The legacy of 'W'?

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by saden1

W has put the Republican party in a huge bind. They are in for a world of hurt for at least the next 12 years.

Maybe he's done them a favor. The far-left leaning Mondale and Dukakis opened the door for Bill Clinton and his relatively centrist policies to emerge. Maybe now there's a slight window of opportunity for the Republican party to find a candidate that will move the other way toward the center. Being a moderate Republican myself, I hope that's the case.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by mredskins

Matty are you a Dem?

I'm registered as independent

[saden1]

I really don't get why people register as democrat or a republican. What's the point? You can't vote outside your party in the primaries in a number states now unless you're a registered as an independent.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by saden1

I really don't get why people register as democrat or a republican. What's the point? You can't vote outside your party in the primaries in a number states now unless you're a registered as an independent.

I'm not sure if the rule has change bu when I first registered to vote, I had to pick a party because otherwise I wouldn't be allowed to vote in my state's primaries. Otherwise, I would have registered as an Independent

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

I'm not looking to bash him, that's far too easy anyway.

I'm going to take your word for that.

I'm honestly looking for some debate here as to what his legacy will be, and what has he actually done a good job with? I'm sure there's gotta be something.[/QUOTE]

How about these:
1- he has helped to lower interest rates to the best in history.
2- He has helped the economy to one of the most successful in history.
3- He has had VERY good unemployment rates all the while lowering taxes for everyone including the poor.
4- He has hit his objectives and stuck to his word, something we commonly criticize presidents for. (read my lips, no new taxes comes to mind)
5- His unwaivering support for the protection of this country.
(Apparently he is a genius too cause he started this war all by himself, and he has fought this war all by himself. But that is sarcasm, not an actual good job)
6- He prevented Nuclear war between India and Pakistan.
7- Getting Lybia to give up its WMD programs and renounce terrorism.
8- Getting North Korea to shut down it's nuclear reactor.
9- Decapitating Al Quaeda's top leadership and preventing another massive attack on US soil.
10- Boosting Aid to Africa by three times the current aid...and vowed to double it again by 2010.

I'll start with those.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

I'm registered as independent

That is actually something we have in common.
I feel it is better for me to be an independant cause I feel my vote carries more weight. Dems already count on Dems to vote for them, and Rep. already count on Rep. to vote for them...independants are the wild card.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Summo

Hey jsarno you should be greatfull Matty doesn't run this board like those pricks over at the Buc's board or you would be gone for three months already.

I can think of nothing but sarcasm to this post, so I will keep it short and sweet. You came out of your little retirement to post this?

While I am sure Matty and I don't see eye to eye, I would hope we have enough of an understanding to speak open with one another. I have no ill feelings for Matty, in fact he was the one that helped me come back to this site after my daughter died...and I hope Matty has no ill feelings towards me. We just have vastly different opinions when it comes to politics.

[BigSKINBauer]

I don't have time to read the article right now but, he is a president of war and was the president during 9/11. No matter what, i think 50 years from now he will be seen in a far more positive light just because our high school history books aren't going to demean a president during such intense times. However, i don't think anyone will forget his unprecedented unpopularity among the american people.

Infact this time period may be seen as one of the greatest failures of government in US history. Democrats and Republicans alike suck ass right now. We voted for a new congress and they have done shit. This is going to get dangerous because the wants of the american people are going unaddressed. I mean there is a reason why so many democrats won in the last election but the fact that nothing is happening is disheartening.

[12thMan]

Originally Posted by jsarno

To answer your question...I think the Dems are already too high on the idea that he's the worst president ever, it won't be until a good decade from now that we can truely assess his worth.
I personally think that 10 years from now a lot of people will be saying he was a good president but they let rumors and other people influence their decision.

How convenient for you to blame the Dems for Bush's legacy. Why is it that everything is always partisan? What about Bush's own colleagues breaking ranks and not supporting him on some very key issues? What about his own party suggesting that he's too insulated from reality and not willing to work with Congress?

I think the disadvantage that Bush has over, let's say Truman, is that Truman was not under the 24 hour scrutinty of the media, internet, and blogosphere to judge, critisize, and analyze his every move and non-move. And for that reason, I think it's an unfair comparison when I hear people guage Bush's ratings against that of Truman's.

I think Bush will need to push and get some meaningful policy approved before his term ends; Immigration comes to mind. But he may have exhausted all of his political currency in Washington.

[SmootSmack]

Good points, BSB. The Democratic party shouldn't be totally absolved of blame during this era. And, how said is it for them they couldn't find anybody in their party to defeat the "Worst President in History"

Back to Buchanan, for a second. One irony is that he is seen as one of the worst because he held too tightly to what was allowed in the Constitution and allowed the states to secede. Meanwhile, Bush is criticized for playing too loose with the Constitution.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Wow things have gotten testy around here.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

I think Bush will need to push and get some meaningful policy approved before his term ends; Immigration comes to mind. But he may have exhausted all of his political currency in Washington.

Just an FYI, he has tried twice for immigration reform and was shot down. The president can only do so much cause that's how our system was made.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by jsarno

I can think of nothing but sarcasm to this post, so I will keep it short and sweet. You came out of your little retirement to post this?

While I am sure Matty and I don't see eye to eye, I would hope we have enough of an understanding to speak open with one another. I have no ill feelings for Matty, in fact he was the one that helped me come back to this site after my daughter died...and I hope Matty has no ill feelings towards me. We just have vastly different opinions when it comes to politics.

No hard feelings at all. That's what discussion is all about, and in the end if we have to agree to disagree and move on, that's fine with me.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by jsarno

I'm going to take your word for that.

I'm honestly looking for some debate here as to what his legacy will be, and what has he actually done a good job with? I'm sure there's gotta be something.

How about these:
1- he has helped to lower interest rates to the best in history.
2- He has helped the economy to one of the most successful in history.
3- He has had VERY good unemployment rates all the while lowering taxes for everyone including the poor.
4- He has hit his objectives and stuck to his word, something we commonly criticize presidents for. (read my lips, no new taxes comes to mind)
5- His unwaivering support for the protection of this country.
(Apparently he is a genius too cause he started this war all by himself, and he has fought this war all by himself. But that is sarcasm, not an actual good job)
6- He prevented Nuclear war between India and Pakistan.
7- Getting Lybia to give up its WMD programs and renounce terrorism.
8- Getting North Korea to shut down it's nuclear reactor.
9- Decapitating Al Quaeda's top leadership and preventing another massive attack on US soil.
10- Boosting Aid to Africa by three times the current aid...and vowed to double it again by 2010.

I'll start with those.[/quote]

On the flipside what do you think he's done poorly?

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by BigSKINBauer

Infact this time period may be seen as one of the greatest failures of government in US history. Democrats and Republicans alike suck ass right now. We voted for a new congress and they have done shit. This is going to get dangerous because the wants of the american people are going unaddressed. I mean there is a reason why so many democrats won in the last election but the fact that nothing is happening is disheartening.

This I absolutely agree with.
Of course I would like to say it's cause the Dems have no actual plan, or insights, but I truely feel it's cause they can't play as a team. (they as in everyone) It's like kindergarden all over again and everyone is getting a U under the section of "Plays well with others".

I still hold firm to, well you may hate Bush, but Kerry would have been a complete disaster on a monumental scale. We still chose the lesser of two evils.