Change is on the way!
Culture, obama 11:59 PM
I received a text message from a friend today which simply read, "Change is on the way!"
How true that is.
It's a great testament to our Democracy that every four years we go to the polls, elect a our commander in chief, and transition smoothly between administrations. Largely without incident and often with great diplomacy, our well-oiled political machine ensures continuity and a nearly seamless change of hands that we can all be proud of.
President Bush addressed the nation tonight, surrounded by political allies from his administration, to bid the nation farewell and to reflect on his last eight years as president. He went back over some of the difficult decisions that he made and attempted to frame them in the context he finds suitable for the history books. By all counts, the proverbial jury will be out for some time. For now, his legacy doesn't look good.
As I watched him on my television and reflected with him, I felt many conflicting emotions. I supported the president in his election bid in 2000, and was proud of him in 2001 as he unified the nation after the September 11th attacks. Then, gradually, I was more and more appalled by the actions taken by his White House. By 2004, I was ready for a change. In 2008, after backing Hillary Clinton until her withdrawal from the race, I ultimately found myself behind John McCain. After teetering back and forth across the aisle for years, it's no surprise that I find myself ambivalent toward the departure of the president, but I must say I catch myself off guard with one repeating sentiment.
America, you're going to miss George W. Bush.
WHAT?!
Don't hit the comment button just yet. I'm not saying he was a great president. There have been more days when I've wanted him gone than I've wanted him in office, and my anger and frustration over his policies and practices runs wide and deep. But you have to admit, there's something to be said for the fact that we haven't been attacked since 9/11. There's something to be said for the fact that we had record home-ownership rates and a record Dow Jones Average before the Democrats took over congress in 2006. And there's something to be said for the fact that said Congress has consistently had a lower approval rating than the president since their takeover. Yes, even as I'm writing this blog.
Even abroad, where we undoubtedly have accumulated more enemies than friends over the past 8 years, I can't help but feel a small since of longing over Bush's departure. Though I'm a strong believer in diplomacy, it's hard not to admit that there is a part of me which has slept easier since 2001. No matter what you think of Bush's foreign policies - and I find many of them appalling - you know that it gives pause to hostile foreign governments and enemy combatants to know that this president is the president that will gladly 'push the button' in retaliation. So maybe having a cowboy war-monger in charge hasn't been the worst thing. The proof has been in the pudding.
America officially enters a new chapter on Tuesday, and I have to say I'm ready for a change in direction. The past few weeks have been a demonstration of marvelous cooperation between the outgoing Bush Administration and the incoming Obama Administration, and I have little doubt that Obama & Co. will have no difficulty hitting the ground running on day one. Let there also be no doubt that we will see a radical change in direction back to left-of-center in our leadership, and it will manifest itself in many ways - some good, some bad.
Whether Obama turns out to be more of an FDR or a JFK will likely depend on the fundamentals of our economy over the next 4 years. Whether he's more Carter or Clinton will depend greatly on how he interacts with the Congress and whether or not he delivers on campaign promises. More likely than not, we will see the angels and demons of each of these foregone administrations as well as many Republican administrations over the next four years, and Obama will find his own niche in history as president.
For now, all we can do is give the incoming president a chance to govern, and hold him accountable to deliver on what he has pledged. With his staff nearly in place and the oath ready to be taken, a new reality is beginning to set in. Change, it has been said, is on the way.
Congratulations, Mr. President-elect. God Bless America.
How true that is.
It's a great testament to our Democracy that every four years we go to the polls, elect a our commander in chief, and transition smoothly between administrations. Largely without incident and often with great diplomacy, our well-oiled political machine ensures continuity and a nearly seamless change of hands that we can all be proud of.
President Bush addressed the nation tonight, surrounded by political allies from his administration, to bid the nation farewell and to reflect on his last eight years as president. He went back over some of the difficult decisions that he made and attempted to frame them in the context he finds suitable for the history books. By all counts, the proverbial jury will be out for some time. For now, his legacy doesn't look good.
As I watched him on my television and reflected with him, I felt many conflicting emotions. I supported the president in his election bid in 2000, and was proud of him in 2001 as he unified the nation after the September 11th attacks. Then, gradually, I was more and more appalled by the actions taken by his White House. By 2004, I was ready for a change. In 2008, after backing Hillary Clinton until her withdrawal from the race, I ultimately found myself behind John McCain. After teetering back and forth across the aisle for years, it's no surprise that I find myself ambivalent toward the departure of the president, but I must say I catch myself off guard with one repeating sentiment.
America, you're going to miss George W. Bush.
WHAT?!
Don't hit the comment button just yet. I'm not saying he was a great president. There have been more days when I've wanted him gone than I've wanted him in office, and my anger and frustration over his policies and practices runs wide and deep. But you have to admit, there's something to be said for the fact that we haven't been attacked since 9/11. There's something to be said for the fact that we had record home-ownership rates and a record Dow Jones Average before the Democrats took over congress in 2006. And there's something to be said for the fact that said Congress has consistently had a lower approval rating than the president since their takeover. Yes, even as I'm writing this blog.
Even abroad, where we undoubtedly have accumulated more enemies than friends over the past 8 years, I can't help but feel a small since of longing over Bush's departure. Though I'm a strong believer in diplomacy, it's hard not to admit that there is a part of me which has slept easier since 2001. No matter what you think of Bush's foreign policies - and I find many of them appalling - you know that it gives pause to hostile foreign governments and enemy combatants to know that this president is the president that will gladly 'push the button' in retaliation. So maybe having a cowboy war-monger in charge hasn't been the worst thing. The proof has been in the pudding.
America officially enters a new chapter on Tuesday, and I have to say I'm ready for a change in direction. The past few weeks have been a demonstration of marvelous cooperation between the outgoing Bush Administration and the incoming Obama Administration, and I have little doubt that Obama & Co. will have no difficulty hitting the ground running on day one. Let there also be no doubt that we will see a radical change in direction back to left-of-center in our leadership, and it will manifest itself in many ways - some good, some bad.
Whether Obama turns out to be more of an FDR or a JFK will likely depend on the fundamentals of our economy over the next 4 years. Whether he's more Carter or Clinton will depend greatly on how he interacts with the Congress and whether or not he delivers on campaign promises. More likely than not, we will see the angels and demons of each of these foregone administrations as well as many Republican administrations over the next four years, and Obama will find his own niche in history as president.
For now, all we can do is give the incoming president a chance to govern, and hold him accountable to deliver on what he has pledged. With his staff nearly in place and the oath ready to be taken, a new reality is beginning to set in. Change, it has been said, is on the way.
Congratulations, Mr. President-elect. God Bless America.
Posted by Nick Stone
on 11:59 PM.
Filed under
Posts
Due respect, but I don't think that another terrorist attack not occurring on our soil is a major accomplishment. Hear me out...
George W. Bush allowed the worst attack that has ever occurred on American soil to happen on his watch. This only WEEKS after getting a briefing that stated Osama bin Laden was determined to strike the US, possibly using commercial aircraft. Then, once he was told what had happened and his Chief of Staff shared the enormity of the situation (I believe the exact words were "Mr. President, The country is under attack."), he managed to continue sitting in a classroom for seven minutes.
Screw Katrina, warrantless wiretapping, the US Attorney firings, the invasion of a sovereign nation to assuage a personal vendetta, violation of the Geneva convention rules on torturing inmates (we insisted the Japanese be prosecuted for water-boarding our soldiers, by the way) and all the other fuck ups...To me, allowing 9/11 to happen when such a clear and concise warning was given, then to sit there once it has occurred for minutes on end is an impeachable, border-line criminal offense. So no, he gets no credit in my book for not allowing any more attacks. There should not have been one to begin with.
Even if you give him some points for keeping us safe since 9/11, it's not like that day was the day they started hating us. Islamic fundamentalists have hated us for a lot longer than George Bush has been President. After September the 11th, there was no new queue set up full of people wanting to bomb us (granted, invading Iraq did make a bunch of new people hate us and squander any good will we gained post-9/11 in the middle east). These are patient people, who are in no rush.
There was roughly 8 years between the previous WTC bombing and the attacks on 9/11. Nobody is giving Clinton any special credit for keeping us safe during the remaining 7 years and 9 months of his Presidency.
Prior to the 1st WTC bombing, there were no major cases of attacks on US soil in decades. So trying to say that Bush did anything miraculous or amazing by keeping US safe is inaccurate.
Thank you for your comment! I thoroughly and sincerely enjoy hearing feedback from thoughtful people who:
1) stay on point
2) disagree, but aren't disagreeable
3) offer a different perspective
Don't tell anybody, but sometimes I do have a change of heart.
First, let me say that you're absolutely right that 9/11 was not the first day that 'they' started hating us. We had previous attacks on much smaller scales, but it's hard to disagree that the events of that fateful day were the tipping point.
Where I give GW Bush credit is twofold. It's not just that we didn't have another attack since 9/11.
1. George Bush and the events of 9/11 forced us to confront the fact that the people who hate us work in the shadows and do not represent a national government. They are hard to find, hard to learn about, tightly controlled, and they do not operate under the traditional rules and ideals of war. The best example is that they have no regard for their own lives, only the completion of their agenda and greater martyrdom. Bush made it clear to the American people that until we stopped pretending we were fighting a traditional war, we would forever be on the losing side awaiting the next attack.
2. Bush fundamentally changed the way we protect our citizens. I stand firmly in the belief that Bush's so-called "cowboy diplomacy" gave pause to the world. That they were scared of us made every tribal leader, every sleeper cell leader, and every foreign government leader abroad a reason to think twice before acting foolishly, for fear of reprisal. Agree or disagree, the point is worth something. But more importantly, the broad and largely secret measures that Bush took behind the scenes to enhance our intelligence-gathering and other clandestine operations put us on a level playing field against our nameless enemies for the first time in decades if not centuries.
So, as an American I'm offended that the government can come into my home and raid my computer and personal files while I'm at work without me ever knowing about it.
But I'd be exponentially more upset with a Boeing 757 being flown into my husband's office while he's working. I'd be much more devastated to learn that it was my child at the school that just had a bomb explode. And I'd like to think that you feel the same way.
Don't get me wrong! Bush and I are no friends. I'm as livid with him as anybody else on a whole host of issues, and he never got a free pass from me in the past 8 years. But it is funny how retrospect can change our perspective, if ever so slightly.
Again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for your comment.