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Bush's First 100 Days
Posted
05-11-2001
Well, GW Bush has completed his first hundred days, and many questions
surround his performance. It seems that the mainstream media is giving him a
free pass. I guess when expectations are set so low, any mediocre
performance seems good. To me, after eight years of a bright, articulate,
hard-working president like Bill Clinton, GW Bush is just not what I expect
a president to be.
He has eliminated press
conferences already. Bill Clinton would regularly hold press conferences and
pretty much answer any questions put forth. GW Bush doesn't have the depth
of knowledge and cannot think on his feet well enough to open up to
questions. It seems any media interaction is scripted, and, then, he quickly
ends questioning. Surprisingly, the media doesn't seem too upset that we
have a President who can't answer questions. Instead, he's given them all
nicknames, and they seem pleased. Perhaps, Bill Clinton was their
intellectual superior, and they felt threatened by his depth of knowledge.
Our international reputation
is sinking like a lead balloon with GW's inability to really communicate
effectively with world leaders. Germany's leader Gerhard Schroeder was
appalled at Bush's lack of knowledge and interest about global environmental
issues. Our new attitude about such issues is not going to enhance the USA's
position as a super power. We cannot go around thumbing our nose at the rest
of the world and then expect support and respect for our positions. It seems
the Bush Administration's new policy is we're the USA, and we can do what we
want. That attitude doesn't appear consistent with the concept that we are
the good guys and want to lead.
If we want to be the
neighborhood bully, we are moving in the right direction. The Bush
Administration's intention to build a missile defense system is portraying
the USA as having a world vision from the Cold War days. Of course with Cold
Warriors like Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense and Cheney as VP,
should we expect anything different? We used an arms race in the 1980's to
help cause the breakup of the Soviet Union; but now, whom are we competing
with? Bush wants to undo missile treaties and seems intent on creating a
threat where none exists. Whether it is creating tension with China or
working to weaken the new cooperation between North and South Korea, it
appears the Bush Administration is trying to create a villain that will
justify building the missile defense system.
Internationally, Bush has
been a near disaster, and, perhaps, you think that it doesn't matter. But
because of advancing technology, the world has become much smaller, and we
have an economy where there is a true interdependency with other economies.
If we continue this jocular attitude towards the rest of the world, should
we expect favorable treatment when it comes to trade and economic issues?
Domestically, where's the
energy policy? Clinton was criticized (and Gore too) for not having an
energy policy. Now with gas and oil prices going out of control, electricity
shortages in our largest state, and the economy beginning to show the
effects of the problem, the man that made an energy policy seem so simple
has shown nothing.
Also. let's see the folks
that he nominates for the federal bench. Will he cave into conservative
pressure and nominate right-wingers out of the mainstream and face a tough
confirmation process? Or, will he attempt to nominate moderates that can be
acceptable to both parties?
GW Bush has made it through
the first milestone of his presidency. It hasn't been a total disaster, but
he really hasn't shown much leadership. His lack of knowledge about issues
and his carefree attitude about the world community should be cause for
concern. If the economy rights itself and energy prices level off, maybe
he'll skate through. But if real problems emerge, either domestically or
internationally, we'll see what leadership skills GW Bush really possesses.
I just hope the media holds him to the same degree of scrutiny that they did
for the previous administration. |
