Goodbye George

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/20/ex-president-bush-wife-leave-washington-texas/

Imagine how George Bush felt this morning in the Oval Office, his last day as President of the United States. It must have been surreal to think he would never have to make any decisions for the country, to think he would never get to walk the historic halls of the White House, to think he would never occupy such a spot in the limelight again.

President Obama has tough standards to live up to. Bush has kept the United States free from a terrorist attack since 9/11. He has abolished two oppressive regimes and tackled international crises in all corners of the globe, from terrorism to nuclear proliferation. Bush lowered taxes for everyone in the United States and promoted free trade throughout the western hemisphere. And he fought to raise standards in schools.

Bush made bold decisions that he knew would be unpopular, even within his own party. He not only defended freedom, but promoted it as a long term strategy for world peace and a higher standard of living for all nations. He took a lot of heat for how he went about it, but the world is a better place in the long term as a result of the decisions and sacrifices taken by the Bush administration. Many tasks stand unaccomplished, but overall, I would argue the Bush presidency has been a net gain.

I hope a few of his critics realize he was not so bad in the coming years. I also hope Obama seeks to build on the work done by the Bush administration where possible, instead of tearing it down. Only time will tell.

Until we meet again, goodbye!