Bush By The Numbers: Before And After

The final report card for George W. Bush won't be in the mail for another few years. (Nixon's is still being revised--and, for that matter, Lincoln's.) But with just a few weeks to go before the 43rd president moves back to Texas, it's not too early to measure the impact of his policies across American life.

Bush campaigned on a promise of smaller government, a pledge he kept only in part. He stripped staff members and resources from areas like environmental, health and corporate regulatory enforcement. But the extended wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the worst financial crisis in decades swelled the national debt to its highest level in absolute terms, and its highest since the 1950s relative to GDP.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[SailFree]

Clinton campaigned on smaller government, but cut ONLY THE MILITARY while growing all else. This was not wise, as subsequent events demonstrated.

Bush was cutting funding for programs which are not properly the responsibility of the federal government anyway, while defense of the country IS THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PRESIDENT and the federal government.

Makes sense to me.

[ljwaldron]

Yup, that budget surplus sure was a mistake!

[hypnus]

"Subsequent events" " as if Clinton was responsible for the blindly stupid and down right un-American act of invading Iraq. Our forces defeated the Iraqi Army handily; it is this endless occupation which has stretched our personnel to the breaking point and our wealth and resources as well, unless you have noticed. Was Bill Clinton suppose to plan for that? Maybe Bill Clinton was suppose to read the Bin Laden Memo after he was out of office, call, George and say, "hey, I read your mail, you know we're going to get attacked soon, don't you?" Blaming Bill Clinton will always be stylish among conservatives, but the person you can"t compel yourself to blame, because after all, you would have to except a small portion of that blame is still sitting in the White House with same dull and void look in his eyes he"s had for the last 8 years.

[Nova16]

No one disagrees with defense as the prime responsibility of the government, but to use lies, deceit and chicanery to start a phony, illegitimate war in Iraq resulting in the murder, wounding, maiming and displacing of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis is not defense. The loss of the lives of our soldiers and marines and the squandering of hundreds of billions of dollars needed at home is an error of galactic proportions. If ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise--makes sense to me.

[walkonsatisfied]

I've seen your comments before, Sail, and you seem to be Bush's unofficial spokesperson. So it's not the responsibility of the government for corporate oversight? The 3 categories mentioned all have 1 thing in common: corporate America. The drug lobby has the government on its payroll, companies continue to fleece the environment, and regulation... well, we all know how that went. Go ahead and believe your delusion.

[sticksnstones]

" ....defense of the country is the primary responsibility of the president..."

And he didn't get that one right, either. The invasion of Iraq was being planned in the first month of this jerk's administration. Afghanistan was relegated to the back burner. Remember Osama? Nobody could seem to locate the guy. No matter that he was much more valuable to Bush alive than found. Give me a break here. Our high altitude spy toys can locate the BVD label on Osama's shorts.

[kenstrstlsks]

2001-I.Q. 46........2008-I.Q. 45

[bby328]

. . . 2009- . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1.

[Nova16]

This country is in a gigantic mess when just eight years ago we were in a position of financial and economic stability. How did we get to where we are? It was all predictable. I didn't vote for Bush but many of my fellow Americans did. I knew at the time he announced his candidacy for president that he did not have the intellect, the integrity and character to lead the nation, although he possesed the arrogance, stubbornness and cockiness to dupe the electorate into believing these were the necessary qualities for leadership. Cheney on the other hand always used government "service" to line his pockets with help from cronies in the private sector--thus the Haliburton War Corporation and the phony war in Iraq. We, the American public only need to look at ourselves for the blame of our current misery. We put them into office, supported their failed policies and programs and wondering what hit us.

[SailFree]

Actually we were doing pretty well in 2006, for that matter--before Democrats took over congress.

But seriously, folks, the problems that have transpired did not start with Bush--they began long ago in the failure of prior presidents such as Carter, Reagan, Bush41, and Clinton to attack Muslim extremism with the ferocity it demanded, to follow the Constitution re federal powers, to control wasteful spending, and on and on. The mandate for insolvent loans began back in the Carter years and was expanded by Andrew Cuomo under Clinton. The reform of Fannie and Freddie was blocked by Democrats in 2005 and indeed Democrats vouched for the strength of the Fannie-Freddie mortgage bundles sold as investments.

Reagan's cut-run from Lebanon and Clinton's cut-run from Somalia emboldened the terrorists, giving the impression that the USA would always back down when attacked.

Given all the detrimental forces that had built against the US economy and against the US military, and given the implacable obstructionism of congress, Bush has done remarkably well.

[ljwaldron]

Actually no we weren't, this mess didn't start this year; even Greenspan finally admitted he made a bit of a mistake! Unfettered access to cash is not really a good thing. what a shock!

Krugman predicted this years ago, and here it is...while he may not have had the exact date he still was sounding the alarm when Greenspan was busy sucking up to the admin.

Now he's retired on our tax subsidized retirement, isn't that nice?

[Nova16]

Sail Free speak with forked tongue. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans conformed to the regulations and protocals of the lending institutions. The sub prime debacle was a result of the republican controlled congress passing the Gramm, Leach, Bliley Act of 1999, The Commodity Futures Modernization Act, which removed the wall separating banking, investments and insurance. Further more the AP has just released information stating that 3 republicans--Amato, Weber, and Molinari were responsible for assisting FannieM and FreddieM to remain deregulated and were paid handsomely for their efforts.

[bby328]

B+ . . . Clearing brush

[leeman79]

Actually, he got an F on that too because he never finished the project. That was just a photo op.

[leeman79]

Once we reach economic stabilization (or should I say if), there must be an "enforced" national budget mandate, monitored by the supreme court, dictating that each administration will:

a. Have the budget balanced yearly ( excess allowance for national emergencies only).

b. Make a national debt payment monthly (non negotiable).

c. Have the budget balanced by the end of each administration (non negotiable).

Failure to do so will result in a garnishment of wages until the debt is paid in full. Gross negligence will be punishable by incarceration, if necessary. This applies to executive and legislative elected officials.

Item c will be met by implementing realistic income driven annual taxation rates (decreasing with less income). See failure clause for noncompliance with item c.

That's it for reckless spending. If you're not in alignment with fiscal discipline policies, then do not run for public office.

[Nova16]

Republican conservatism--War trumps diplomacy, greed trumps good governance, ideology trumps commmon sense, deficits trump financial integrity, cronyism trumps the national interest, incompetence trumps real leadership. Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, Reagan, Bush1, Bush2 and Cheney are the models for "conservatism" that have created recessions, depressions, federal deficits, galactic national debt. Vote republican or conservative or whatever at your peril.

[myoungholt]

Well said! Don't forget, also, that shooting a judge trumps a hunting safety class.

[lechatnoir]

IMO, the latest push for a 'Bush Legacy' is the idea that the Decider's mistakes were his own, that he 'failed' because he was 'not that smart', and that 'they would've done things differently if they had known'.

That is, of course, a lot of horse manure. If you only consider the incredibly massive transfer of wealth currently underway, it's easy to see who won and who lost what. By the very 'logic' the MSM are trying to push on us, we can infer that the Decider, however hateful he may be, was never smart enough to hoodwink the world with such enormous lies as the WMD charade.

Don't drink the MSM koolaid. Stay alert. Starve the beast.

[daddysboy]

These people are termites; they worm away to infest another part of the structure while you try to shore up the damage they have done by eating out the core material only to come back once you have restored things. Keep an eye out for them over the next few years.

[SailFree]

You describe the Muslim jihadists very well: Concentrate on Afghanistan and they will go elsewhere, for example.

[Shake-A-Spear]

No need to confuse us with the facts. Just look at your retirement account. And ask yourself: are you -- and all of us -- better off now than we were when The Boy took (stole?) office ... or had it thrust upon him by a gang of four Supreme Court justices plus Antonin Scalia, who, even today, advises us to "get over it."
Will we ever?

[sandiegoconservative]

Actually, I am better off, but I don't credit movement in my life (up or down), to who is in office. For me, it is all about personal responsibility and hard work. I was somewhat better off after Clinton left office than before he entered and am somewhat better off now when Bush is leaving then when he entered, but I don't believe either of them had much to do with it.

[sugarmoes]

bush report card?

F - - - - - - - - - - !!!!

he's not being held back a grade... he's, at the age of 60-whatever... being sent back to PRESCHOOL!!!

look on the bright side duhbyuh... you get to do the whole drinkin-coke-mexican hookers thing again.

[cdnnewsjunky]

F? - sugarmoes Posted 08:19 AM on 12/08/2008

You are being quite generous. I would give him an "incomplete".

[daddysboy]

The numbers clearly don't tell the whole story.

[BPCentrisAmerican]

I didn't see number of days Bush spent with his head in the sand. The number of days Cheney and that ideological freak show he calls a staff was running the country while Bush had his head in the sand, or some place else. How about the number of Americans who died as a direct result of his policies, the number of dead and maned Iraqis. How much will we have to be spent to replace worn out and destroyed military equipment of all types, how much money was wasted in Iraqi public works projects, which have not been finished. Legacy cost of wounded troops, reconstituting the National Guard etc.

[RexPrimoris]

Look at the neat little sleight of hand they did with the national debt figures -- by adjusting the 2000 debt figure to 2008 dollars, they make it appear as though during Bush's tenure the debt went up only $3 trillion or so, from $7.1 trillion in 2000 to the current $10.6 trillion. In reality, the national debt nearly doubled on Bush's watch, from $5.7 trillion on inauguration day 2001 to the current $10.6 trillion.

[bayside]

I still cant figure out why he wants to dollar devalued so as to get the amero currency in. Yes Bush will be famous in history for his bush depression but it wont be written by him..We will learn the truth..

[filo]

Here's some numbers: One month and twelve days until Dubaya is out of the White House.

It will be the end of an error.

[josephebacon]

Actual National debt on 1/20/2001 was $5,727.776.738,304.64

Debt as of 4:42 AM Pacific TIme today is $ 10,667,619,426,066.80

Don't you just love those BORROW and SPEND Republicans??????

[Right-turn]

You are right. Unfortunately the republican party abandoned it's conservative roots that got them there in the first place. There is no excuse for this uncontrollable spending. Bush might be a republican, but he is far from being a conservative.

[loria]

He is certainly a social conservative.

[BPCentrisAmerican]

When has the Republican party been conservative in the last 28 years? If you think bashing gays and phony TV pastors pushing some controversy, doesn't really matter which to keep love gifts coming in is a conservative principle than your deluding yourselves.

[ClevelandTom]

In effect, the Bush deficit was one more casualty of the Iraq war. Not only has it cost $6-700 billion but, in order to keep the Repubs in Congress behind that war, Bush couldn't veto a single spending or tax cut bill for fear of losing that support.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

I think you should change that to "TAKE and SPEND" Republicans. It's not as if we have control over who takes our money for what interest.