The George W. Bush presidency, through a glass darkly

By Bernie Quigley

For The Hill on 11/2/11

Ten years on into the new century it is possible to see what is rising and what form it will take. It is possible also to see that this century rises like a phoenix from a singular psychotic historic episode which was the George W. Bush presidency. Compliant in this was a Congress of Easter Peeps let by Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton, a Supreme Court which had lost its way and a MSM in the pocket of power. Ironically, it is the Republicans who gain from this and bring the century forward. Libertarians, constitutional conservatives, gold standard advocates, Austrian economists, Ron Paul, Judge Andrew Napolitano, the Tenth Amendment Center; all have opened a door which will not be closed. But the Democrats begin to rise out of 20th century torpor well now with Elizabeth Warren.

George W. Bush cannot take all the credit. Bill Clinton, blinded by narcissism, hiring Republican advisors who gave him a budget surplus so that their shadow administration in waiting could spend freely on war and mayhem next, didn’t see what was up. Certainly vice president Dick Cheney who took as his guiding mantra the thought that "deficits don't matter" deserves much of the credit. But it was Bush's job and responsibility, even If it was Cheney doing the dirty work.

And the Obama administration made things endlessly worse, bringing the whole realm to a pre-revolutionary state. It is now possible that world economy will not survive. But it is possible now for better ideas like a flat tax and a balanced budget, return to gold standard, term limits for the Supreme Court and states’ rights to ascend. And it is now possible for people of stronger stuff – Congressman Paul Ryan, Senators Rand Paul and Mike Lee - to emerge, opening to a promising future.

But tribute to this is the rise of Ron Paul, libertarian, anti-war, advocate of Austrian economics. He opened the portal. The world today is kaleoscopic, moment to moment – Herman Cain for a week or two and already the MSM pitches Gingrich as his replacement; world economy hinges on 11million Greeks who in the end will refuse to become Germans; protestors wear the mask of the father of modern terrorism, Guy Fawkes, but through a glass darkly the century emerges.