Here is what the BBC had at the end of one of its reports on President Bush's speech last night:
People have been very surprised about the president's line on poverty and the federal funding promises. Some conservatives, particularly those in think-tanks, are already saying this is a real shock, they do not know quite what he is playing at, and are wondering what other commitments this is going to lead to. Many questions are being asked on the right. Whatever happened to reducing the deficit? Where is this money going to come from? What are we going to be doing about cutting taxes? From the left, there has been a more positive response. The Democrats are saying this is the rather more comforting language that the president should have used all along. It will be fascinating to see in the few days ahead what the American public make of it.I am really wondering what history is going to make of this guy. Like any no tax and spend big conservative he is going to set back the finances of the US Federal government decades yet he has faced massive two crises, the attack on New York and carnage of Katrina which - while we know both were anticipated - no one foresaw the consequences...even those created by him. He has largely ruled without a platform other than things like "doing what has to be done", "staying the course" and "doing good".
There is a very good chance if the Reconstruction of the South goes wrong - which it may well as it appears to have been announced without much of a plan behind it - that he will be the worst President of all time. I feel myself pulling a little for the guy again if only because...come to think of it I have no idea why.
Comments
Kateland - September 16, 2005 9:19 AM
Jimmy Carter holds the title to worse American President. His reign is not even close to being challenged nor is there a real contender insight unless its Johnson.
Alan - September 16, 2005 9:34 AM
That is mere ideology. Every westerner should kiss the ground Carter walks on for scraping the useless military programs and creating the cruise missile. He is the father of modern warfare, saver of lives. He also failed in Washington for trying to break the vested bloated interests. Good thing to fail at. A real vet as well.
Alan - September 16, 2005 9:59 AM
The White House's own republican controlled website reminds us of some of Carter's other achievements:<blockquote class="smalltext">Carter worked hard to combat the continuing economic woes of inflation and unemployment. By the end of his administration, he could claim <b>an increase of nearly eight million jobs and a decrease in the budget deficit</b>, measured in percentage of the gross national product. Unfortunately, inflation and interest rates were at near record highs, and efforts to reduce them caused a short recession.<p>
Carter could point to a number of achievements in domestic affairs. He dealt with the energy shortage by establishing a national energy policy and by <b>decontrolling domestic petroleum prices</b> to stimulate production. He prompted Government efficiency through <b>civil service reform</b> and proceeded with <b>deregulation of the trucking and airline industries</b>. He sought to improve the environment. His expansion of the national park system included protection of 103 million acres of Alaskan lands. To increase human and social services, <b>he created the Department of Education, bolstered the Social Security system, and appointed record numbers of women, blacks, and Hispanics to Government jobs</b>.<p>
In foreign affairs, Carter set his own style. His championing of human rights was coldly received by the Soviet Union and some other nations. In the Middle East, through the <b>Camp David</b> agreement of 1978, he helped bring amity between Egypt and Israel. He succeeded in obtaining ratification of the <b>Panama Canal treaties</b>. Building upon the work of predecessors, he established full diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China and completed negotiation of the SALT II nuclear limitation treaty with the Soviet Union.<p>
There were serious setbacks, however. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan caused the suspension of plans for ratification of the SALT II pact. The seizure as hostages of the U. S. embassy staff in Iran dominated the news during the last 14 months of the administration. The consequences of Iran's holding Americans captive, together with continuing inflation at home, contributed to Carter's defeat in 1980. Even then, he continued the difficult negotiations over the hostages. Iran finally released the 52 Americans the same day Carter left office.</blockquote>Keep in mind, I love him.
cm - September 16, 2005 1:58 PM
Thank you, Alan, for the Carter update. I've read elsewhere about him having been such a bad president, and could never figure out why people said that. Mind you, all I really remember of his presidency is the Iranian hostage crisis, but still...
Oh, and totally off-topic, do you remember the Gnu Gnews? With the puppets of Rene Levesque and Pierre Trudeau?
Arthur - September 16, 2005 6:43 PM
"doing what has to be done", "staying the course" and "doing good".
<small>Pssst. You forgot his favourite line: 'it's hard work'</small>
Alan - September 16, 2005 7:32 PM
I think the line is "a whole lotta people been doin' a whole lotta good work".