Will Any Democrat Go On The Record And Explain Republican George H W Bush's Policies Were Horrible

[PaulX2]

Last edited Fri Dec 7, 2018, 01:13 AM - Edit history (1)

I have watched 6 days of media gushing over a bad president. Republicans can't get away with this whitewashing. They convinced "Americans" Reagan was some kind of saint. Reagan's policies hurt millions, and there was no push back at all. George H W Bush's policies sucked for most Americans, poor Americans, working Americans, and struggling Americans. He wasn't as bad as Bush 43, Nixon, or Trump, but that is a very, very, very low bar.

I hope some Democrat goes on the record and mentions the fact that Bush's Republican policies were horrible for all but oil tycoons, defense contractors, and the wealthy. They need to say this as loudly as the "media" and Bush's Republican friends have been pushing the narrative of how wonderful 41 was. Family man my ass. He taught his kid how to lie about WMD's, start illegal wars, and fool people who go to churches, and that's about it.

We can't let them (Republicans) get away with rewriting history this time.

Bush was a bad president for most Americans.

Period.

Someone has to say it now the whitewashing is coming to an end. I don't care if the Republican Pigs squeal.

[PJMcK]

1. Thank you!

I hated Bush.

Adios, you fucking criminal.

[BlueJac]

2. k&R

ditto!

[wryter2000]

3. There's nothing to be gained by doing that

It would just make them look small. Keep in mind how much this is p*ssing off Trump. That, in itself, is worth something.

[FBaggins]

4. In the immediate context of his passing? Unlikely.

It would be seen as tacky at best.

It isn’t necessary. Everyone knows he was a 1-term prez and nobody is talking about bringing back his administration... or passing the glow on to Trump

[Baltimike]

5. Not *this* day since we are required not to speak ill of the dead...

It's not like he is here to defend himself and expecting his people to do it is like kicking them when they're down.

For this day, try to find *one* thing you agreed with him on, and try to celebrate that, or at least be reticent for his passing.

I can give you one thing: he called "reaganomics" "voodoo economics" and he was telling the g-d truth.

[onit2day]

61. It has been said and is being said but his funeral is not the time.

Medhi Hasan's new book on the ignored Legacy of GHWB: War Crimes, Racism & Obstruction of Justice and his interview on Democracy Now. Plus Jerome Waldon's new book on The Legacy of GHWB are just 2 recent examples of His horredous reality. But he also was a War Hero during WWII yrs however corrupted he later became. If truth be known and Justice prevailed GHWB would have died in prison. Give me stolen millions and I would be quite the easy going gentleman. The truth is seldom revealed at your funeral.

[Rhiannon12866]

63. He was also interviewed on Seth Meyers' show this week:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1017523187

[LexVegas]

6. ...

[llmart]

7. Thank you!

There's a reason he didn't win a second term.

I was a working mother with two teenagers during his "reign". My son was an exchange student in Germany at one point in his presidency. I clearly remember my son telling me that Bush was hated in Germany and Europe. When he was about to fly home out of Frankfurt the State Dept. issued warnings for any American flying at that time.

There was a housing crash during his presidency also. We were transferred to another state and it took me an entire year to sell my house, and when it sold we got exactly what we paid for it ten years earlier. Remember the phrase - "It's the economy stupid." That was coined because of Bush Sr.'s policies.

[DeeDeeNY]

8. Don't forget Clarence Thomas.

Also the Willie Horton campaign ads.

[Buckeyeblue]

9. Bush gave in to the extreme conservatives

He was never extreme. But if he wanted to be part of the club he had to play the part. I think that was a big part of his problem. He was never allowed to be himself. But he made that choice.

After Desert Storm his approval ratings were through the roof. Crazy high. Re-election was considered all but a certainty. But then the economy tanked. There was a huge recession in 1991 going in 1992 (and all during that summer). And he ran into possibly the greatest politician ever in Bill Clinton. Clinton made Bush look old and out of touch. Everyone says Perot swung the election but I don't agree--he took an equal amount of votes from both candidates.

And his policies were shitty Reagan policies that were starting to fail.

He wasn't a very good president but he was better than the POS we have now.

[Demsrule86]

13. I dislike all Republicans on principle...but he passed the disabilities act, a civil rights act and

raised taxes. He was against supply side economics calling it voodoo economics... his worst sin was Clarence Thomas and Willie Horton but he also gave us Souter. I still don't care for him and his son was the devil but...he was not a Reagan type nor a Trump type.

[John Fante]

33. Agreed. HW Bush also opened the door for millions of

legal immigrants. As GOP presidents go, there have been far worse. It will much harder to find kind things to say about his idiot as son, nevermind the embarrassment to humanity known as Trump.

[Demsrule86]

64. Junior was a disaster and Trump is a catastrophe.

[YessirAtsaFact]

10. Attacking Bush 41 now is bad politically

It turns people off and isn’t worth the trouble.

I think GHWB is a lot like Susan Collins. He had a moderate reputation, but it was mostly talk.

When push came to shove, he backed the right wing.

[Hekate]

11. Common decency generally asks that we wait till the body is in the ground.

May I point out how viciously hated by the RW our heroes are? How would you like it if FOX "assessments" began as the last breath was drawn, and continued apace throughout the next week, overriding eulogies by colleagues and family?

[EffieBlack]

32. Thank you

Sheesh!

[John Fante]

35. We don't use the devil as an example of how to behave.

[obnoxiousdrunk]

40. +1.

[Stinky The Clown]

59. Un de plus

[Proud Liberal Dem]

12. Meh

I'm not sure that, compared to what we had under his son and now with Trump that he was anything horrific. This isn't to whitewash his sins (he gave us Clarence Thomas) and/or say that he was anything great but, in historical context, I mean, he seemed pretty inoffensive.

[BlueWI]

57. This is the very reason why more discussion is needed.

War crimes in Panama.

Iran-Contra pardons and free reign given to secret operations to destabilize other countries without accountability.

Corruption in defense procurement that the current military budget is still rife with.

Not just the mere fact of Clarence Thomas, but replacing the greatest pro-civil rights justice of all (Thurgood Marshall) with a political hack that personally supervised the gutting of civil rights enforcement through his hostile supervision of primary federal agency charged with this task.

Willie Horton ad - the cynical use of the baldest Nixonian Southern strategy in the wake of the negative impact of Reaganomics on black lives.

Launching the war against Kuwait on MLK's birthday: January 15, 1991.

Embodying the leveraging of diplomatic relationships for personal gain, most clearly embodied by his relationship with the Saudi royal family.

Embodying the worst excesses of a patrician attitude that erects a wall between himself and ordinary people. At least Nixon walked out of the White House and talked to antiwar protesters. No way Bush would have done that.

Unremitting drug war rhetoric, even as cocaine trade profits were being redirected to mysterious sources.

This is all just from memory, without any sourcing. I very much disagree that GHWB was inoffensive, even though there are some additional, or alternative, sordid records that come from the GWB and Trump administrations.

Sometimes I try to stay silent while segregationists and patrician politicians are buried, but people should not be criticized for simply bringing up a person's political record. In fact, more people should be striving to understand such records. Or are we really down for letting false history stand?

[still_one]

14. Nope, and you can't expect them to. It would serve no purpose at this time

[babylonsister]

20. Exactly. nt

[Martin Eden]

24. Sadly, I have to agree. The only effect would be negative backlash.

Nothing wrong with discussing policy though, even in the context of Bush 41.

[still_one]

25. Absolutely

[BannonsLiver]

15. Fascinating

For all the hatred and irritation you profess for Bush and his funeral coverage you sure do spend a lot of time watching it and then reporting back here with your observations. You’ve inspired me to rent about 10-15 movies I really hate and watch them back to back to back, and then complain about how awful they are.

[Ferrets are Cool]

16. They will not.

Even most here praise past Democratic leaders for saying pleasant things about these evil people. Decorum and all, ya know.

[QC]

17. Careful...he's got a big fan club here.

Interestingly, most of those singing his praises despise progressives.

[Javaman]

18. had a back and forth on DU the other day...

with someone that was defending hw from me thinking he was an asshole.

hw was a fucking colossal asshole, but can't speak ill of the dead even if they are a repuke and freshly dead here on DU, I guess.

I get a little vomit in my mouth anytime I hear anyone, over the last few days, praise that fucking asshole.

[The Mouth]

29. Of the dead, speak nothing but good.

He's dead.

Good.

[Baitball Blogger]

19. Well, he was a one term president

[H2O Man]

21. Hopefully not.

I disliked Bush the Elder as much as anyone. But that would be a foolish thing for any Democrat to do right now.

[FakeNoose]

22. Next week

Nobody wants to go on record speaking ill of the recently departed. But yeah he was definitely a bad President, riding the coattails of Ronald Reagan who was one of the WORST ever. The only thing Bush-41 had going for him was that he wasn't as bad as his son.

[Sherman A1]

23. Please explain

Where is the prize in doing so? As noted above, he was a one term President and that was because of his policies. As also noted the praises be heaped on him at this time no doubt grate on the "Esteemed" Mr Trump, so seems to be a winning solution to just say nothing.

[Doodley]

26. He IS a saint compared to Trump. That is what matters.

[WeekiWater]

27. I don't think it would do a single thing to change those who bought...

The narrative of the last couple of days.

I still wouldn’t mind if someone referenced him as a part of the Bush Crime Family.

[ornotna]

28. Why not let the historians take care of that

For Dems to do it would be like shooting ourself in the foot.

[PaulX2]

31. Like They Did Reagan? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Conservative historians?

Kook Aid drinkers?

Foxworld inhabitants?

No.

[ornotna]

36. Well okay then

We'd still get massive blowback if Dem politicians were to do what you're asking. Not worth it.

[PaulX2]

30. I Did Not Mean Trash Him Or Trash Him Today - I Mean In A Week Or Two Have An Honest Discussion

About how horrible his conservative fantasy based / big oil friendly environmental policies were. We don't need to call him names, but simply tell the truth about how he helped the wealthy and ignored the struggling. How he used war for political gain. Run down the list without calling him names and attacking his "familyness" garbage.

Bush 41 was a conservative who's conservative policies only helped the wealthy. He did some good, and a whole lot of bad.

It is about pushing back against the vomit producing narrative we have had to suffer through the last week.

No one pushed back when they turned Reagan into a saint.

The victims of Bush, and Reagan's policies need to speak up this time. After a week or two.

The true legacy of Bush 41. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Set the record straight this time.

[MicaelS]

52. The only ones who give a fuck about his..

Policies are historians and die hards like yourself who can't let go. We have more important things to worry about now.

Payback is a motherfucker. Do you want THEM to shit on Carter when he dies?

[lagomorph777]

34. +1 Beatification of the Devil.

What the hell happened to everybody's memory?

[Hassler]

37. Short answer: no. Current events are bad enough that we don't have the time to take

A trip down memory lane. It's easier to toss out platitudes for Poppy and move on. I lived through the 41 years and Gawd he was awful--race baiting, war and the rest, but not as bad as the current usurper.

[joanbarnes]

38. I am SICK of glorifying the War Criminal.

[brooklynite]

45. Um, in what way was he a war criminal?

[gilligan]

39. The Ivasion of Panama.

[BamaRefugee]

41. I can only imagine how the media would have treated the death of J. Edgar Hoover if it happened now.

SAINTHOOD would be number 1 on their talking points, then all the AMERICAN HERO blather, and finally A&E or BRAVO running specials on his cross dressing tips and tricks.


Jimmy Carter, on the other hand, the right wingers are gonna be SCATHING, NON STOP, beginning 19.2 seconds after news of his passing is broadcast, and they will continue for at least a month.

[pnwmom]

42. NO. It would not advance the cost of getting rid of Trump.

We need all the people who consider themselves to be "moderate" Republicans -- whether we view them that way or not -- on our side.

Now is not the time to disparage a GOP President who JUST DIED and who, by comparison, was not the evil pathologically narcissistic person that DJT is.

Then there are crises to finally face like climate change, dealing with the predicted loss of up to 40% of jobs (due to technology), fixing the tax structure (again) and dealing with the ballooning deficit, which will require a broad consensus. Again, we succeed in any of that unless we somehow manage to work with moderate Republicans.

[disillusioned73]

43. K&r..

[IcyPeas]

44. Jake Tapper was on Seth Meyers the other night

he did bring up Willie Horton. I do not know if he mentioned that on his news show on CNN.

[oldlibdem]

46. I couldn't agree more!

This after death rewriting of history is complete bullshit!

[Kaleva]

47. They won't because, IMO, a great majority of rank & file Dems don't care about the issue

They are far more interested in health care, climate change, Trump and his minions, jobs and just making ends meet.

The issue is at best a fringe one.

[elocs]

48. Get over it, GHWB is dead and buried and it's unlikely from this point on

we will hear much about him anymore. Why rehash things that happened over 24 years ago? How would that be productive?

Did anybody force you to listen to any of the "gushing" being done about him this week? Because I didn't have to hear anything about him or watch anything about him that I didn't want to hear or see.

[Geechie]

49. This is a good start

from the Intercept:

[link:https://theintercept.com/2018/12/05/george-h-w-bush-1924-2018-american-war-criminal/|

[crazycatlady]

50. Now is not the time to do it

[thegoose]

51. Raygun and Poppy were shite in the 80s

I was there. Some of their highlights:

Corrupt CIA
Denying the existence of AIDS
Cutting social safety nets (like releasing the mentally ill onto the streets)
Iran-Contra
Swampy cabinet (until the pile of orange offal Dumpster came along)

The idea that the media is trying to deify Poppy like Saint Ronnie the Dead Bad Actor would make we laugh, except I want to puke. Just because they have an even more horrible piece of shit as their president doesn't mean Bush goes up their evolutionary ladder.

The Republican party has always been shit. They're just more blatant now that they have the filthy lying circus peanut as their figurehead.

[lanlady]

53. Republicans are using his death to try and rehabilitate their party

Joe Scarborough has been creaming his pants the past few days with encomiums about what a "great" man H.W. was.

I hope that Jimmy Carter gets at least as much of a funeral as Bush did. He, at least, is a man of the people, a genuine humanitarian who has made the world a better place. Bush did precisely nothing for his fellow man. Only money and power interested him.

[Garrett78]

54. We just have to make it clear in the public consciousness that Republicans...

...aren't simply people with a different take on the role of government or tax rates. They are people who are actively attempting to thwart democracy, foment and exploit racism and sexism, take away health care and housing, start wars for profit, etc.

They are horrible people, plain and simple. And those who preceded Trump made Trump possible.

[thesquanderer]

55. re: "He wasn't as bad as Bush 41" - you meant 43. (n/t)

[dflprincess]

56. If only there was one Democrat who had the spine to make the kind of speech MP Glenda Jackson

made in the House of Commons when Thatcher died.

[rwsanders]

58. Ecclesiastes 8 9-10:

I have thought deeply about all that goes on here under the sun, where people have the power to hurt each other. I have seen wicked people buried with honor. Yet they were the very ones who frequented the Temple and are now praised in the same city where they committed their crimes! This, too, is meaningless.

[luvtheGWN]

60. There's an age-old saying which can also be considered a truism:

"The good that men do lives after them; the bad is oft interred with their bones".

Not saying this is an absolute truism, but I guess in GHW's case it fits.

[RKP5637]

62. K&R!!!! n/t