Fallen Ideology
Per poll numbers, George W. Bush is the worst president in American history. His flaws are numerous:
But, today, I am going to defend George W. Bush and his fellow conservatives. They were determined, consistent and principled. They tested their ideology of limited government to its breaking point. Conservatives truly believed that unregulated energy would bring down costs, except that market manipulation by Enron caused energy costs to increase. Conservatives truly believed that banks would act in their own self-interest and not leverage themselves into collapse. Conservatives truly believed that extravagant spending in Iraq would lead to "freedom."
Conservatives come with conviction. John Kennedy Toole, author of 'Confederacy of Dunces,' distrusted government more than any liberal could. R. Crumb did not move to France because the United States was too conservative. Just the opposite. Anti-communist elitists, such as Ayn Rand and Edward Teller, were deeply troubled by leftist ideology, and for valid reasons. Government should be limited. The only question is how limited? George W. Bush provided a great public service to a country that was divided about the role of government and where the limits should be, by testing the limits.
George W. Bush was only inept when judged by results. He behaved consistently with purpose and the arrogance of Napoleon Bonaparte. Bush could have retained his minimalist ideology of government, behaved ethically, hired competent people and let them do their jobs, followed the laws of the land, benefited from the views of the scientific community, and history would have regarded him well, like President Dwight D. Eisenhower. But, Bush slavishly followed his anti-regulatory, pro-war ideology to disaster, ignoring all signals to the contrary.
We have entered a new and more non-ideological world. Unfortunately, the premise that government should be no larger than is necessary may have died through George W. Bush's slavishly ideological competence.
disregard for facts and science
disregard for law-- American and International
put cronies in charge
war mongering
rewarded failure (Eric Shinseki was fired. George Tenet, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom)
et cetera
But, today, I am going to defend George W. Bush and his fellow conservatives. They were determined, consistent and principled. They tested their ideology of limited government to its breaking point. Conservatives truly believed that unregulated energy would bring down costs, except that market manipulation by Enron caused energy costs to increase. Conservatives truly believed that banks would act in their own self-interest and not leverage themselves into collapse. Conservatives truly believed that extravagant spending in Iraq would lead to "freedom."
Conservatives come with conviction. John Kennedy Toole, author of 'Confederacy of Dunces,' distrusted government more than any liberal could. R. Crumb did not move to France because the United States was too conservative. Just the opposite. Anti-communist elitists, such as Ayn Rand and Edward Teller, were deeply troubled by leftist ideology, and for valid reasons. Government should be limited. The only question is how limited? George W. Bush provided a great public service to a country that was divided about the role of government and where the limits should be, by testing the limits.
George W. Bush was only inept when judged by results. He behaved consistently with purpose and the arrogance of Napoleon Bonaparte. Bush could have retained his minimalist ideology of government, behaved ethically, hired competent people and let them do their jobs, followed the laws of the land, benefited from the views of the scientific community, and history would have regarded him well, like President Dwight D. Eisenhower. But, Bush slavishly followed his anti-regulatory, pro-war ideology to disaster, ignoring all signals to the contrary.
We have entered a new and more non-ideological world. Unfortunately, the premise that government should be no larger than is necessary may have died through George W. Bush's slavishly ideological competence.
Labels: Don't Vote 2012, GWB
posted by David Rasmussen at 1:11 PM
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