Things I Like About Bush

Do me a favor and don't just skip over this post because of the title. In an effort to be truly moderate and try to find some good in all sides of the equation, I have decided to spend part of my day, appropriately just prior to Thanksgiving, in thinking of some things I like about our recently elected president. Yes, I know, I could (and have) go on for days about failures in foreign policy, the environment, handling big business, civil rights and individual liberty, but there are two sides to every coin. I shall, here and now, name some things I like which Bush has done or is planning to do.

1. Redeployment of troops. Bush was, in fact, the first president to wrench himself out of a cold war mentality and propose a long term, drastic realignment of our forces. That's been needed for a long time. It's going to hurt some local economies in both Europe and Asia, but I'm a firm believer in putting America first. Centralizing a quick, mobile military in a smaller number of areas, and keeping more troops at home, (assuming we ever get our asses out of Iraq) can only be a good thing. Well done.

2. Restructure the tax code: This is pending, of course, but it desperately needs to be done. He may muff it, or he may come up with a functional plan that will result in corporations actually paying their fair share of taxes and making a reasonably equitable distribution of taxes among working Americans. If he does the latter, then he will have left something good behind when we are finally rid of him.

3. Fix Social Security: This has long been the "third rail of politics" and I give Bush credit for at least trying. The system is in shambles and will eventually collapse if corrective changes are not made. I don't think his current plan is viable, nor advisable, but it at least gets the discussion going, and more intelligent heads in Congress may hammer out a way to actually save the system. Good for him for at least trying.

4. ...

Ok... it was a short list. And most of it hasn't actually happened. But I tried.