Hail to the Chief

On this Inauguration Day, I am looking backward and forward at the same time.    To George W. Bush, who today is completing eight years as President of the United States, I  say, “Hail to the Chief.”   To Barak Obama, who today assumes the responsibility and burden of being President of the United States, I also say, “Hail to the Chief.” 

As for George W. Bush, he is leaving the office of President of the United States with a mixed record.   It is way too early to determine how he will be judged by history.   Based on opinion polls, President Bush’s approval ratings are extremely low.   In my view, the opinion polls are meaningless, and the media gives them far too much importance.   I approve of many things President Bush has done during his eight years as President, and I disapprove of many other things he has done.   I would answer “No” if a pollster asked me whether I approve of President Bush’s performance as President of the United States.  I would answer “No” because I disagree with many things President Bush has done or has neglected to do.  If anything, I am amazed that as many as one-third of the people who are polled are willing to answer the question by saying, “Yes.”   In my opinion, the question is meaningless, and the results of the poll are meaningless.   

In the world of public opinion, President Bush never really had a fair chance from day one.    The left-wing of the Democratic Party and the news media, which is dominated by liberals, have demonstrated extreme disrespect and even hatred for President Bush from the beginning of his Presidency.   The mission of these hate-mongrels has been to discredit President Bush at every turn without regard to the effect of their actions on the country or on the country’s standing in the world.   These people have never forgiven President Bush for winning more votes than Al Gore during the 2000 election.   They still think Al Gore won the election, even though every single recount of the controversial vote in Florida came to the conclusion that Bush had more votes than Gore.   I dismiss all of these people as bitter and sore losers who would rather damage the country than admit their candidate lost the election.   The good thing about the change of power taking place today is that the people who have hated President Bush now have a reason once again to support the country that gives them their freedom.   

The most important responsibility of the President of the United States is to protect the country.    President Bush has fulfilled this responsibility during a time when the country has been constantly threatened by terrorists who want to destroy our way of life.   We have not had a terrorist attack on our homeland since September 11, 2001.   On September 11, 2001, no one thought it would be possible for us to go more than seven years without another major terrorist attack in the United States.    President Bush deserves great credit for protecting the country from harm.   

In addition to protecting the country, President Bush deserves credit for his tax cuts, which pulled the country out of the recession he inherited and prevented the extreme damage to the economy that could have resulted from the events of September 11, 2001.   The tax cuts encouraged economic growth and job creation.   If you listen to the news media and the Democratic talking points, you would think the tax cuts only benefitted the rich.    In fact, the wealthiest Americans are paying a greater share of the total tax burden than they were before the Bush tax cuts were enacted, and the number of Americans who are not paying any taxes is greater than it was before the tax cuts.    The wealthiest Americans benefitted from the Bush tax cuts because they are the ones who pay the most in taxes.   Moreover, the Bush tax cuts stimulated the economy and resulted in increased tax revenues for the federal government.    

President Bush also deserves credit for appointing Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito to the United States Supreme Court.   Both Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito were extremely well qualified, and I believe both of them will be regarded by history as excellent appointments.   

On the negative side, President Bush, who ran for President as a conservative, presided over an unprecedented expansion of government and the government deficit.   Government spending has been out of control under his administration.   The budget deficit is at an all-time high, and it is going to get even higher.    During his first six years in office, President Bush stood idly by while the Republican-controlled Congress spent money like drunken sailors.   There was no discipline on the part of President Bush or the Congress.   

Many people are blaming President Bush for our current economic problems.    He clearly shares some of the blame, but previous Presidential Administrations, Congress, the Federal Reserve Board, and the business community all laid the groundwork for the economic crises we are now facing.    

In the final analysis, history will probably judge the Bush Administration as a success or a failure depending on the eventual outcome of the war in Iraq.   The war has been very controversial, and President Bush has done a poor job of defending his decision to invade Iraq.   President Bush will be vindicated if Iraq becomes a democratic society and a beacon of freedom in the Middle East.    His legacy will be severely damaged if Iraq reverts to a dictatorship or comes under the control of Islamic fundamentalists who cannot tolerate freedom.   The good news is that President Bush is leaving President Obama with a war where victory is achievable.    He is also leaving President Obama with another war—the war in Afghanistan—where victory will be much more difficult to achieve.   Ironically, the Democrats, including President Obama, supported the war in Afghanistan while opposing the war in Iraq. 

As for President Obama, who today becomes the 44^th President of the United States, I wish him all the best for a successful Presidency.   I disagreed—and still do—with most of the policies on which Obama based his campaign for President.   I am encouraged that he has backed off of some of those policies since winning the election.   I am very concerned, however, about the amount of money he is planning to spend in an effort to stimulate a weak economy.  We got into this mess by over-spending.   I do not think we will be able to get out of it by spending even more and creating more debt that someone will have to repay.   

Despite my opposition to President Obama during his campaign for President, today I am sharing the excitement of the rest of the nation, which is ready for change.    President Obama’s inauguration as our 44^th President has become a symbol of hope for a better day.     In today’s society, hope is very important.    If enough people are convinced that President Obama will bring positive change to the country, then it is highly likely that positive change will occur.     I am willing to give President Obama every benefit of the doubt as he struggles to deal with the difficult problems he is inheriting.    Even when I disagree with him, which I am sure I will do frequently, my disagreements will be based on philosophical differences rather than on disrespect or hatred for the man himself.    I hope all of those who disagree with President Obama will take the high road in doing so—unlike those who have disagreed with President Bush.   

Today, we are leaving behind eight years of bitter and divisive politics.   I hope we can look forward to a country that is once again united behind a President who is respected even by those who disagree with his policies.