Jun 11, 2012 -- 9:50AM, TENAC wrote:

No, he was not my favorite president at any point in time of his presidency.   I was glad he was in charge for 9/11.

But from a conservative perspective, he was not an ideal.

That said, it is impossible not to acknowledge his humanitarianism.  I believe his heart was good.  Always. 

Anyway, our first African American president should take some note of what to do.  And continue to do after your presidency.

Bringing Africa back to life: The legacy of George W. Bush

In Africa, he’s a hero.

“No American president has done more for Africa,” said Festus Mogae, who served as president of Botswana from 1998 to 2008. “It’s not only me saying that. All of my colleagues agree.”

And he is still serving this cause.

Jun 11, 2012 -- 4:51PM, TENAC wrote:

George W. Bush.  Freed 30 million Iraqis.  Elevated women in Iraq out of chattel status.

Atta boy George!

First of all, George W. Bush didn't do any of it. What was done was done by a lot of brave young middle-class Americans. George W. Bush didn't even have the courage or leadership to ask rich people to help pay for it.

Secondly, while 30 million Iraqis are certainly "freer" than they were under the Ba'ath dictatorship, quite a few of them were already pretty free in Iraqi Kurdestan, thanks to the no-fly zone initiative that was in place long before the Supreme Court decision to elect George W. Bush. An expansion of that winning strategy would have been much more effective at "liberating" the Iraqi people than destroying their infrastructure and dropping American soldiers right into the middle of a thousand year old Sunni-Shiite tribal feud.

And thirdly, the secular dictatorship of Saddam Hussein was a lot of evil things, but women were not "chattel" any more than men were "chattel." However...as Mec has pointed out, the "democratization" of Iraq was essentially a gift to the Iranian mullahs, who now interfere on a regular basis in Iraqi internal politics. And as we all know, in Iran, women most certainly are chattel.

George W. Bush has a lot to atone for, and I am very glad to hear he intends to devote at least some of the rest of his life not to idleness but to African public health initiatives. Atta boy, George!

Jun 12, 2012 -- 10:45AM, Unworthyone wrote:

Carter, in my opinion is a great humanitarian.  But I wouldn't give you two cents to go back to his economic policies.

I don't know...it was thanks to President Carter that we got Paul Volcker, whose aggressive anti-inflation policies caused short term pain during the Carter administration, and considerable gain during the Reagan administration. Other than that, which of Carter's policies was damaging?

Jun 12, 2012 -- 10:45AM, Unworthyone wrote:

George H. Bush and Bill Clinton have been able to put aside their political differences since their terms and work together for worthy causes.

Absolutely...to the credit of both.

Jun 12, 2012 -- 10:45AM, Unworthyone wrote:

It will be interesting to see what GW does in the next few years.  Personally, I think he is still coming to the realization that he was used and abused by his own people during his terms, that he used the entirely wrong approach to establishing policy decisions.  How he deals with that reality will say a lot about his long-term legacy and place in history.

The thing is...the Bush and Clinton collaboration was a natural thing, since those two ex-presidents are intellectual equals.

If W is just now coming to the realization that he was a pawn of the neocons, it will be very difficult for him to find anybody with intellectual or moral stature who will want to be associated with him. He is on his own, God help him...

Jun 12, 2012 -- 11:52AM, Unworthyone wrote:

Jun 12, 2012 -- 10:58AM, Jasr wrote:

Jun 12, 2012 -- 10:45AM, Unworthyone wrote:

Carter, in my opinion is a great humanitarian.  But I wouldn't give you two cents to go back to his economic policies.

I don't know...it was thanks to President Carter that we got Paul Volcker, whose aggressive anti-inflation policies caused short term pain during the Carter administration, and considerable gain during the Reagan administration. Other than that, which of Carter's policies was damaging?

You may be right.  It seems that the successor president always reaps the fruit of his predecessor.  Carter inherited the failed policies of Nixon-Ford.  Does anyone recall wage and price controls or "WIN"?

Despite his pledge "Read my lips: No new taxes!" Bush 41 signed into law a large tax increase, and it ultimately cost him re-election.  Nevertheless, it proved to be the basis for cutting the deficit and making it possible for Bill Clinton to eventually create a budget surplus

+1

Jun 12, 2012 -- 11:52AM, Unworthyone wrote:

Jun 12, 2012 -- 10:58AM, Jasr wrote:

Jun 12, 2012 -- 10:45AM, Unworthyone wrote:

Carter, in my opinion is a great humanitarian.  But I wouldn't give you two cents to go back to his economic policies.

I don't know...it was thanks to President Carter that we got Paul Volcker, whose aggressive anti-inflation policies caused short term pain during the Carter administration, and considerable gain during the Reagan administration. Other than that, which of Carter's policies was damaging?

You may be right.  It seems that the successor president always reaps the fruit of his predecessor.  Carter inherited the failed policies of Nixon-Ford.  Does anyone recall wage and price controls or "WIN"?

Despite his pledge "Read my lips: No new taxes!" Bush 41 signed into law a large tax increase, and it ultimately cost him re-election.  Nevertheless, it proved to be the basis for cutting the deficit and making it possible for Bill Clinton to eventually create a budget surplus.

George HW Bush also banned offshore drilling and every dem president gets the blame ever after for not opening it up again.     but not Geo W, he is considered the big drill baby drill pres and he did not open up offshore or ANWAR either.