The other night at dinner, a friend asked me if I felt sorry for George Bush now that he was on his way out and his presidency is being called one of the worst in our history. I didn't have to think before I answered "No."
This presidency has done much damage to the environment both by ignoring or perverting science and by allowing rampant greed to determine policy. The presidency has presided over the deaths and maiming of thousands and thousands of our armed forces and the citizenry of Iran and Afghanistan. Our "face" in the world has been greatly diminished. The civil rights or our citizens have been compromised and trampled on. The human rights of prisoners and foreign nationals have been violated. Our economy, which was robust when Bush took office, is in shambles because of favoritism, lack of oversight and greed. Fear has been used to coerce our own people into acquiescence to policies which led to the loss of civil rights and trust of each other. Our immigration policies are oppressive. Our health systems are a disgrace. The culture wars have exacerbated mistrust and hatred among our people. On and on and on.
We are so much worse off than we were eight years ago that I have no compassion, no inclination to feel sorry for George Bush and Dick Cheney at all and am more than happy to see them leave office.
I have hope for the future. I can hardly wait for Tuesday, Inauguration Day.
