ba1025

Too much of what he says is GWB redux from tax policy, trade policy, Iraq etc et al

Why would I want a continuation of this? HNN Poll: 61% of Historians Rate the Bush Presidency Worst

i liked the John McCain of the 90s.

Dreadnought

Disagree, McCain has not always agreed with Bush over alot of subjects. Yes he is Republican but its unfair to label him a Bush "flunkee" that he certainly isint. He has his own mind and own ideas. Most people are throwing slurs at him because now they realize the two democrats are going to do his job for him by imploding one another over things that definately arent the main issues. Such as Racism,Inequality, How they have endangered their lives while promoting foreign policy etc. I think McCain has a birds eye view of this and more after being shot down and spending time in the "Hilton".

McCain is just being smart and watching from the sidelines until chance presents itself for him to focus on his singular opponent.

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Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

Shek

You link is historical malpractice (not to mention statistical malpractice).

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"So little pains do the vulgar take in the investigation of truth, accepting readily the first story that comes to hand." Thucydides 1.20.3

ba1025

I would agree it isn't history yet... He could drop lower when looked at through the prism of time. or the majority could be wrong and he could be harry Truman all over again. I think he's more of a Franklin Peirce or a james Buchanon myself. I question what his successes have been? Fiscal responsibility? reigning in social spending ( cough drug plan welfare for big pharma) peace? clearly defining our objectives in War? help me what has Bush done that's been good for America? He entered office with a surplus and leaves with huge deficits, we are at war with no endgame or end in sight in a country that had nothing to do with attacking us( Iraq) and never in history has a nation transferred so much wealth as we have in the last 8 years.

McCain has rolled over on the tax cuts, rolled over on balancing the budget, is proposing tax cuts with no clear funding mechanism and sounds quite different about what's going on in Iraq than Petraeus. I agree he used to disagree with Bush on big picture things. That's the McCain i would of voted for.

I'd vote for an unknown before I vote for someone who wants more Bush budgetary voodoo economics. If we close our eyes our massive defict will go away and that great sucking sound will be the capitol that frees up for the private sector!

Shek

Unfortunately, that's the nature of our two-party system. You have to game how you plan on capturing various segments of the voting public.

Lars

Lets see…we take a poll of a bunch of liberal college professors and find they don't like Bush.

I'm shocked.

Btw, the counter-argument was linked right on the page for you.

The Follies of Instant History: Another Meaningless Poll of Historians

ba1025

I already agreed we need to wait to look through the prism of history. Now please give me the list of successes that makes you think it has been a good Presidency. I suppose it's because they don't like Buchanan they have such ill will for him as well.

gunnut

I wish we could have more Bush regarding tax policy, trade policy, and Iraq.

Bush's problem is he spends money like a democrat.

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"Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

ba1025

yeah like Clinton....OOPS nm
When the Republicans control both houses of Congress and the Presidency and earmarks and other expenses like farm subsiidies and new social programs happen....it's spends money like a republican. That party has no claim on fiscal conservative values since Delay pushed Gingrich out and GWB was elected.

What's been Bush's iraq policy that you agree with? Does he have one beyond "not being president when we withdraw" or "not loosing"?

gunnut

I agree. Republicans have lost the fiscal conservative high ground since Gingrich left.

First strike. Fight terrorists as far away from home as possible.

Lars

Sorry, I was reading the articles and others got in front of me.

For a Bush success, you would certainly have to put down two invasions and overthrows of the hostile regimes therein. You may not agree with them, but you'd certainly would have to agree they were successful.

Other than that, off the top of my head, there's the large tax cuts, SDI, nuclear treaty with Russia, CAFTA, and a host of others.

Hey, I don't agree with them all, there's the expansion in Medicare, for instance. But to write him off as having done nothing right in seven years is a bit rich.

Lars

Bush's problem is he was forced to spend money like a democrat.

Would have been a very different President without 9/11.

FOG3

39% of Liberal College Professors aren't able to toe the party line. That's almost 50%!

Clearly their resolve is weakening.

Honestly, it's like news agencies don't even try to pretend their statistics are legitimate anymore. Yeah you ran a 109 entry survey, we're sooo impressed. Just like when you run surveys in publications that have been losing their readership like no one's business, and act like surveys of the remaining loyal readership are representative of the public in general.

Look up the actual requirements to say something with certainty sometime, because this doesn't come within TLAM range of it.

Shek

How was he forced? He campaigned on Medicare Part D. A GOP Congress allowed the growth of earmarks (although it takes two to tango on this one). You can't hold him accountable for the growth of "mandatory" entitlement spending, but you certainly can zing him for the growth of non-defense discretionary spending.

Lars

Anything to avoid a fight that keeps you from the main one ;^)

Kinda fun to go back and look at his first budget. Called for reducing the national debt by $2 trillion. Ah, those were the days.

Doesn't even get a mention in this one, btw.