Liberty Maven

No, the Ron Paul supporter I speak of is not someone living in China or Japan loaning George W. Bush money to fund his “illegal” war in Iraq; thereby, giving him “credit”. I am the supporter I speak of, and I think Bush deserves credit for two very important things. It is pretty sad that there are only two things that represent the good in the 8 years of W, but so it goes.

First, George W. Bush has lifted the executive order moratorium on drilling off our coastlines. This action helped lower fuel prices significantly. The price of a single barrel of oil dropped more than 15 dollars in the week following the lifting of the ban. This seems to prove wrong those on the left in Congress (and elsewhere) that claim lifting the coastal ban would not show any immediate relief at the pump. So, thank you President Bush for doing something. Sure, you can do more, but this is a good start.

The second thing I give Bush credit for is his tax cuts. They certainly were not the sweeping cuts we sorely need, but they were fairly substantial. I fear with the potential of a Democrat in the White House beginning next year those cuts will be repealed. They not only should be made permanent, but more cuts should be done. However, cuts are only one part of the equation.

Cutting taxes without cutting spending only increases the yearly deficit and the national debt. This is an area where Ron Paul and Bob Barr rise above every other candidate for President. McCain likes to talk about cutting earmarks, but they are only a drop in the bucket. Doing that without other cuts is the equivalent of removing a single flea from a flea-infested pet.

George W. Bush could have certainly done more in his 8 long years in office, but he has at least done some good. Does his good make up for the bad? Not a chance. But we should at least recognize that there is some good. He even has a few more months in office to do more good things.

What will we think of the Bush Presidency 3 years from now? If history is any guide, once Presidents leave office they become more popular with the American public. Will this be the case for George Bush? Only time will tell.