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I'm not going to mince words: I like George W. Bush. I think the rabid hatred of the man pushed the mercury from ridiculous to scary at times. I stood back in silent amusement when watching those whose claim to fame is preaching tolerance but sadly demonstrated anything but when discussing him. I understand that there are people who dislike Bush just as there are people who dislike Obama. Dislike! Weird common ground, but I'll take it.
I realize that there exist some who do not share my perspective. That's not what this post is about. This post is for the conservatives, for those who looked beyond his hanging effigy in street protests, the merchandise defaming him, the massive spin regarding Iraq.
When I look at Bush, I see a man who liberated millions of people. Many remark about women's rights yet ironically say little about the women who were regularly beaten, stoned, raped, and murdered in Iraqi streets under the regime of a brutal dictator. Women who weren't allowed to vote, much less of holding government offices, which they are now doing.
I see a man who removed a murdering tyrant from power, who chased him into a hole in the ground and crippled the Al Qaida organization to little more than a convoy hiding in caves throughout the desert.
I see a man who saw through a surge that is now only acknowledged and embraced after its success. The President showed courage in the face of tyranny; he did not waver in his decisions, even as dangerously ambitious Republican officials nipped at his heels, more concerned over keeping their seats and congressional pensions than stopping further genocide.
Bush worked with a plethora of leaders to form an alliance to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan. Both Tony Blair and Nicholas Sarkozy admire and respect him; even Vladimir Putin, it was rumored, watched the 2005 elections intently and when Bush won it was said that Putin was unhappy. Considering whose interests Putin has at heart, I'd have worried if he was happy.
I did not vote for Bush in 2001. I did not think he was what this country needed. Shortly thereafter, we were savagely attacked on our own soil. Thousands were killed, buildings toppled and the economy stuttered. Regardless what you think of the man, Bush led our country through one of the darkest periods of its history. Come hell or high water, he refused to allow another attack on this country's shores and he succeeded. He made a promise to keep us safe and he kept it. Meanwhile, other countries, like Spain, were bullied and buckled to the will of terrorists, going so far as allowing them to influence their elections.
Despite this remarkable leadership, Bush barely used this for campaign purposes. It both astonished and impressed me.
Bush understood the importance of national security and of keeping America's citizens safe. Since Lincoln is a hot topic as of late, The Weekly Standard made this BRILLIANT point with regards to presidential power and congressional authority. The article noted Lincoln's response to Chief Justice Roger Taney, wherein he defended his suspension of habeas corpus:
"Are all the laws but one to go unexecuted, and the government itself go to pieces, lest that one be violated?" Lincoln asked.
The Weekly Standard answers:
Bush understood the answer in wartime had to be no.
(Even Clinton/Gore knew the answer.)
Bush's tax cuts of two years ago, which met criticism, helped to prevent out economy from collapsing. Yes, had we not had a sound economy, it would have collapsed.
He has done more to help than any other president in the history of this country - or current leaders around the world, concerning the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Bob Geldof gave praise.
I admired the President's faith. Whatever he may have been in his youth, and we all, myself included, are imperfect, he has developed a wonderful faith and compassion.
Bush faced off against the department of education with NCLB. He reached across the aisle and worked together with Teddy Kennedy. Granted, I did not agree with NCLB - I liked that it forced testing and accountability and more local control, however, it was a band-aid to a deeper problem. (It was also not underfunded; we spend more of our GDP - gross domestic product - on education than anything else.)
One of my biggest complaints is that Bush did not speak out against his critics who filled the discourse left by his silence with erroneous spin.
He was genuine.
