

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What Bush Inherited, and What He Left Left Behind
Saturday, November 14, 2009 2:39:01 PM · 30 of 35
La Enchiladita to DoughtyOne

You left out this:

“For what, pegging Bush for who he was all along? No, it’s because you can’t accept that Bush had a Republican Congress for six of his eight years and failed miserably to advance our cause. He also handed off a terrible recession, an economic abyss, teh beginnings of massive debt, and a political environment perfectly staged, for an activist Marxist to come in and manipulate for optimum destruction of our founding principles. He didn’t get our borders under control. He tried to get the illegal immigrants naturalized. He passed a new Great Society program. And he more than any other person, is the reason why we have Barack Obama in the White House today.

....

22 posted on Friday, November 13, 2009 12:53:05 PM by DoughtyOne”

Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies

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What Bush Inherited, and What He Left Left Behind
Saturday, November 14, 2009 2:44:23 PM · 31 of 35
La Enchiladita to DoughtyOne

And this:

“People get really defensive about Bush. He’s in effect their Reagan. I have no idea how that came to be, remembering the genuine article, but it none the less seems to be the case.

They thought Obama was going to teach us a real lesson, oh boy Bush was going to look good to us now. Aren’t we sorry for trashing him?

Well, sadly, Bush remains the same in my mind, a person who threw away so much opportunity with both hands, and prepared the table Obama eats at. For that alone he should be skewered for eternity.

.....

30 posted on Friday, November 13, 2009 2:06:37 PM by DoughtyOne”

Are you two people, or one? Or just a phony, a liar.

Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies

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Bush to Develop Think Tank Affiliated With His Library
Saturday, November 14, 2009 3:00:05 PM · 67 of 72
La Enchiladita to DoughtyOne

I don’t like dishonesty. You are dishonest.

Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies

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