The One Big Thing George W. Bush Did Right
History will record that George W. Bush made one critically important contribution to our country -- and to the entire world. He and his administration provided unquestionable proof of the bankruptcy of radical-conservative ideology, and set the stage for a qualitatively different progressive era in American politics.
History is not linear. It is not gradual or evolutionary. Human progress proceeds in fits and starts like a volcano, where pressure gradually builds over years and then erupts with enormous power.
Very often those explosions of progress -- periods when we expand the realm of democratic values, human dignity, economic opportunity and optimism -- are precipitated by periods of domination by the forces of privilege, inequality and selfishness.
By assuring that all of the fruits of the growth of productivity in our economy went to the wealthiest 2% of our population, the Bush administration set the stage for the current economic collapse.
By actually putting into practice the Neo-Conservative theories of pre-emptive war and unilateralism, George W. Bush demonstrated their failure more persuasively than could the most articulate progressive critic.
By abandoning our historic commitment to due process and sinking into the dark world of torture, George W. Bush and his partner Dick Cheney isolated themselves from the growing worldwide commitment to human rights.
A brilliant new book by Democratic strategist and author Mike Lux documents the other periods in our history when conservative domination led to progressive renewal. The Progressive Revolution: How the Best in America Came to Be, describes the five "big change" moments in American history since the American Revolution: the Bill of Rights, the ending of slavery, the Progressive Era, the New Deal and the civil rights movement.
He argues that big changes have never occurred gradually -- nor have they been spread randomly over our history. Rather, they have been concentrated in these periods of "big change.". In each, a cascade of progressive innovation took place over a short period of time, after years of right wing opposition.
Lux writes:
Progressives invented the American ideal and inspired the American Revolution. Conservatives, then known as Tories, opposed it. Since then, every major advancement in American freedom, democracy, social justice, and economic opportunity has been fostered, fought for, and won by progressives against conservative resistance. Now who's anti-American?
We've already seen previews of the new progressive era, but the curtain will really go up next Tuesday when Barack Obama is inaugurated the 44th President of the United States. The next few years could be a transformational period -- if we all make it so.
As for Bush, he will be remembered as the man who set the stage. He has played the Hoover to Obama's Roosevelt, the James Buchanan to Obama's Lincoln.
Lux's study also makes something else absolutely clear. In American history, the pendulum has not swung inevitably back and forth between conservative and progressive periods with some form of historic equivalency. Instead, the changes emerging from periods of progressive success, once made, remain a permanent feature of our society.
Conservatives fought against the ending of slavery, women's suffrage, Social Security, collective bargaining, Medicare, and the end of segregation. After the progressive period that brought them to life was done, a conservative backlash often tried to limit the scope of these important advances -- with Jim Crow, assaults on Labor, or attempts to privatize Social Security. But conservatives have never been successful at eliminating them.
Once enacted, progressive change is hard to dislodge. That's because progressive change is progress. Progressive values are the most adaptive trait human beings have yet created to ensure our success and survival on this small planet.
The Right battled for decades to take complete control of the levers of power in Washington. The election of George W. Bush finally gave them the ability to combine the power of the presidency with their control of Congress to make their program the law of the land.
Ironically, their very success may assure that George W. Bush is remembered as the president whose failures created the conditions we needed to craft a new bottom-up economy, to pass universal health care and to create new international institutions that bring us closer to a world where we no longer rely on war to resolve our differences.
Of course nothing is inevitable. We cannot afford to squander the opportunity that history and George W. Bush have provided us. It is time for all of us to report for duty in the battle to turn this historic opportunity into the next great period of progress in America.
Robert Creamer is a long time political organizer and strategist and author of the recent book: Stand Up Straight: How Progressives Can Win, available on Amazon.com.
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
To quote another post I saw somewhere which is true, George Bush will also be remembered for helping get the first Black president elected. That is a very good accomplishment, we have to give credit where it is due.
It's always darkest before the dawn.
The problem with this proposition is that it’s a relatively limited historical perspective. In the wider view, there have been many progressive societies in human history that have flickered out over time. If they don’t outrun their resource base and crash horribly, like China over and over and over again, another less progressive culture snuffs them. Like the Mongols did to Central Asia, or America did to Chile. Don’t forget the Dark Ages in Europe. It isn’t even that accurate within the narrow context of purely American history. The Civil Rights Movement wouldn’t have been necessary if the elimination of slavery hadn’t been horribly botched.
It may be somewhat true that progressive societies often build higher based on what they learn from the ruins of those that came before, but the interregnums still suck.
Bush's farewell address was simply a summary of the b.s. we have been subjected to over the past eight years. Nothing new. Goodbye and good riddance. May the name never be seen again except on trial.
People who wanted to already knew the many lessons of history. The problem is that "theories of pre-emptive war and unilateralism" were not failures for war profiteers. The lesson learned, tragically, is that war profiteers will escape justice no matter how spectacular the failure.
Creamer--great stuff. Thanks.
Wake-up... you forget 911? I don't... there are people / organizations that want us dead... Bush, like him or not confronted this head-on... you should be thankful. Who's profiting by this? Us...
So who was president on 9/11? And why didn't he protect us from 9/11? Perhaps he was too busy trying to figure out how to declare war on Iraq? And please don't tell us that Iraq had anything to do with 9/11 - if we wanted to go to war with a country involved in 9/11, we would have invaded Saudi Arabia.
He attacked Iraq head on, for the oil and gas industry. Then sent oilmen over there, dressed up as soldiers and paid them outrageous amounts of money, which has upset the other soldiers who are held accountable for what they do and Halliburton, Blackwater and other fakers are not. Blackwater is now going to actually be investigated for fraud and embezzlement of taxpayers money. These are the ma fiosa types that you are defending. Are you proud of that?
Sadly, you note what you feel is the problem and therefore assume the solution is in progressive politics. I wish it were true. The problem goes way back to 1776. Breaking away from the then freest county in the world and then re-establishing it (almost intact) in a sort of tidier manner is why the whole things was eventually going to fail.
Obama still touts the Constitution and the American way of life. Obama needs to see the problem globally, (which I believe deep down he does) instead of locally (the US) and bring ALL the peoples of the planet together and drop this notion that the US economic system is going to recover. It isn't. It's over. We are one species on one planet and we have to learn to live co-operatively with one another and NOT competitively as this country has been doing (relentlessly) for over 230 years.
"Obama still touts the Constitution and the American way of life. Obama needs to see the problem globally, (which I believe deep down he does) instead of locally (the US) and bring ALL the peoples of the planet together and drop this notion that the US economic system is going to recover. It isn't. It's over. We are one species on one planet and we have to learn to live co-operatively with one another and NOT competitively as this country has been doing (relentlessly) for over 230 years."
[SARCASM]
I agree. As far as I know, we have not outsourced a single American job to Kenya, Tahiti, or Peru. American parochialism is stifling these nations' economies! Let's tear down all of America's factories and replace them with golf courses (for American CEOs) and with Wal-Marts.
[/sarcasm]
I don't know. Why not try the Constitution, for a change?
This is all well and good but what you describe is nothing more than punctuated equilibrium which is the same technique used by conservatives to pass such stinkers as the Patriot Act. It was knowingly advocated by the neo-luminary, Milton Friedman. His influence is catalogues in Naomi Klein's excellent book, "The Shock Doctrine". Now, here's the scariest part: We might be about to emerge from the American Middle Ages but we do so by the skin of our teeth. The Supreme Court is packed with justices who see no problem with countermanding Roe v. Wade, a labor movement in shambles, a State Department with too few resources to do its job and the very ability to supply energy and clean water in jeopardy. While history may not be linear it is amazing, shocking and down right scary that we could have gone as far down the conservative road as we have. Job one now ought to be setting down in writing some learnings from this period and making them mandatory reading in high school.
As Scott McClellan so aptly noted on Countdown last night, any tiny bit of good the bush administration did accomplish (aide to Africa is one of the few possibly) has been negated by his recent "legacy" strategy, in complete denial of any mistakes he might have made, not taking any responsibility for any of his actions in the last 8 years, almost a surrealistic accounting from his standpoint. This destroys any legitimacy he might have had , if he would come clean and admit to some of his mistakes. By denying any wrongdoing, he also deny's himself the opportunity to present any of his accomplishments. Typical Bush strategy right to the end. If the truth doesn't serve him or his administration, just change it. History will be very quick in proving him wrong.
Progressives, this is our call to arms.
We must optimize this opportunity that history and George W. Bush have provided us.
It is time for all of us to report for duty.
Be relentless in our pursuits.
Vigilant of our enemies.
Battle the forces that will surely continue their onslaught to turn this historic opportunity into a failure.
The next great period of progress in America is upon us.
Long live our causes!
I'm not convinced that a progressive era has begun. As a matter of fact, I could conceive that the left's celebration of the end of neo-conservatism could come to an abrupt halt in two or four years. The radical conservative era, after all, only last eight years. I believe there is only a limited appetite for progressive politics. In this time of progressive exuberance, we may find that the left will overreach.
You're right. It hasn't started yet. Inauguration isn't until early next week. ;)
"I believe there is only a limited appetite for progressive politics."
I know that's what Fixed Noise claims. But all those centrists and moderates and undecideds passed up John McCain to vote for Obama for SOME reason -- what could it possibly be?
FYI, the Republicans held the WH for 12 years straight, from 1921-1933. But after four years of FDR, the Republicans nearly vanished -- they only won TWO STATES out of 48 in the 1936 election. I think the Repubbies likewise will get humiliated in 2010 and 2012.
The only good thing Bu$h will do for America.....it comes on 1-20-09 when he exits the White House.
............"Instead, the changes emerging from periods of progressive success, once made, remain a permanent feature of our society............."
I think you said it best when you said they erupt more like a volcano. Accept for social security that is. That has been a slow drain on our pocket books for decades. I'm sure that will erupt at some point down the road. I'm not sure how far in debt that successful entitlement is as of now. And going back to Jimmy Carter and his Community Reinvestment Act, which in and of itself is a noble thing, finally erupted when all these mortgages were taken out by those who could not really afford them. I think it was the government that blessed these loans in the name of fairness and equality. That worked out well now didn't it? Looking at how Reagan through Clinton handled terrorism, I think Bush is the only one who tried a new tactic - pre-emptive strikes on their soil, not ours. Sorry, but I have to applaud Bush for going against the grain and sticking to his guns. Yea, I felt good when Reagan bombed Lybia and Clinton lobbed a few bombs in much the same manner, but I have a hard time seeing how that really affected how the terrorists conduct their business. I'm not sure Creamer pointed out anything that is progressive and successful. But it was a good try.
Social Security has been raided for other purposes for decades, by both parties. Had they left it alone to do what it was designed to do, it wouldn't be in the mess it is now. For many whose retirement funds have all but disappeared now, Social Security is all many have to rely on as pensions have gone the way of the horse and buggy.
Reagan prepared the groundwork for the current slide into the financial abyss when he started the deregulation frenzy with the deregulation of the S & L's and his supply side economics, all which lead to the first Stock Market crash since '29 in 1987, the S & L scandals and bailout and subsequent recession. But it was Bush & Co.'s all out war on all regulation of banking and finance (and indeed, just about everything else) which has finally collapsed the fragile house of cards. Bush, who bankrupted every business that his father ever gave him has now succeeded in bankrupting the country.
In your unabashed enthusiasm for Bush's preemptive strike on Iraq, you should also remember that Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 or WMD's and that we have now lost 0ver 4,000 American lives with many times that in maimed troops, destroyed Iraq, caused countless thousands of Iraqi deaths, helped to start a civil war there in addition to wasting billions of dollars - all the while allowing Afghanistan to deteriorate and allowing al Qaeda to regroup and become stronger.
Yeah, "helluva
This article is wrong on all points. The progressives of the past and present have been sabotaging our Constitution and country for years. They are in both parties and control both parties contrary to what the media and party leaders want us to believe. The are no conservatives in the Bush administration never have been. Thanks for wasting my time with this dribble you say is proof of anything.
Huh???
What exactly would you call Dick Cheney or Donald Rumsfeld who started their careers in the Nixon Administration?? Liberals??
Big talk and big assertions, but not a single specific fact-based example. Hmmmmm. Sounds a lot like what got us into Iraq. Goodbye and good riddance to those of your ilk.
I know the rhetoric you are spewing here. Capitalism isn't really capitalism if there are ANY social programs or checks on big industry. ANY government intervention spoils pure capitalism, and also any "pandering" to the left that "true conservatives" do is a farce.
Unfortunately we live in a place called "the real world." Someone like you could never be happy no matter how draconian the right acts.
I generally wish no ill-will towards anyone, but I will take solace in the fact that, if nothing else, the next 4(probably 8) years will make you cringe. Good day sir!
Amen. The Bush Presidency was a disater as predicted by Al Gore on numerous occasions in 2000.
Lets hope we never make the same mistake again.
the thing about the doctrine is that it can be cited by Osama to justify 911. It can be cited by Hamas to justify any attacks. It is Pandoras box.
Indeed. I feared more for our national security more than any pre-doctrine days by far. If we are making preemptive strikes, won't the terrorists just anticipate us trying to kill them and strike even earlier?
Everyone should be happy that diplomacy is returning to American foreign policy.
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
