( – promoted by lowkell)

The cover of a recent issue of THE WEEK asked the question whether George W. Bush was “a good president.”

The very fact that this question could be asked by a generally excellent news magazine is yet another indication of the sickness in the American body politic.

On the basis of both its competence and, even more so, its moral quality, the Bush presidency was a devastating disaster for the United States.

It left this country — our economy, our military, our international standing, our political discourse, our Constitution and the rule of law — in shambles.

It inherited the prospect of budgetary surpluses as far as the eye could see, and then enacted a tax cut that transferred huge wealth from the middle class and from future generations to the richest Americans, and doubled the national debt.

It oversaw a great widening of inequalities of wealth and income between the richest fraction of one percent of Americans and the rest of the population.

It shackled our financial regulators and helped precipitate a global financial meltdown when toxic mortgages, sold as high-grade debt, exploded like time-bombs in banks around the world.

It launched two wars of choice, one under false pretenses, and botched them both.

The Bush presidency was, according to the conservative Reagan jurist, the most lawless presidency in American history.

Whole books, by responsible legal minds, outlined a multiplicity of high crimes and misdemeanors — genuinely impeachable offenses — committed by that administration.

Its contempt for the rule of law was displayed as clearly as could be by the presidential pardon given to the only person convicted for his participation in any of this criminality, despite his having been prosecuted by an outstanding Republican prosecutor and convicted by a jury of American citizens.

The Bush presidency was the first to embrace at the highest levels — in violation of American law and international treaty obligations — the practice of torture.

It usurped constitutionally granted powers from both the Congress and the Courts, and did everything it could to escape the accountability for its actions our Founders arranged for with their system of checks and balances.

And yet, little more than four years later the question can be asked — because there are opinions to be heard on both sides — whether George W. Bush was a good president.

If we knew nothing more about the political condition of America than that, and that (as THE WEEK reports) Mr. Bush now enjoys a 47 percent favorability rating with the public, we would know that there was something rotten in the state of the Union.

Andy Schmookler, an award-winning author, political commentator, radio talk-show host, and teacher, was the Democratic nominee for Congress from Virginia’s 6th District.  He is the author of various books including The Parable of the Tribes:  The Problem of Power in Social Evolution.  

Here are a few Virginia (and national) news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, June 8. Also, check out President Obama’s weekly address, in which he “says that the United States Senate will soon take action to fix our broken immigration system with a commonsense bill, and urges lawmakers to act quickly to pass this bill so that we can continue to live up to our traditions as a nation of laws, and also a nation of immigrants.” Finally, do you know when and where you’re voting (for Aneesh Chopra and Mark Herring, of course:)) on Tuesday?

*Obama defends sweeping surveillance efforts (Interesting: Rep. Connolly “said he was unconvinced by the president’s assurances that surveillance efforts are constrained by congressional oversight and the federal courts.”)

*Wall St. rallies after U.S. jobs data, ends up for week (I continue to be so confused; didn’t Republicans warn us a gazillion times that the “socialist” – actually more like an Eisenhower Republican – in the White House was bad for business? So why is the stock market booming, and why is the economy recovering? Hmmmmm…perhaps the stock market and the broader economy have always done better under Democrats than Republicans?)

*Longest Serving Congressperson Should Be Heard, Not Just Heralded (Nice article by former Rep. Tom Perriello.)

*Reince Priebus Praises E.W. Jackson As ‘Dynamic’ And ‘Articulate’ (That’s the head of the Republican National Committee right there. This party is seriously the 2013 version of the John Birch Society.)

*Mixed signals from GOP stalwarts’ campaign giving

*Va. Republican Lt. Governor Candidate Said Birth Defects Were Caused By Sin (“It is the principle of sin, rebellion against God and His truth which has brought about birth defects and other destructive natural occurrences.”)

*Prominent Va. Beach developer backs McAuliffe (Also prominent Republican and McDonnell associate.)

*Chopra and Northam approach finish line in primary race

*Chopra banking on innovative experience in race for LG

*Business Taxes Not a Problem State Gov’t Should Try to Solve (Yeah, it’s hard to see how cutting BPOL doesn’t mean higher property taxes for all of us. Blech.)

*Former Va. official helps outline the path forward in health care

*Cuccinelli and McAuliffe ask each other, “Where’s the beef?”

*Buying insurance in coastal areas is getting more expensive

*Virginia ups speed limit on Beltway express lanes

*National Science Foundation Moving to Alexandria

*Andrea drenches Virginia, causes flooding

*Forecast: Clouds, humid and warm

Last night I went to eat dinner at the Stien Erikson lodge in Utah where Mitt Romney is holding his experts and enthusiasts meeting.  A meeting of great minds such as Rience Pribus, Chris Christie, Rand Paul, and Paul Ryan.

As I was leaving the dining room I walked past Paul Ryan who was speaking with Dan Senor (most noted for his former position as chief spokesperson for the Coalition Provisional  Authority in Iraq but most recently he worked as a top foreign policy advisor for the Mitt Romney campaign) outside of what I assume was Ryan’s room.

I asked Paul Ryan “Congressman how are your plans to privatize Medicare going?”  Assuming I was a supporter he responded “We will need a new President first.”  I told him that “I like our current President, I liked Medicare and hope it will be available for me when I retire.”  He chuckled and I walked on.