The Sorry State of The Union That Is George W. Bush's Legacy

By Joe Rothstein
Editor, USPolitics.einnews.com

January 28, 2008

Change anyone?

Or let me rephrase that question. Change everyone?

Read from left to right across spectrums of both political parties and you will find one message that unifies most Americans: The need to change. Change a lot. And do it quickly.

In other words, let Bush begone!

The President spoke to us last night with the usual trappings of a State of the Union address. Formality. Cordiality. Applause cued in like pre-recorded laugh lines on TV comedy shows.

But like Mr. Cellophane in the Broadway show/movie Chicago we see right through him. Pick an issue and he's usually on the wrong side. Pick an issue where he may be on the right side (like education and immigration) and he's bungled it.

Where I live I've been seeing a lot of bumper stickers lately that read, "Worst President, Ever." No need for a name ID here. Everyone gets the message.

How different was Bush's speech last night from Bill Clinton's final State of the Union address? Check this out:

"We are fortunate to be alive at this moment in history. Never before has our nation enjoyed, at once, so much prosperity and social progress with so little internal crisis and so few external threats. Never before have we had such a blessed opportunity -- and, therefore, such a profound obligation -- to build the more perfect union of our founders' dreams.

"We begin the new century with over 20 million new jobs; the fastest economic growth in more than 30 years; the lowest unemployment rates in 30 years; the lowest poverty rates in 20 years; the lowest African American and Hispanic unemployment rates on record; the first back-to-back budget surpluses in 42 years. And next month, America will achieve the longest period of economic growth in our entire history."

Seven years later:

--A $236 billion federal surplus has become $3.5 billion in new debt.

--Middle class family income decreased for the first time in the post-war era.

--Our military has had to stretch the eligible age limit to 42 and accept convicted felons to fill its ranks.

--People in virtually every country in the world have a negative opinion of the U.S., and that translates into allies we can no longer call on and diplomatic decisions we are ever more hard-pressed to manage.

During the Bush years we've lost millions of manufacturing jobs; talented foreign youths who once flocked to our universities are now looking to Europe and China for their education; our trade deficit with other nations has accelerated; our dollar is so weak many of our trading partners are cashing them in for euros; we've got a housing crisis so deep and dangerous that experts can't see its bottom---and an accompanying credit crisis that is destabilizing our economy and many others around the world.

That's Bush's real State of the Union----the sorry state he's leaving us with.

No wonder Republican candidates for president seldom mention his name. Who would want to associate with such a record? No wonder "change" is on their lips as well as everyone else's.

The legacy Bush leaves behind begs for major change---and it can't happen soon enough.

Joe Rothstein, editor of US Politics Today, is a former daily newspaper editor and long-time national political strategist based in Washington, D.C.

See all previous articles by Joe Rothstein here.