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Analysis: Bush legacy _ grim times, gloomy nation
AP via Google News ^ | BEN FELLER

Posted on 01/10/2009 2:26:48 PM PST by Gondring

Wars. Recession. Bailouts. Debt. Gloom.

The unvarnished review of George W. Bush's presidency reveals a portrait of America he never would have imagined.

Bush came into office promising limited government and humble foreign policy; he exits with his imprint on startling free-market intervention and nation-building wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[...]

Grading Bush's performance has its limitations. History offers a warning about judging a president and his tenure in the moment: The wisdom and decisions of a leader can look different years later, shaped by events impossible to know now. Leaders are entrusted to act in the nation's long-term interests.

[...]

This is his tenure: eight years bracketed by the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history and the worst economic collapse in three generations. In between came two wars, two Supreme Court appointments, a tough re-election, sinking popularity, big legislative wins and defeats, an ambitious effort to combat AIDS, a meltdown of the housing market, a diminishing U.S. reputation abroad, and more power invested in Dick Cheney than any vice president in history.

Bush got his tax cuts and education law in the first term, then swung hard and missed on Social Security and immigration in his second. He seized a bullhorn and united a country devastated by terrorism, but stumbled badly when a hurricane swallowed the Gulf Coast.

Many of his original campaign promises are dust. [9/11] changed everything.

[...]

Bush pushed all legal limits in targeting terrorists. They have not struck America again.

The president's defenders may well be right that his decisions will be viewed honorably over time.

For now, he is out of time. [...]

So let history judge, Bush says.

The country already has.

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


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bush; bushlegacy; term2
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I recommend reading the whole piece before commenting. The excerpt doesn't really give the full story.
1 posted on 01/10/2009 2:26:48 PM PST by Gondring
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To: Gondring
Bush is no longer worth reading about, why bother, lost all confidence in bush when he signed the border fence law and acted like he supported it, he didn't, he lied for political purposes.
2 posted on 01/10/2009 2:50:13 PM PST by org.whodat (Conservatives don't vote for Bailouts for Super-Rich Bankers! Republicans do!)
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To: Gondring
Today

There are jobs for people who want to work

We have not been attacked in 7 years

We can still bear arms

Some don't like it but we still have freedom of speech and can worship as we please

Parents can still home school

Gas is down

Most have food in the pantry and no one is going hungry

People are staying warm despite Global Warming.

What else? Sure there are some things I wish he had done differently but ...we still have a Constitution.

3 posted on 01/10/2009 2:50:57 PM PST by CindyDawg
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To: CindyDawg

Well said.


4 posted on 01/10/2009 2:53:14 PM PST by rlmorel ("A barrel of monkeys is not fun. In fact, a barrel of monkeys can be quite terrifying!")
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To: Gondring

He is a flop. Did not reduce the size of government. Increased the size and scope of government. A big flop.


5 posted on 01/10/2009 2:54:42 PM PST by screaminsunshine (.)
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To: Gondring

Fairly well balanced story, especially since it is put out by the AP.


6 posted on 01/10/2009 2:54:48 PM PST by AvOrdVet ("Put the wagons in a circle for all the good it'll do")
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To: CindyDawg

Let me put on my rose covered glasses.... Um, Not working.

History will be the judge and I don’t think it will be as kind.


7 posted on 01/10/2009 2:57:49 PM PST by AvOrdVet ("Put the wagons in a circle for all the good it'll do")
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To: Gondring
Bush is either a (1) naive novice or (2) an inside man for Obama. We wouldn't have our 1st international president if it weren't for Bush.
8 posted on 01/10/2009 3:00:38 PM PST by yongin (Converting people to Mormonism makes the world more conservative)
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To: AvOrdVet

I’m not suggesting burying your head but counting your blessings, instead of moaning and griping. When I would think times were bad and go crying to my grandmother she would tell me that I didn’t know what hard times were. I found out later that she was right.


9 posted on 01/10/2009 3:01:07 PM PST by CindyDawg
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To: CindyDawg
I’m not suggesting burying your head but counting your blessings

Yeah, most Americans losing half of their retirement savings, watching the country go down the tubes into a socialist never land, watching the Government accelerate the "import" of immigrants while American citizens lose their jobs, the open borders which allow illegals to run wild throughout the country. The rampant and uncontrolled spending that our children and their children will never be able to pay down, the watering down of our constitution and civil rights and all the while bushbots tout his great successes... oh its just peachy keen. My grandmother would've said something else... Like get a rope.

10 posted on 01/10/2009 3:20:19 PM PST by AvOrdVet ("Put the wagons in a circle for all the good it'll do")
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To: AvOrdVet

Shrug. We both have the same concerns....just different ways of looking at things I guess.


11 posted on 01/10/2009 3:38:13 PM PST by CindyDawg
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To: CindyDawg

Enjoy those short-term things while they last, since President Bush has set the stage for losing them long-term.


12 posted on 01/10/2009 3:48:25 PM PST by Gondring (Paul Revere would have been flamed as a naysayer troll and told to go back to Boston.)
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To: CindyDawg

Yep, don’t get me wrong I voted for bush twice, the second time to just to keep kerry out, but that doesn’t mean I have to love the guy and his wrong headed policies and actions.

We have to get beyond his administration which has set the conservative movement back for years to come, and start grooming “real” conservative candidates to start repairing the damage that is about to be done by the leftist, which Bush helped to elect.

The bush legacy will probably not be decided in our lifetime.


13 posted on 01/10/2009 3:48:36 PM PST by AvOrdVet ("Put the wagons in a circle for all the good it'll do")
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To: CindyDawg
Your list is the saddest defense of this chump I've seen yet. Of the 8 items you listed, 7 of them were true under the Clinton Administration. Do you count your blessings for him? 2 of them are constitutionally guaranteed rights that have been in place under EVERY U.S. President. Way to go, George! Face it. He is an abject failure and an insult to conservatism.
14 posted on 01/10/2009 3:51:36 PM PST by LanaTurnerOverdrive ("I've done a few things in my life I'm not proud of, and the things I am proud of are disgusting.")
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To: yongin
Bush is either a (1) naive novice or (2) an inside man for Obama. We wouldn't have our 1st international president if it weren't for Bush.

Yes, the damage done long-term is so much worse than even a Dem president would have given. :-(

15 posted on 01/10/2009 4:15:15 PM PST by Gondring (Paul Revere would have been flamed as a naysayer troll and told to go back to Boston.)
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To: AvOrdVet
Fairly well balanced story, especially since it is put out by the AP.

Agreed.

And ignoring the damage done by a liberal Republican will just make it so we continue to lose ground. We must make it very clear to the GOP that any future liberal (so-called "moderate") candidates will not receive our votes.

No more "rally 'round the RINO!"

16 posted on 01/10/2009 4:18:45 PM PST by Gondring (Paul Revere would have been flamed as a naysayer troll and told to go back to Boston.)
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To: org.whodat

So why did you click on this link?


17 posted on 01/10/2009 4:37:27 PM PST by Texagirl4W (It's the ten commandments, not the ten suggestions !!!!!)
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To: Gondring

Yep, but watch what you say as the BushBots are sometimes just as vicious as the ObamaBots, but worse as they believe they actually OWN the conservative vote... Then again I’m always up for a good fight! ;-)


18 posted on 01/10/2009 4:42:12 PM PST by AvOrdVet ("Put the wagons in a circle for all the good it'll do")
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To: CindyDawg

LOL.

“Cheer up, things could be worse.”

“So I cheered up, and sure enough, things got worse.”

Or like the time the motivational speaker was explaining positive thinking.

He said, “About 95% of the things we worry about never happen.”

Somebody in the back spoke up on a loud voice, “So worrying works?”


19 posted on 01/10/2009 4:44:53 PM PST by savedbygrace (SECURE THE BORDERS FIRST (I'M YELLING ON PURPOSE))
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To: Texagirl4W
Free country!!!
20 posted on 01/10/2009 6:52:15 PM PST by org.whodat (Conservatives don't vote for Bailouts for Super-Rich Bankers! Republicans do!)
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