Perspective

This picture is supposed to mean different things to different people. For those of you who know me outside of this blog, this photo is a jab at the core of the Democratic Party, the poor, the unemployed. That’s what I had to tell my older and more talented brother with Photoshop for him to make this for me.

For those of you who just got mad at me. Get over it. Let me finish my thought.

I said that the picture means different things to different people.

What I think this picture would be to most is the fact that George W. Bush messed up this country so bad that the unemployment rate is so high, it quite possible this photo is speaking some truth.

Now, its time for me to tell some truths.

Today the people of America witnessed history. They watched as a black man took the oath of office of the president for the first time in American History. America has finally embraced the idea that a man without pale white skin can finally take office.

* as a quick note to my readers. I will not use the term ‘African-American’. Because you have darker skin doesn’t make you African. Yes, it is true, you might be able to trace your ancestry back to Africa, but to call yourself ‘African-American’ is just denying what you are, American.. Once my family came over from Europe they became Americans. Yes, I am Irish and Welsh and Czechoslovakian, but I would never presume to insert all those destinations of origin before I call myself American. I am American. Plain and simple. Doesn’t matter where I came from [although we all must remember our roots], just matters what I am today. Barack Obama didn’t ever call himself African-American, although he is. He is just an American with a really really nice tan.

Today most of America threw out the old and welcomed in the change that America needs, and so desperately wants.

Never in my short life have I seen or felt America so energized by something that has happened 44 times before this day. This inauguration probably had more television viewers than 20 Super Bowls combined. Many stations had uninterrupted coverage, just do the viewers at home didn’t miss a single thing. Political commentary all day, celebration. George Bush, thanks, but no thanks. Get the hell out, we are done with you.

Is it just me, or does watching George Bush leave office feel like I am breaking up with a girlfriend?

Nevertheless, as I sit at home, sipping some bourbon, which by the way, is the official spirit of America. For those who clicked, and then clicked back and thought I inserted the wrong link, I didn’t. It’s #11 on his episode list.

Where was I? Oh yeah.

As I sit at home, sipping some bourbon, I realized that everyone on the media said that the last 8 years have been a complete failure. No one had anything good to say about what he did while he was in office. So, when I got home, I kissed the wife, ate some dinner, and began searching the internet. I was looking up anything and everything about the George W. Bush Presidency. If the media was going to focus on his failures, I figured I could devote a little time to his successes.

On January 29, 2001 George W. Bush [W.] set up a White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. For those of you who say that this was stupid, and didn’t work, I also looked up his approval ratings. His rating right after this initiative was, 65% according CNN and Gallup.

On June 7, 2001 W. signs the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001. This was also called an economic stimulus package. The rebates we got over the last few years were because of W. His approval rating was hovering around 60% at this time. For those of you say that this is what set up the economic failures today, please write the government a check for all the money it gave you and then you can bitch about it. What? Not going to send it back. Quit your whining.

On Sept 11, 2001, America was attacked. The Twin Towers Fall, The Pentagon was attacked, and an airplane in PA crashes. October 7^th, less than a month later, George W. Bush announces his War On Terror. His approval rating at this time is 92% according to ABC. That is this highest approval rating in American History. Not even JFK [80%] or FDR [84%], two of the most beloved of Presidents in America history had an approval rating that high. The second highest approval in American History was W’s father, which was 89%, which he got just after the Gulf War.

October 26, 2001, W signs into law the USA Patriot Act. Still at a 90% approval rating.

January 8, 2002 W signs the ‘No Child Left Behind Bill’. During his initiative, he gives us a line that has become a Bush-ism. “You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.” Townsend, TN Feb 21, 2001. Besides the poor grammar, he was right. As stupid as he sounded, his intentions and priorities are in the right place.

January 29, 2002 W gives his first State of the Union address. During his speech he stated that Iran, Iraq, and North Korea constitute an ‘axis of evil’. After his speech, his approval ratings were 75%. The speech he was reading was penned by a young speechwriter named David Frum. He later wrote a book titled, ‘The Right Man’. This book goes into depth into what it was like to work in the Bush White House. The theme of the book was “the Right Man at the Right Time.” He said that George Bush was the person to lead us through this tough time in American History, in reference to the 9/11 terror attacks. Sound familiar? America agreed, because at the time of the 9/11 crisis his rating was 92%

June 24, 2002 W announces a new Middle East policy, supporting a new Palestinian State, with the condition that Hamas and Yasser Arrifat are not in charge. The Jews didn’t like that, because he was back down to a 50% approval rating.

March 19, 2003 W announces the start of the War in Iraq at 10:16pm EST. W’s approval-rating jump to 75%. The war drags on, and his ratings drop, and once Saddam was captured, his approval ratings shot back up from a 50% rating to a 65% rating.

May 27, 2003 W signs the U.S. Leadership Against AIDS/HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 2003. This act provided $15 billion over the next 5 years to fight AIDS abroad, and in particular Africa. This is the largest amount of money pledged by any country in the World for the cause to fight AIDS/HIV. All you Gay, Bi, and Transsexuals out there who champion this cause, the man you all hate, pledged YOUR money to fight a cause YOU want to fight. His approval rating was 65%, so you liked him almost 3 years into his presidency.

December 8, 2003 W improves Medicare which was the largest overhaul in that programs 38-year history.

November 2, 2004 We re-elect W. His approval rating was, so-so, only 49%.

It wasn’t until Hurricane Katrina we decided we didn’t like W. His FEMA messed up the response to the Hurricane and we watched as hundreds of people die in New Orleans. I am still under the impression that the whole tragedy could have been avoided had the local leadership mandated an evacuation. There are photos of 30 busses just sitting under water, still parked and not in use. These busses could have evacuated the lower ninth Ward. How is that Bush’s fault? Yes, it was his fault the response from the government sucked, because he appointed the Horse Judge as his FEMA guy, but again, avoiding it was the first problem. Kanye West also said George Bush doesn’t like Black people. I don’t think that is true, because he pledged $15 billion to AIDS research which affects millions of black people every year. More than any other race in the world. Yeah, he hates all of you!

Here is my long drawn out point. We were so quick to support Bush early in his presidency, but we were really quick to throw him to the wolves. George W. Bush had the highest (92%) and also the lowest(19%) approval rating in the history of approval ratings. Yes he may have messed up, but to call all 8 years of his presidency a failure, get off it. It wasn’t.

Again, this is why I call this a break up from a girlfriend. You can only think of the bad things, and not the good that he did. I think W is right. History will judge his presidency.

Now that we are talking about approval ratings, Obama comes into office with an 80% approval rating. This is all based on the idea that he might do the right thing. He got his approval rating based on speech and rhetoric, but he hasn’t done a damn thing, yet.

I do say yet.

Mark my words. The instant he makes a mistake, even his most ‘loyal’ supporters will turn on him. Obama has a lot on his shoulders. He reminds us of that every time he opens his mouth. It seems as though he is trying so hard to lower the expectations of America that he worked so hard to conjure up to elect him. He talked big and as the veil lifts, and he can see all the facts, you can see his small retractions. Before he was like, I’m gonna get this done, I’m gonna get this done, and I’m going to do it fast. Now he says that the road will be long, and it’s not going to happen in 4 years. Seems as though he is campaigning for re-election already.

I say, shut up Obama. It’s obvious that you can inspire America. I am inspired listening to you. But I want substance. I want you to shut up and get to work.

Make it happen.

Enjoy your day America. Enjoy your day Obama. Your accelerated aging starts tomorrow.