Ryan ChartrandThe critics of George W. Bush will say that as a president, he is a poor decision maker, a bad public speaker, and a stubborn leader that refuses to change his mind. The Bush presidency is not without its faults, but many of these faults are exaggerated. In fact, there have been numerous successes.
Believe it or not, President Bush is not as stubborn as the media portrays him, and he has actually been willing to negotiate and reconsider many things. The recent immigration bill is case in point. Instead of merely succumbing to the pressures of some Republicans that want to deport nearly 12 million illegal immigrants who are working in this country, the president has offered a plan that will actually solve the problem. The plan incorporates concerns for tighter border security and allows for a path to citizenship.
Of course, this plan that tackles the reality of the situation has been under assault from nearly every side of the immigration debate. However, if the bill is successful, history might see Bush as a decent negotiator that helped solve the immigration crisis. While solving the problem will be challenging, he should get credit for trying to tackle the problem and for addressing so many different points of view.
Perhaps one of the least mentioned (but maybe the most interesting) change in the Bush presidency is his stance on climate change. Contrary to popular belief, Bush actually has a decent environmental record. Since 2001, harmful air pollutants have decreased more than 10 percent.
Through Farm Bill conservation programs, nearly 200 million acres of land have been conserved. Bush also made a commitment to fight climate change by setting as a goal an 18 percent reduction in greenhouse gas intensity (a measurement of greenhouse gas emissions relative to economic activity) by 2012 compared to 2002.
Last week, the president offered a new plan to combat climate change by gathering the largest carbon emitters by the end of 2008 and to develop climate goals with other countries. This seems like a policy shift for a president that rejected the Kyoto treaty. However, it represents a continuing policy that tries to balance environmental protection with economic development. If climate change is as drastic a problem as many believe it to be, the solution must be to develop newer, more effective technologies, which can only come with a growing economy. Likewise, a more prosperous nation can ultimately devote more resources to environmental protection. This president has certainly maintained a healthy economy, which was spurred on by his tax cuts. Unemployment is low (4.5 percent), the Dow Jones continues to teach new highs (just recently went past 13,000 points) and college graduates can expect more job offers with higher salaries.
However, despite any success on domestic issues for Bush, his legacy will ultimately be linked to the war in Iraq and the larger war on terror. Sixty-three years ago today, American troops began to liberate Europe from a terrible evil. On this day alone, over 6,000 American soldiers died in Normandy in the name of democracy and freedom. Today’s war in Iraq has cost the lives of over 3,500 American soldiers. While there was an eventual victory in World War II, the war in Iraq and the war on terror may continue for years to come. However, the objectives are ultimately the same. While Iraq may not be a great success story, America has continued to pursue freedom and democracy. Likewise, the president has made commitments to prevent any future attacks against America, and since Sept. 11, there have been no major terrorist attacks on this country. Although “no terrorist attack today” doesn’t get very many headlines, it may actually be the greatest success of this administration.
Brian Eller is a materials engineering junior and Mustang Daily political columnist.