Bush's presidency is almost over (8 years in office). What is the state of the union?

Question

Bush's presidency is almost over (8 years in office). What is the state of the union?

Answer 1

still under threat from the  same man Bush promised and swore to God, to get "dead or alive" 8 years ago.

Guess 9-11 didn't mean as much to Bush as getting Iraq's oil did.

He will not be missed.   Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Answer 2

Look around you - read the paper - watch the TV News.

What do you think?

(and it's gonna get worse in the next few months)

Answer 3

It's not disastrous, but it's been better.

For all it's problems, the economy is not that terrible.  I personally remember far worse times in the 70s and early 80s.

We are in a long and expensive war.  Again, I remember worse in the early 70s.

However, I'd say things are starting too look up.  Yes, the economy will stumble along, probably for another year, but I think we've pretty much hit bottom at this point.  I think Iraq is in much better shape then a year ago.  With the right new Commander-in-chief, we might actually win it.

Answer 4

We are in the toilet......and no matter who the next President is we're going to stay in the toilet for a while.

Answer 5

SUCKS!!!

The gas prices, the food prices....anything else.

The education need urgent repairs because NCLB has left education well behind the world standards. We still have students arrive in high school reading at much lower level then required...their science and math knowledge are those of the 4 graders (on the average).

We cannot prepare our students for state test when we do not teach them basics.

Average income is on decline as our purchasing powers are lower then they were 30 years ago. Look around, dollar store, WalMarts, Goodwill building nicer stores then most retailers in cities...What else would you like to know.

Respect, we have lost the respect around the globe. Also, we have lost respect for each other.

President Bush should be tried for Crimes Against Humanity.

Answer 6

The defining moment of the Bush Administration was of course 9/11 and the subsequent war with Afghanistan and Iraq.  There was a feeling after the first war with Iraq that we didn't "finish the job" and so here Bush gave it his best effort.  The connection between Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden's terrorism was kind of tenuous.  Certainly the war in Afghanistan was easier to find a rationale for.  Saddam Hussein had the nasty habit of supporting terrorists and threatening other countries, including some we didn't like, so with the assent of the US congress and many Democrats besides we decided to take him out.  

There was I think the very American and very naive assumption that all would be sweetness and light after that happened.  It obviously didn't happen.   They certainly should have known better if they knew anything about Arabic culture.    Meanwhile there is still Iran to contend with, which gives every indication of actually creating weapons of mass destruction but that would be a much messier war and this country, weary with war and the unrelenting fanaticism of Islamic jihadists and with the UK the only significant ally we could muster and zero support in Europe or anywhere else are stuck with a problem.  

Domestically Bush has been a disappointment.   Instead of reining in federal spending he has expanded it, creating a new entitlement with the Medicare prescription coverage.   Instead of improving the quality of education, he has saddled it with the burden of the "No Child Left Behind" legislation.  He has done little except very recently to address our country's energy problems.  Meanwhile there are problems with cases of massive investor fraud schemes such as happened with Enron and other companies that have shown that regulation of these industries and oversight is necessary otherwise it seems that the basis of American prosperity is nothing more than a series of bubbles.    The latest of these is the collapse of the mortgage industry and the current recession.    Inflation and the sinking of the dollar have run up the price of fuel, put a lot of strain on the US economy and sent the world into a recession.    I might be tempted to think the Democrats might have a better idea, but for most of this regrettable era they gave support to the worst excesses of the Bush administration and certainly did not see any of this coming either.  I despair for our nation's future if someone doesn't come along that knows WTF they are doing.