I have read letters in my local paper that indicate a few people are grateful for the leadership of President George W. Bush. When I read these letters I am convinced there must be a parallel Universe. The one I live in has shown President Bush as an arrogant and totally destructive leader who has caused more harm to more Americans than any other President in my life time.
I look at the Iraq war and how Bush attacked a country that was not in any way responsible for 9/11 and in effect diverted our attention from the real enemy in Afghanistan where after 6 years of war we have failed to end the operation of al-Qaeda or captured the man responsible for the attack on our Country. I see a war that was to make us safer that has actually added to the number of terrorists willing to attack us in the future. I see a war that has killed almost 4,000 Americans and injured 29,000. I see a war that will cost our country $2 Trillion dollars.
I see an economy in trouble and the fiscal condition to be significantly worse then when Bush took office. He has taken a balanced budget and turned into one that is over $400 Billion per year in deficit and added $4 trillion to our debt.
I see his failure to secure our border and ports six years after 9/11. I see his failure to enforce our laws. I see his energy policy making the big oil companies richer while gas has doubled in price since he took office. Heating oil has tripled and we are MORE dependent of foreign oil then in 2001.
I see a country that is divided, a public where 70% do not agree with the direction Bush and the GOP has taken us and a world that hates our foreign policy. We have lost millions of jobs, doubled our trade deficit, failed to provide oversight to the home mortgage industry under this concept that we allow the market place to police itself. The average family has scene their costs increase faster then their income, their home values plummet. The only segment as a group who has prospered during the last 7 years is the wealthy.
In my universe I see Bush as almost totally negative and lament him as a President of the United States. I see a President that will have a negative impact on our country for decades to come.