Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Bush reviews unfinished business and his legacy
The Dallas Morning News ^ | January 10, 2009 | By TODD J. GILLMAN / The Dallas Morning News

Posted on 01/10/2009 11:08:05 PM PST by MeekOneGOP

Bush reviews unfinished business and his legacy

11:37 PM CST on Saturday, January 10, 2009

By TODD J. GILLMAN / The Dallas Morning News
tgillman@dallasnews.com

WASHINGTON – Every president leaves unfinished business. For George W. Bush, the list includes two wars and the war on terror, saving Social Security, establishing an enduring Republican majority, and much, much more.

In some cases, like immigration reform, he concedes tactical miscalculations. Mostly, though, Bush maintains that he did his best and did the right thing, even when it cost him.

"I know this, that I never sold my soul for the sake of approval ratings, which matter not one whit to me. Evidently they do to a lot of other people, but not to me," he told The Dallas Morning News last week. "What matters most is the principles that you adhere to in life, particularly if you're the president of the United States."

It's a certitude his fans admire and detractors find maddening.

As Bush reviewed his tenure the other day in the Oval Office, he projected confidence that history will judge him more generously than his contemporaries. But for now, the country is clearly ready to move on.

Barack Obama's inauguration in nine days will draw record throngs. Millions are counting on him to dismantle the legacy of cowboy diplomacy, to mop up after Bush's recession and end the wars he started.

Bush wishes him the best. He hosted Obama and the three living former presidents for lunch last week to usher his successor into their elite fellowship.

But Obama's victory represented a sharp turn, in both style and substance.

The country's unease with the outgoing president stands at odds with Bush's own assessment of his performance.


(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Front Page News; Government; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: bush; bushlegacy; dubya; georgewbush; president
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061 next last
To: mojitojoe
I voted for him and would do it again, but the past couple of years he seemed to have lost his mind and was a huge disappointment. I blame him for what we have getting ready to take over in 10 days. His bailouts were nothing short of criminal.

I am glad I am not the only one who is sane.

21 posted on 01/11/2009 4:05:29 AM PST by SkyPilot
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: machogirl
if he doesn’t pardon those two border agents, in my opinion, he has a failed legacy

Thank you for the reminder.

I doubt he will do the right thing. Christmas was his best chance to do this, and he didn't act.

Imprisoned border agent beaten by fellow inmates Justice Department confirms report of assault, Ramos: 'They kicked me … all over the body'


22 posted on 01/11/2009 4:08:09 AM PST by SkyPilot
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: MeekOneGOP
I believe that President Bush worked with the liberals, just like he did as Governor in Texas. I do not think he ever lied which is far more than I could ever say about the Clintons. However, his ‘compassion’ was his downfall as liberals used it against him and it became his weakness.

I think he came to terms with the liberals, they could run the domestic front if they did not pull the funding on the military fighting these lunatic terrorists in their own sand pits or swamps around the globe.

Unfortunately, the flood of lies spewed out by the liberals, 24/7 saturated the products of public education. And as if in a hypnotic trance the majority voted for a promise of ‘hope’ and ‘change’.

Lord McCain campaigned as if he too was under that same hypnotic trance.... he after all apparently deceived himself into believing all that power to fund elections he gave his media lovers was his key to the ‘White House’.

23 posted on 01/11/2009 4:13:37 AM PST by Just mythoughts (Isa.3:4 And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SkyPilot

I never thought Bush could be so cold and callous. That article about Ramos was alarming.


24 posted on 01/11/2009 4:15:46 AM PST by tioga (Let us unite in prayer for our country.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: element92

Whether we like it or not, Bush will be known as the president on whose watch this economic disturbance occurred. I don’t think it was his fault, but none the less he is going to be have this hung around his neck for eternity.

I may be the last guy on the planet to know it, but I was unaware of the loans that were being given out to people who didn’t have means to pay them back. If Bush had done his job, I would have known about it years ago. The general public would have, and Conservatism would have been standing tall having objected to the practice.

At the current time, those types of loans are still being made. People without means to repay loans are non the less having them reconfigured at this time. As far as I know, new poor loans are being granted.

So what have we learned here? What real end to this mess have we actually installed? As far as I can tell, we are still setting ourselves up for future failures.

If my perception of what is taking place is accurate, and please folks by all means let me know if it isn’t, then Bush will essentially take the blame for something he didn’t help avoid. That is probably fitting.

I do believe the Democrats masterminded this catastrophe, but our side did not object loudly enough. We essentially played along. Remember, we had the majority in Congress for six years of Bush’s presidency. And the Republicans let this happen.


25 posted on 01/11/2009 4:24:08 AM PST by DoughtyOne (I see that Kenya's favorite son has a new weekly Saturday morning radio show.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: MeekOneGOP

Thanks Meekie. I have few gripes about Bush. The only things he did totally wrong were:

Harriet Rogers

The two border agents

His stance on immigration

The massive bailouts (taxpayer money for failing companies)


26 posted on 01/11/2009 4:54:25 AM PST by Arrowhead1952 (The main stream media lied - America died.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: drc43
Oh yeah, that's important. Leaving the border wide open and giving the banks 700 billion is real decent,but hey, he dresses nice. Who cares the country is going down the tubes. And you can blame the democrats, but he is the commander in chief,who sits back and watches the nation crumbles. I voted for the guy twice and regret it. He's an awful president and has ruined the Republican party, if there is such a thing.
27 posted on 01/11/2009 5:23:46 AM PST by mefistofelerevised
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: MeekOneGOP

Thanks.... good article


28 posted on 01/11/2009 5:29:13 AM PST by hoosiermama (Berg is a liberal democrat. Keyes is a conservative. Obama is bringing us together already!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: death2tyrants; All
Unforunately, the attacks frm the MSM & fellow travellers have made it impossible to analyze GWB w/o being labeled as a BDS sufferer

I started out w/high hopes for him. Having been stationed @ Lackland during his time as Gov. of TX, I knew he was no conservative, but Rush had personally spoken to him and stated that he was "right-center", so I voted for him as a LOTE.

He immediately started to hand things to the worst of the Lefty-Libs: Kennedy, Reid, etc. As head of the Rep. party, his influence pushed the Rs to capitulate on every front, because for the Lefty agenda to pass GWB had to cultivate the Liberals in the Rep. party. If, after handing things over to Kennedy & Co., the R majority stopped the legislation, GWB would look like he really didn't mean his rhetoric.

This caused the voters who'd voted for Conservs in congress to loose faith in their senators & reps so they started voting them out.

Maverick McCain, in order to stand out, went farther Left. Then, GWB convinced congress to pass Campaign Finance Reform, (CFR) saying if it violated the Constitution, (which it obviously does...) AND didn't contain 7(?) specific things, he'd not sign it. This caused the Conservs in congress to go along & pass it. Then, stating he thought it was unconstitutional, he signed it! That violation of his Oath of Office was my 1st. warning. Would that I'd had heeded it.

In addition, if you stood up to GWB & were an "R", under the new CFR laws, he marked you to have your funds cut off at a critical moment, (see Santorum's re-election). For the 1st time in party history he meddled in primaries. (see Toomey vs Spector). In favor of the RINO! This also happened in the Snowe, Jeffords (Jumpin'Jim), and Chaffee primaries. In the election he pulled funds from Santorum for Chaffee, even though it was obvious Chaffee wouldn't win -- causing Santorum's defeat.

He worked to keep the borders open...

PDA's buffer fully, but you get the idea...

29 posted on 01/11/2009 5:50:44 AM PST by mike.musculus (Forget these self-proclaimed "Statesmen", (history will...). <br><b>Give me a simple <u>Constitution)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: machogirl
if he doesn’t pardon those two border agents, in my opinion, he has a failed legacy

I'll second that!

30 posted on 01/11/2009 6:32:12 AM PST by Vinnie (You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Jihads You)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: MeekOneGOP
establishing an enduring Republican majority,

His legacy in that regard will be how his pigheadedness and stubborn pursuit of policies that weakened the party, actually did more to establish an enduring Dem majority.

It will take years to undo the damage W's done to the party, unless Obama and the Dems so spook the voters that they prove as inept as Bush and Rove at solidifying the support enjoyed at their high point.

31 posted on 01/11/2009 6:42:32 AM PST by Will88
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MeekOneGOP

Thanks for the ping. I think history will be kind to President Bush. Ever the gentleman, he and Mrs. Bush brought dignity to the White House. Politically, he had so many important decisions to make. Whose to say where we would be today had we not gone to war. No one can say with certainty what would have happened.

I’m so glad they are coming back to Dallas and getting out of the rat race of Washington. I’m sure they will enjoy building his library at SMU.


32 posted on 01/11/2009 8:08:45 AM PST by Texagirl4W (It's the ten commandments, not the ten suggestions !!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: MeekOneGOP

Thanks for the ping!


33 posted on 01/11/2009 8:55:10 AM PST by Alamo-Girl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: MeekOneGOP; PhilDragoo; Jeff Head

34 posted on 01/11/2009 9:08:22 AM PST by Lady Jag (NOW MORE THAN EVER https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: My hearts in London - Everett
My greatest disappointment in him will be if he doesn’t pardon those two border agents

Give me a break, of all the other disappointing things he has done in the last 4 years, you bring up our two favorite border guards.

Talk about disappointing; how about declaring a financial emergency 1 month before the presidential election thus sealing our fate with Osama Obama.

35 posted on 01/11/2009 9:38:47 AM PST by 08bil98z24 (War on Drug supporters are enemies of the Constitution.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: tioga
I never thought Bush could be so cold and callous. That article about Ramos was alarming.

I know.

Amazing, isn't it? I, like you, never wanted to see this happen.

Ramos' wife was on talk radio, and her story almost brought me to tears.

Let me be frank, and a little harsh:

GW Bush is a big, two faced, back stabbing jerk for not pardoning these border agents who did their job, and I wish I could say that to his face.

Oh - meanwhile, the drug runner they shot is now in prison for committing more crimes - but don't worry. The Taxpayers (read: you and me) paid his worthless family millions in "compensation."

36 posted on 01/11/2009 9:45:58 AM PST by SkyPilot
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: MeekOneGOP

Without his name, this moron wouldn’t have risen to the level of city councilman. He’s been an utter disgrace to conservatism, and your head is completely embedded in sand.

I didn’t think anyone could equal Jimmy Carter in their total ignorance and stupidity in the Office of the Presidency, but Bush has given him a run for his money.

Dolt is not nearly strong enough to describe him.


37 posted on 01/11/2009 10:35:03 AM PST by Carl from Marietta
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lady Jag

13. “Bailed Out” the UAW Thugs.


38 posted on 01/11/2009 11:21:30 AM PST by SkyPilot
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: SkyPilot

His hands were tied.


39 posted on 01/11/2009 11:36:16 AM PST by Lady Jag (NOW MORE THAN EVER https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: SkyPilot

he got a “settlement”??? I hadn’t heard that one. Not surprised though.

I pray GW will do what is right by these men....they have suffered enough. He needs to end their nightmare.


40 posted on 01/11/2009 11:49:12 AM PST by tioga (Let us unite in prayer for our country.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson