In The Shadow of Bush

I understand that GWB made several grave mistakes during his Presidency. I am not defending him, but should we be criticizing the man or the system? In a sense, GWB was doing exactly what he was supposed to do: make the corporations richer. After all, is that not what political office is about nowadays? Todays POTUS candidates are bought and paid for by corporations and monied interests. With GWB in office, the corporations had a stooge of minimal intellect who would do exactly what he was told. So, do we fault the man or the system? You decide.

I would post more often on sites like this if other responses weren't so foolish. (i.e. Brock)
The idea of Democrats "Surrendering to the Mecca" is juvenile and absurd.
The Presidency of GW Bush has been a failure in every regard and it is time for the country to move on.

Also, since government collects taxes, it is expected to provide competent services and protections. Thinking that selling off the services that goverment is supposed to provide (which they will continue to collect taxes for) is some kind of sound fiscal policy is stupid. Spending billions of borrowed dollars on some nebulous quest to spread democracy is also stupid.

Grow up and stop using all of those ridiculous deragatory names too. Government is serious business and really requires some serious thinking.

I like the comparison of George Bush to pre-Lincoln Buchanan. I never, from day one, ever thought George Bush was up to the cerebral task, or possessed the intellectual excellence and wisdom that, in my opinion, one needs to be president. Risking arm chair psychology, George Bush, in my opinion, is a vapid and vacuous man who had the good fortune to be born into the right family which he used successfully to extricate him from trouble and get him into prestigious schools for those would be presidents-in-waiting. He got out of trouble most of which most of us would pay a huge price for whether it was his evasion of military service, the consequences of his alcoholism, countenancing the theft of an election or even courting treason by the outing of a covert agent. I think he did not care about anyone, anything or even his country as long as his own hide was saved. I believe George Bush knows he was given the intelligence short straw and feels uniquely inferior to his much more able father H.W., grandfather Prescott and brother Jeb. So, he appears outwardly to be unmovable and strong. In reality, though, I believe he feels utterly incapable and weak. I think he is a weak man, unknowing of history, and a man who by his ignorance and lack of insight, has cost thousands their lives through his utterly failed policies both foreign and domestic. Admittedly, I am not a Republican but I could manage to say some positive things about Reagan, Eisenhower, H.W. Bush and even Nixon. There is not one thing I can say that is positive about George W. Bush. Not one.

Brockinooo,
IF you think Bush has accomplished ANYTHING, you are the one who is seriously in need of medication, in fact I'd have to believe from reading your post that you are on LSD or something. You need to check in with reality sometime...

Ref GOPforPres comment about a coward leading our nation dont we now have a coward leading our nation?

Mr. Thomas, your biased point of view has completely blinded your analysis. True, the GOP is in a precarious state, but not for the reasons you state. It isn't because Bush wasn't "moderate" enough, or that he didn't work with Democrats, that Republicans turned away from Bush. The problem is that he did not govern as a conservative (No Child Left Behind, "Comprehensive" immigration reform, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, the massive increase in the size and scope of government, the out of control and careless spending, etc.). Not only that, but his administration has been utterly incompetent in managing some of the most serious aspects of government (i.e. the mishandling of the Iraq war, Katrina, etc.).

George Bush 43 was a mistake and continues to be a mistake. The question is whether we as a nation can survive the mistake (and the ensuign economic disaster brought about by Iraq and his energy policies) and go on to thrive. The coming campaign will be a contest about who can move further away from the turd on the sidewalk that is his administration. The Republicals are saddled with the fact taht it was their dog that left it and they have to clean it up.

Mr. Thomas, your biased point of view has completely blinded your analysis. True, the GOP is in a precarious state, but not for the reasons you state. It isn't because Bush wasn't "moderate" enough, or that he didn't work with Democrats, that Republicans turned away from Bush. The problem is that he did not govern as a conservative (No Child Left Behind, "Comprehensive" immigration reform, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, the massive increase in the size and scope of government, the out of control and careless spending, etc.). Not only that, but his administration has been utterly incompetent in managing some of the most serious aspects of government (i.e. the mishandling of the Iraq war, Katrina, etc.).

This article is completely biased and ignorant. I am a little shocked that Newsweek would print such opinionated nonsense. How can we compare Bush to any other president in history when no other president has had to face what President Bush is facing? The funny thing is that a majority of these Democrats that claim that they could do better voted for the war. They can complain and point fingers, but I have yet to see them come up with a solution that is not ludicrous or naive. The only thing our country will receive with a Democrat being put in office right now is an increase in failed business because of higher taxes and fees, God being removed from all aspects of public life, fewer laws to protect unborn children from death, the sanctity of marraige being permanently damaged and an increase of able bodied persons on welfare. Oh, and we just might see more terrorists acts on America with a coward leading our nation.

I don't know what the answer is, but I KNOW it is not the party of Abe Lincoln! I used to be a Republican, worked for the Reagan campaign, but these Flat Earth scumballs like Mike Huckabee are determined to take us back to the Dark Ages. I will not under any circumstances be voting for ANYONE that belongs to the Republican party. Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly and FAUX News have made me HATE the Republican party, and consider it to be the greatest threat to freedom this country faces. Bush is a drunken stupid moron, with no vision whatsoever, except to make us wallow in ignorance and mindless superstition. He is a national disgrace! We need another non-fascist Republican, like Ike, to return this once great party to sanity. Unfortunately, no one REMOTELY resembles him in the Republican party!

This is, on the whole, a good analysis of the Republican dliemma. However, I think that we should be very wary in speaking of a "realignment." If one looks at Congressional representation, rather than at which party is in the White House, the parties have been very closely matched for almost 100 years. In the 20th century, the Democrats dominated Congress for about 10 years in the 1930s and again in the 1960s and 1970s. At other times Congresses have been almost evenly matched. Bush has been a poor president, to be sure, but even the Herbert Hoover presidency only led to Democratic domination of Congress for 8 years, the Republicans having recovered considerably by 1939. In the 19th century, the US did indeed have a 1 1/2 party system but we have had two very competitive parties for the past 100 years and I do not believe that that will change anytime soon.

These have been a tough eight years, but those who espouse that it has been a total disaster and that Bush accomplished nothing positive are in serious need of meds. Bush handled 9/11 well - God forbid HIllary or Gore was in power at the time - they would have turned toward Mecca bowed and surrendered. The Dems still have someone other than Billary on the ticket - hopefully so. I she does make it, I hope people decide to NOT vote along party lines and vote perhaps the lesser of two evils which won'te be Billary.

No republican, especially McCain, can distance himself from the disaster of the past 8 years of the Bush administration. The republicans controlled Congress, and time and again voted to give him what he wanted. All republicans are forever associated with this mess. With the eonomy now taking center stage, Hillary is the only person capable of leading this country out of this mess and setting us on a path of peace, prosperity, and purpose. The American people have recognized the importance of Hillary as President of the U.S. of America.

This is one of the most partisan articles I have ever read. Wh don't they call the magaine Liberal News Week? Bush received the most votes in the history of the country (after the Iraq War started), and Reagan won 49 of 50 states. Clinton never won a majority, and Carter's liberal policies nearly ruined our country with 10% unemployment, wages not keeping pace with inflation, lines for gas, 70% tax rates, and on and on. Liberal aulthors in New York have their liberal heads in the sand. I doubt there were any conservatives at their cocktail parties to see what the people think. That is why people should just look at the vote counts.

ikezy78. you are right on the money! This article, and many others like it, simply reflect the overwhelming left-wing thinking of the maintream press. I guess hope springs eternal for this crowd, and that is all this commentary is; lot's of wishful thinking. Rudy Guliani was right on; "THANK GOD GEORGE BUSH WAS PRESIDENT ON 9/11". Do all of he lefties and mainstream media types (oops,sorry, same thing) really think that the fact that there has not been an organized attack on the US snce 9/11 is just a coincindence?

I think Mr. Bush has so destroyed the Republican Party Image, it may take two generations to restore dignity. Too many failures in all areas of politics has rendered this party almost incapable of managing America's trust.

I am not here to advocate and / or say that Democrats will do a better job. But I am saying that the country needs a change in policies, leadership, and image...

We need the Balm to heal our sick souls... The American people will guarantee change and new direction in November 2008.

Leftist NEWSREEK HOPES the GOP is done, not thinks it is. You partisan leftist hacks need to just come out of the closet and stop pretending you aren't an organ of the DNC. It really exposes your dishonesty.

very well written and great historical interesting facts presented in this artlicle