Posted on 10/19/2017 11:11:19 AM PDT by Rennes Templar
President George W. Bush on Thursday issued a thinly veiled warning about the state of American democracy under the current president, arguing that "bigotry seems emboldened" and politics is "more vulnerable" to conspiracy theories.
Speaking at the George W. Bush Institute's "The Spirit of Liberty: At Home, in the World," a national forum in New York City, the former president warned that the trend in Western countries of moving away from democratic confidence and global engagement is seeping into American culture.
Parts of Europe, Bush said, have developed an "identity crisis" as a result of economic stagnation, youth unemployment and fears about immigration.
"America is not immune from these trends," warned Bush, who noted that public confidence in U.S. institutions has declined in recent decades and discontent has "deepened and sharpened" partisan conflicts.
"Bigotry seems emboldened. Our politics seems more vulnerable to conspiracy theories," he said. "We've seen nationalism distorted into nativism."
Bush warned that the U.S. faces the return of isolationist ideology even though he said that American security is "directly threatened by the chaos and despair" of other nations around the world.
The former president listed a series of recommendations that he suggested would improve the state of democracy. First, he said that the U.S. must harden its defenses in terms of confronting cyber threats.
"The Russian government has made a project of turning Americans against each other," said Bush, who added that cyber threats should not be "downplayed or tolerated."
Bush said that there should be a projection of American leadership, the importance of active citizenship should be strengthened and trust in democratic institutions should be restored. He said that Americans should pass civic ideals onto the next generation.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
Bush could have said this, verbatim, about the left when he was President. There was bigotry and conspiracy theories galore when Bush was CIC.
He was dead silent during obama’s reign; could not bring himself to say anything, muttering about the ‘respect’ for the office. Now he has been vocal suddenly.
I have NO respect for a man who sent thousands to fight the ‘war on terror,’ ending and marring their lives (and their families)....and all the while, would not defend them when they were being attacked politically and legally.
Actually Bush coming out against Trump helps Trump more than anything.
“Actually Bush coming out against Trump helps Trump more than anything.”
Probably. It really doesn’t make much difference what Bush says.
I’m not addressing that.
I am addressing fake news.
FUGWB!
Stuttering Amnesty whore George Junior - Go back to your finger-painting and booze.
the George W. Bush Institute’s
********
As big a joke as McCain’s institute.
A monument to the egos of failures.
Wish the Saudi’s would put their Gimp back under the floorboards.
“I regret ever having voted for or supporting the Shrub.”
C’mon, look who the alternatives were. True, Bush gave us perhaps the biggest blunder of the war in Iraq since Lincoln did the south, CFL bulbs, increased CAFE standards, and laid the grounwork for Obama X 2. But compared to Gore or Kerry it was a moral imperative to vote for Bush.But now GW should just continue to shut up as he did for Obama.
Hey W I want my money back
The Bush’s Skull & Bones Society is a Satanic organization. Nuff said.
Where are all tge Bushbots? The Bushes are a disgrace to the party, wish they would shut up and go away.
Jeb! - showed the world how worthless the Bush brand is.
The only thing funnier than considering the idiot Bush as a painter and accomplished savant is seeing Bush dressed as a fighter pilot. Mission Accomplished.
Greasin’ the wheels for a possible George P run?
He’s a real POS and an absolute insult to every last vet that served in Iraq. Obama gives everything they fought for right back to the enemy and there’s Dubya making blood brothers with him and Michael, utter sc*mbag. Plus not ONE peep from him for 8 years when Obama was committing one blatant act of treason after another but here he is only 9 months into Trumps Presidency laying this racism garbage on him.
That headline is total Bull Shit.
Bush never explicitly named President Trump by name in his remarks and I don’t see him alluding either....
Not a peep out of this man for 16 frickin’ years either to defend himself or criticize Hussein. Now he’s become the Chatty Cathy Doll of the 21st Century. You pull his string and he says, “I’m stupid and I can’t shut up.”
This week has seen a full push against Trump...Bush, Rove, McCain and so many others...plus the media.
If Trump falls we are dead....
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