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If Rip Van Winkle started his elongated sleep some five years ago and instead of sleeping for 20 years he awoke in 2011, he would have a few surprises. One of the first observations looking at international affairs would be that George Bush must still be the president.
In reading a letter from his wife dated a little over two years ago, old Rip learned that in a dramatic statement by our president our country would no longer be ashamed and embarrassed by keeping military prisoners in Guantanamo Bay. The New York Times said the sign of a great country is to treat all people with dignity and they are pleased that our president is closing that horrible prison. And yet Rip is still confused because the current newspaper dated March 10, 2011 indicates Guantanamo Bay won’t be shut down and the president said we will proceed with military trials. That can’t be. Another letter from his wife indicates our president and his attorney general vow these captured freedom fighters (not terrorists) would be brought to the U.S. mainland to face civilian trials. So what happened? Did Obama get impeached and George Bush reinstated as president?
This president remains a community organizer rather than a leader, but the ruthlessness of our foes has matured his judgment in some important respects. His decision to keep Gitmo open for business and proceed with military trials is an encouraging sign. You can’t expect President Obama to admit he was wrong and George Bush was right but his actions are far more powerful than his words of denial.
The confusion reigns for our modern day Rip because another letter dated when Obama was campaigning indicated Obama called the Afghanistan war the “good war” and our troops will end the fighting and all troops will be out of there no later than December 2010. Surely Bush must still be president because here we are in 2011 and current reports indicate we are planning to extricate our military, at least partially by 2014.
On and on it goes. Our new president seems to have a slow learning curve but time and again he seems to be learning George Bush was right and the only way to succeed is to follow closely in his footsteps and forget all the blame and criticism.
Probably the most significant long-range strategy that all the liberals pooh-poohed (and some conservatives) was George Bush’s conviction that the war and subsequent rebuilding of Iraq could establish an important beachhead for democracy in the Middle East. As so often the case, leaders with foresight are sometimes just a little ahead of the times. Egypt, Libya, Bahrain and other mid-eastern countries are revolting against dictatorship and attempting to establish a type of democratic government just as George Bush prophesized.
The current administration seems confused with no clear cut policy on how to react. Our secretary of state, our president and other dignitaries are explaining to us how complicated these developments are and the only consistent message is the old cliché “all options are on the table”.
Move now to developments on the domestic front. Once again Obama seems to be coming around to the realization that on a fiscal basis this country is in deep trouble. George Bush prompted great economic development when he signed legislation to reduce the tax rates in 2001 and 2003.
After spending 40 percent more than collected revenue for the first two years, our current president is attempting to make us believe he is fiscally responsible. Unlike his changed policies in international affairs, he is hell-bent to bring this country to complete economic devastation.
George Bush was hounded unmercifully by the liberals and the media, but history has shown his only missteps occurred when he took off his conservative hat and started to spend like a Democrat. The best example is Part D of Medicare that was hoisted upon the seniors. This additional entitlement cost the government billions and in most cases wasn’t needed or wanted by seniors. As might be expected the Democrats have now taken this legislation, expanded it under Obamacare and created yet another entitlement.
President Bush also failed to reduce the enormous growth of the federal government. His treading water and minor increases in spending set the stage for the tsunami when President Obama took the reins. Once again it falls to the insipid quote from Nancy Pelosi when Republicans are trying to not dent government spending but the growth of spending. Her comment, “It’s not about the spending. It’s about the morality of it all.” Heaven help us.
(Jerry Jackson of Heber Springs writes his “conservative viewpoint” column each Wednesday)
If Rip Van Winkle started his elongated sleep some five years ago and instead of sleeping for 20 years he awoke in 2011, he would have a few surprises. One of the first observations looking at international affairs would be that George Bush must still be the president.
In reading a letter from his wife dated a little over two years ago, old Rip learned that in a dramatic statement by our president our country would no longer be ashamed and embarrassed by keeping military prisoners in Guantanamo Bay. The New York Times said the sign of a great country is to treat all people with dignity and they are pleased that our president is closing that horrible prison. And yet Rip is still confused because the current newspaper dated March 10, 2011 indicates Guantanamo Bay won’t be shut down and the president said we will proceed with military trials. That can’t be. Another letter from his wife indicates our president and his attorney general vow these captured freedom fighters (not terrorists) would be brought to the U.S. mainland to face civilian trials. So what happened? Did Obama get impeached and George Bush reinstated as president?
This president remains a community organizer rather than a leader, but the ruthlessness of our foes has matured his judgment in some important respects. His decision to keep Gitmo open for business and proceed with military trials is an encouraging sign. You can’t expect President Obama to admit he was wrong and George Bush was right but his actions are far more powerful than his words of denial.
The confusion reigns for our modern day Rip because another letter dated when Obama was campaigning indicated Obama called the Afghanistan war the “good war” and our troops will end the fighting and all troops will be out of there no later than December 2010. Surely Bush must still be president because here we are in 2011 and current reports indicate we are planning to extricate our military, at least partially by 2014.
On and on it goes. Our new president seems to have a slow learning curve but time and again he seems to be learning George Bush was right and the only way to succeed is to follow closely in his footsteps and forget all the blame and criticism.
Probably the most significant long-range strategy that all the liberals pooh-poohed (and some conservatives) was George Bush’s conviction that the war and subsequent rebuilding of Iraq could establish an important beachhead for democracy in the Middle East. As so often the case, leaders with foresight are sometimes just a little ahead of the times. Egypt, Libya, Bahrain and other mid-eastern countries are revolting against dictatorship and attempting to establish a type of democratic government just as George Bush prophesized.
The current administration seems confused with no clear cut policy on how to react. Our secretary of state, our president and other dignitaries are explaining to us how complicated these developments are and the only consistent message is the old cliché “all options are on the table”.
Move now to developments on the domestic front. Once again Obama seems to be coming around to the realization that on a fiscal basis this country is in deep trouble. George Bush prompted great economic development when he signed legislation to reduce the tax rates in 2001 and 2003.
After spending 40 percent more than collected revenue for the first two years, our current president is attempting to make us believe he is fiscally responsible. Unlike his changed policies in international affairs, he is hell-bent to bring this country to complete economic devastation.
George Bush was hounded unmercifully by the liberals and the media, but history has shown his only missteps occurred when he took off his conservative hat and started to spend like a Democrat. The best example is Part D of Medicare that was hoisted upon the seniors. This additional entitlement cost the government billions and in most cases wasn’t needed or wanted by seniors. As might be expected the Democrats have now taken this legislation, expanded it under Obamacare and created yet another entitlement.
President Bush also failed to reduce the enormous growth of the federal government. His treading water and minor increases in spending set the stage for the tsunami when President Obama took the reins. Once again it falls to the insipid quote from Nancy Pelosi when Republicans are trying to not dent government spending but the growth of spending. Her comment, “It’s not about the spending. It’s about the morality of it all.” Heaven help us.
(Jerry Jackson of Heber Springs writes his “conservative viewpoint” column each Wednesday)
