I could have easilly fallen in to the all too cliche Bush-bashing crowd were it not for an American Government professor I had a few years back. I won’t repeat what he said about the American presidency to us, but let’s just say, it’s left me with quite a respect for the office, and for every modern person who has held it *regardless of how the rest of the world views them*.
Point at hand: George W. Bush, possibly the most hated human being on the planet. Yet the more Bush-bashing I read, the more I’m convinced that people frankly don’t know what they’re talking about. Can anyone even define for me what Neo-Conservatism is?
Anyway, he’s my theory.
I see how much people hate Bush in relation to how much they love Barrack Obama. By which I mean, people don’t actually hate Bush all that much, they just Love Obama so much that hatred for Bush is amplified as a result.
This is easy to explain for Americans. They have all turned against their Presidents. Each president who has left office, left with pretty low aproval ratings, and have rebounded their public image since. I expect the same for Bush, if he feels like trying. If I were him though, I’d tell the world to *eff* off and get on with my life living in my mansion.
As for non-american haters though (and Canadians are horrific examples of these), it seems to me that hatred for Bush hinges on the Iraq War (ok so that’s where the source of hatred is for many Americans too). But just a few weeks ago, I reposted what i considered to be a very credible article whcih theorized that had Al Gore been president instead of Bush during 9/11, he would have invaded Iraw too… Now let me warn you, before you blast me in comments about this, please read the frigging article first, and at least gain a little understanding of how Political Scientist build such theories…
Just one of my favourite points from the article. Frankly to me, it’s just about the most convincing argument that Gore would have invaded Iraq. But it’s my favourite because it presents such a paradox to all these Bush-haters, and reminds me that most Bush-haters are just mindless drones repeating what Oprah or Bono said once… instead of intelligent, articulate individuals who can critically analyse evidence and form an opinion independent of some idiot celebrity.
* A major Bush-hating point is George W. Bush’s aparently lack of intelligence. Yet they attribute to his “neo-conservatism” the incredible intellectual prowess needed to completely bend the will of the American legislature and bureaucracy (contrary to popular opinion, the President of the United States is not the most powerful man in the world, and shares – as per the separation of powers required in the American constitution – power with Congress and the Judiciary. This means that Bush either has to be an Evil genius who manipulated the various people (and there’s a whole list of people he would have had to manipulate in that article i was talking about) required to make the Iraq invasion happen. Or he’s a complete idiot who was only able to make the invasion happen because the ball was already rolling for other reasons.
Bah. Rant over. It makes me cringe to think about how stupid people are. And this issue more than anything else in the world (especially here in Canada) is but a glaring example of this.. To President Bush. *toast* here’s to a job well done.
#1 by Cody Redekop on February 21st, 2009 - 10:15 am
I thoroughly and emphatically disagree. People, Canadians and Americans, who disagree with the policies and practice of Bush are not all on a bandwagon and are not only up at arms over the conflict in Iraq, or that there is a conflict in Iraq at least.
As for Iraq, even if Mr. Bush was to pardoned for any poor leadership in starting that conflict, his management of is has been terrible. He sent in less troops than the experienced generals advising him recommended. He appointed and defended Donald Rumsfeld, who mishandled the invasion. Once too few soldiers were involved, the Iraqi army was disbanded and fighting the insurgency was left almost entirely to Western forces. Humvees were sent into front-line, urban combat which they were not designed for and this resulted in terrible casualties on manpower and equipment which lead to the whole issue of ‘up-armouring’ humvees. Little thought seems to have been given to nation-building once the invasion took place. Even if invading wasn’t a bad course of action, the manner with which the invasion was carried out was terrible.
Aside from Iraq, there are other issues many people, myself included, view as weak points in his presidency. His election was surrounded by controversy he did little to address, which resulted in Americans throwing rocks at the President’s motorcade during his inauguration. The Geneva Convention and US law were sidestepped with his blessing in Guantanamo Bay. The American Constitution was sidestepped in the PATRIOT Act. Bush set new records for American Federal deficit and debt. After eight years of his leadership, the United States has entered into the worst economic crisis since The Depression.
Mr. Bush was disliked and considered a poor president long before Barack Obama became his successor. Obama was elected to the Senate at the beginning of Bush’s second term and was only considered as a potential President after that. SNL made sketches and got laughs for his seemingly low intellect during Bush’s first term. Massive deficits were in the first term.
That said, I do agree with you that presidents generally leave office with a low approval rating and recover afterwards. (Although I’m not sure if statistical facts are something to agree or disagree with) I don’t know if Bush will try to rebound or live in happy seclusion and ignore the country that couldn’t wait to be rid of him. At this point he probably has nowhere to go but up so there wouldn’t be any harm in trying.
So ya, that’s my two cents. It isn’t a bandwagon and I don’t really care what Oprah thinks. I don’t like Bush because I think his presidency was a job quite far from well done.
#2 by chris on February 21st, 2009 - 7:11 pm
Dude. Why are you leaving comments on my blog for? How about an email once in a while, or even a facebook message or something!
Anyway, I actually agree with you….
1. I can’t comment re: Iraq war being mismanaged, cause I don’t pay attention to that.
2. I a gree re: the Geneva Convention + Constitution. When the PATRIOT Act came out it was just around the time I had just taken the American Government class at my school, and essentially, everything I was taught about the interpretation of the constitution went down the drain.
However. As much as there are idiot republican Americans who unequivocally support Bush/McCain, there are as many idiot democrat/liberal Americans who unequivoically support Obama/Clinton/whatever… based on.. and you gave one perfect example on why I considered the whole anti-bush sentiment in the States as a “bandwagon” – Oprah’s opinions. Tons of stupid people who can’t see the nuances as you and I do.
As far as my post was concerned, it was directed at those idiots who hate Bugh for stupid reasons. I am saying, have respect for the office, and have respect for the man who was able to attain it. Or if that’s still not possible, at least make sense in their arguments.. Bush can’t be the dumb idiot they make him out to be, and have had eough political prowess to invade Iraq… They can’t have it both ways. Either Bush is a political genius who crafted public opinion, or he took an opportunity when public opinion supported his views and invaded iraq. Just to mention an example…
Thanks for the comment bro. Do email me or facebook me sometime.