DRTFA, but I suspect it is shorter than "Famous Jewish Sports Legends".

FTA: So why offer this corrective? Because we cannot go back to 2001. The next president will inherit the world as it is in 2009. He will have to examine the Bush administration's policies as they stand in January 2009-not as they were in 2001 or 2002 or 2003-and decide how to accept, modify and alter them. There was a U.S. president who came into office convinced that everything his predecessor had done was feckless, stupid, ill-informed and venal. He rejected and tried to reverse everything that he could, almost as an article of faith. Before he had even examined the policies carefully, he knew that they had to be changed. The base of his party was delighted by his clarity and fighting spirit.

That president, of course, was George W. Bush.

It's a very interesting read. Bush has been better with his foreign relations recently, especially with China and India. His economic policy is and was seriously flawed and has struck a serious blow to the country. Since 2006, things have been a little better on the international front with more talky, less shooty.

In the end, whoever gets elected has one heck of a mess to clean up... just not as big of a mess that people think. Other than the economy... that's even more messed up than people think.

Fareed Zakaria is awesome and always dead-on in his analysis. Very, very smart dude who I wish had a larger audience of people paying attention to him.

On North Korea, the administration's reversal has been near total. Within months of entering the Oval Office, Bush publicly repudiated his secretary of State, Colin Powell, for even suggesting that the administration would continue Bill Clinton's efforts to negotiate with Kim Jong Il. But since July 2005, Bush has pursued a very similar approach, in fact an even more multilateral one than Clinton's-four additional parties are now at the table. Bringing in the Chinese has been crucial because they are the only ones who have any real leverage with Pyongyang.

Bringing in China was a fantastic decision, no one should doubt. Bush has definitely been cozying us up to China. Is it because they own a lot of our debt? Possibly. It's better to be on China's good side rather than their bad side, seeing as they along with Russia are the only real threats to US hegemony worldwide.

Other reversals have drawn less opposition. In its early years the Bush administration seemed intent on confirming the conservative stereotype of being utterly uninterested in assistance to poor countries, especially if the money was going to treat AIDS patients. In each of its first two years it spent less than $1 billion on global HIV projects. This year the United States will spend almost $6 billion, most of it in Africa. The president's signature program, PEPFAR, has been a bipartisan success story (although the requirement that some of the money be spent on abstinence programs dilutes the program's effectiveness). Bush's overall efforts on disease prevention and aid have won him praise from an unusual assortment of figures-Bono, Bob Geld of and New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, who wrote that "George Bush has done much more for Africa than Bill Clinton ever did."

Africa has also been another Bush administration success story, as Zakaria rightfully recognizes.

Excellent article.

Two Dogs Farking: DRTFA, but I suspect it is shorter than "Famous Jewish Sports Legends".

Thread over. Moderators, please archive this thread now.

Interesting how so many of Bush's mistakes were based on repudiating Clinton. Now his policies are much like Clinton's, but almost nobody is paying attention any more. Maybe he needs to bite the bullet and pork an intern.

Good article. Basically, he started having success in international affairs when he stopped trying to do the opposite of what Clinton did, and started doing the things that Clinton did.

A list of George Bush's successes would make excellent source material for Willard Wigen.

Maybe Bush came into office thinking that it was opposite day.

Pocket Ninja: A list of George Bush's successes would make excellent source material for Willard Wigen.

The article more about what he did wrong, realized he did wrong, and did to fix those issues. It's been a complete 180 on his foreign policy ideals but the economy is still farked beyond belief. Fareed did some good work here... I suggest reading it.

'What President Bush got right'

The Junior Jumble?

Two Dogs Farking: DRTFA, but I suspect it is shorter than "Famous Jewish Sports Legends".

Hey, there's Goldberg, and Sandy Koufax, and...

Okay, do equipment managers for division-A teams count?

Bloody William: Two Dogs Farking: DRTFA, but I suspect it is shorter than "Famous Jewish Sports Legends".

Hey, there's Goldberg, and Sandy Koufax, and...

Okay, do equipment managers for division-A teams count?

Shawn Greene!

Lionel Mandrake: Good article. Basically, he started having success in international affairs when he stopped trying to do the opposite of what Clinton did, and started doing the things that Clinton did.

Considering that he put Osama Bin Laden on "Ignore" for his first several months of his Presidency, one might wonder what he could have accomplished if he'd not set his heels in on the issue. Ignoring Clarke's suggestions when he first came into office, and then suddenly having to scramble AFTER the damage was done, that didn't exactly set him up for a lot of success.

floor9: "Famous Jewish Sports Legends".

Or "Polish Wit & Wisdom?"
How about "African Americans I've Met While Yachting?"
And let's not forget "Italian War Heroes."

/Runs like hell.

Tr0mBoNe: Fareed did some good work here... I suggest reading it.

Really? I should read it? Is it more of Fareed Zacharia using the gift of hindsight to play the role of wise sage in the face of an utter fiasco in the war he used up so much ink supporting? Or does he put on a new hat this time?

Tr0mBoNe: Bloody William: Two Dogs Farking: DRTFA, but I suspect it is shorter than "Famous Jewish Sports Legends".

Hey, there's Goldberg, and Sandy Koufax, and...

Okay, do equipment managers for division-A teams count?

Shawn Greene!

My favorite factoid, from his wikipedia entry:

Green was arguably the best Jewish baseball player since Sandy Koufax

That's kind of like being the best Jewish rap trio since the Beastie Boys.

Pocket Ninja: Tr0mBoNe: Fareed did some good work here... I suggest reading it.

Really? I should read it? Is it more of Fareed Zacharia using the gift of hindsight to play the role of wise sage in the face of an utter fiasco in the war he used up so much ink supporting? Or does he put on a new hat this time?

Knowledge is power. It's an excellent review of his presidency. I'd rather criticize Bush for his real mistakes and not his perceived mistakes. It sounds like your brain got switched off in 2004.

GoDeep: floor9: "Famous Jewish Sports Legends".

Or "Polish Wit & Wisdom?"
How about "African Americans I've Met While Yachting?"
And let's not forget "Italian War Heroes."

/Runs like hell.

Good point, but it was an Airplane! reference.

/"Honest American Politicians."
//"GAINAX Anime That Do Not Have Gratuitous Fan Service."
///"The Good Things Hitler Did."

FTFA: President George W. Bush now enters his 23rd consecutive month with an approval rating under 40 percent. (It currently stands at 32 percent.)

Just what is Fareed smoking? (new window)

/But do yourself a favor and read his "Rise of the rest" article from International Affairs. You'll stop panicking.

Tr0mBoNe: It sounds like your brain got switched off in 2004.

Yup. Sure did. Your wit is too keen for me. I'll go be dumb elsewhere.

Tr0mBoNe:
In the end, whoever gets elected has one heck of a mess to clean up... just not as big of a mess that people think. Other than the economy... that's even more messed up than people think.

This is one of the reasons I think we need Obama. Even if you don't agree with him, he has that "Morgan Freeman Factor" of talking. He is able to talk about situations more smoothly than most.
We're basically going to have to go around the globe telling countries, "Ya, it was a wild party and a lot of stuff got trashed, but now that the host is gone, let's see if can't get some things cleaned up."

Or Foreign Affairs. I haven't started drinking yet.

jasonda: Or Foreign Affairs.

do you mean this(p)?

I haven't started drinking yet.

Well, then, I'd better start for the both of us :)

Just for a second, take Iraq out of it. What has he really screwed up? I know Iraq is a huge clusterf*ck, but its not like he enacted NAFTA. If the war didn't happen, would we be talking about how bad of a predsident he is?

FiestyIrishVixen: If the war didn't happen, would we be talking about how bad of a predsident he is?

the economy doesn't help his cause. Neither do his responses to 9/11 or Katrina.

Lionel Mandrake:
Well, then, I'd better start for the both of us :)

Naw, as soon as I'd finished that comment, I started. I tell you, there's not much better than sitting on the patio on a Sunday afternoon in San Diego, light breeze, Corona in hand, etc.

FiestyIrishVixen: Just for a second, take Iraq out of it. What has he really screwed up? I know Iraq is a huge clusterf*ck, but its not like he enacted NAFTA. If the war didn't happen, would we be talking about how bad of a predsident he is?

Not much when you think about it. Except denying that there's any kind of climate change problem or any need to fix it. And politicizing every single position in government, especially those that are supposed to be (and need to be) non-partisan. And appointing neo-conservatives who've never had to practice their horrible anti-everyone policies to important diplomacy positions. And continuing to push an ideological agenda into the realm of science. And creating a huge new mandate for education without giving anyone the tools they need to implement it. And putting loyalty above all else, especially competence. And I haven't even mentioned Katrina yet, but you can probably make the case that it happened the way it did because of the Dept of Homeland Security being created.

FiestyIrishVixen: Just for a second, take Iraq out of it. What has he really screwed up? I know Iraq is a huge clusterf*ck, but its not like he enacted NAFTA. If the war didn't happen, would we be talking about how bad of a predsident he is?

The economy, corruption in government appointments, US Attorney firings, DoJ corruption. Yeah, I think we'd have enough to talk about.

oh, this should be good.


/article is pretty well-written

FiestyIrishVixen: Just for a second, take Iraq out of it. What has he really screwed up? I know Iraq is a huge clusterf*ck, but its not like he enacted NAFTA. If the war didn't happen, would we be talking about how bad of a predsident he is?

I bet he spells president that way, too.

cameroncrazy1984: The economy, corruption in government appointments, US Attorney firings, DoJ corruption. Yeah, I think we'd have enough to talk about.

Illegal wiretapping, violation of the Geneva Conventions, Department of Homeland Security...

Heroic Poser: This is one of the reasons I think we need Obama. Even if you don't agree with him, he has that "Morgan Freeman Factor" of talking. He is able to talk about situations more smoothly than most.
We're basically going to have to go around the globe telling countries, "Ya, it was a wild party and a lot of stuff got trashed, but now that the host is gone, let's see if can't get some things cleaned up."

At this point, substance is more important than form. Will the candidate be able to balance the budget? How will he deal with the energy crisis? Who will he bring into his brain trust to guide his policies? Does he really understand the problems that currently affect the country? Is he willing to go against his base if it's for the greater good? Is he the best candidate for the country? Or is he just the opposite of the other guy and thus the right choice?

cameroncrazy1984: FiestyIrishVixen: Just for a second, take Iraq out of it. What has he really screwed up? I know Iraq is a huge clusterf*ck, but its not like he enacted NAFTA. If the war didn't happen, would we be talking about how bad of a predsident he is?

The economy, corruption in government appointments, US Attorney firings, DoJ corruption. Yeah, I think we'd have enough to talk about.

It all came down to one thing. His response to crisis. Most of his issues came from the ideological war he started against 'terrorism.'

CheddarPants: FiestyIrishVixen: Just for a second, take Iraq out of it. What has he really screwed up? I know Iraq is a huge clusterf*ck, but its not like he enacted NAFTA. If the war didn't happen, would we be talking about how bad of a predsident he is?

I bet he spells president that way, too.

wow literal larry.
If he drinks as much as I do I'm sure he does.

I've only read half of the article so far, but it would seem to be dead on.

It's a damn shame that it took 6 years of blunder after blunder for Bush to finally recognize that all the Good ol' Boys he surrounded himself with weren't doing his administration or the country much good at all. He finally got some decent folks with their heads screwed on straight to clean up and try to do the job right.

I just certainly hope the next guy doesn't do this all over again just to "prove" he's the anti-Bush. I never thought I'd say this, but it almost seems like Bush finally figured out how to run the country. Some folks are just late bloomers, I guess.

After reading the headline, I expected a blank screen after clicking the link. Pleasantly surprised to find this article instead.

As much as I detest the man, there are a few initiatives of his I approved of:

-- His post Space Shuttle vision for returning to the moon and heading for mars.

-- Last year's attempt at immigration reform. It was proactive while actually being somewhat realistic. Too bad it got shot down in a wave of "Let's deport 'em all!" silliness.

Finally, I was also a very big fan of his "choke to death on a pretzel" initiative. Bush sadly failed to follow through on that one.


_{/looking at that pic.... goddamn, the job has aged Bush.
//That liar, coward, and war criminal needs to be rotting in prison, not frolicking on the sand with volleyball players.}

One shouldn't have to work so hard in order to find a list of "things not completely screwed up" after a President has been in office for 7.5 years.

404 Not Found?

Member of the lucky sperm club pappa41...
that is all

"The administration that became the target of so much passion and anger-from Democrats, Republicans, independents, foreigners, Martians, everyone-is not quite the one in place today."

NASA invading Mars was probably a bad idea from the start, but better than declaring war on Vietnam or invading Iraq.

Face it folks, Obama's going to be like George W. Bush 2: Electric Boogaloo. In four years, Americans will probably be desperate enough to elect another Bush into office named Jeb.

GodsTumor: Member of the lucky sperm club pappa41...
that is all



this guy?

What has GW Bush gotten right? Well, he hasn't drooled on himself lately.

"Bush" and "Got Right" -- two things that don't go together.

The First: "Bush Gore" and "Got Right" -- two things that don't go together.

Ace Attorney: The First: "Bush Gore" and "Got Right" -- two things that don't go together.

*sigh* -- even in an article about Bush, you make this into a "b-b-b-but democrat this..."

Guess he finally listened to Daddy.

I like Fareed Zakaria, i really do. At first when he appeared on CNN on Sunday, i didn't like the idea... maybe it was racial bigotry, or simply because he was so stiff a host, but i've come to really like his Sunday show.

Anyways, i think most of the article was bunk. I didn't read the entire thing, i got tired after the 2nd page, Iraq, Iran, N. Korea, Afghanistan, these aren't issues that Bush wanted moved to the right... these are issues that were forced upon him by a Democratic House that won't be rubberstamping his policies any longer, and a military that is stretched much too thin and is much too engaged to be in another conflict. He just no longer holds the better hand, so he's had to fold.

And he's made better relations with India and China? He has? How? Not doing something is not a diplomatic strategy or a sound foreign policy. The world is just lucky that India and China aren't insane... and much of that is due to China holding the '08 Olympics. To the Chinese, this really is the birth of a new era for them, and they didn't want any complications or controversies.

If you want to take a look at what 'do nothing' accomplishes, look at Russia.

The First: Ace Attorney: The First: "Bush Gore" and "Got Right" -- two things that don't go together.

*sigh* -- even in an article about Bush, you make this into a "b-b-b-but democrat this..."

*le sigh*