In honor of 41, today we're in a kinder, gentler mood. Let's hope it works better than voodoo economics!
The passing of George Herbert Walker Bush awakened something that seemed lost in the American experience of the last few years.
It's called decency. Pay attention quick, because it'll probably return to it's coma the day after the late president is laid to rest.
Bush the First was the last in a number of ways. He was the last president to serve our country in war. He was the last president to lose a re-election bid. He was the last president to have to contend with the Soviet Union. You might say he was the last actual Republican.
During his term, the United States became the world's super power. That caused him to call for a New World Order which sounded real good at the time.
With a year left in his first term, he looked like a shoe-in for a second. Unfortunately a recession hit many Americans hard and a certifiably wacky runt from Texas decided to bankroll a third party presidential run.
Ross Perot was able to siphon enough votes from Bush with his attacks on NAFTA and the deficit to sway the election for Bill Clinton.
Clinton managed to turn the Democratic party into Republican light which of course caused the Republican party to retreat further right into whatever it is today.
Not the party of George Herbert Walker Bush.
I will not claim to be a fan of Bush the 1st, although he looks much better in hindsight. I didn't vote for him for Vice President in 1980 and 1984, and I didn't vote for him to be president in 1988.
I'd like to point out I didn't vote for Dukakis in 1988, either. I lived in Atlanta, host to the Democratic convention, and used my IBM media credentials to score a press pass. After viewing most of that circus, I wasn't too enthusiastic about supporting their candidate.
In many ways, again with hindsight, I kind of wish he'd won re-election. Hear me out.
Clinton pushed his party to the right. All of his economic policies were to the right of Richard Nixon. I could accept Reagan and Bush being to the right of Nixon, but not a Democrat.
If Bush had been re-elected, it's doubtful there would have been a Republican Contract on America, no Newt Gingrich, and no Fox News. Yes, Roger Ailes dreamed up Fox News as a direct response to a Bill Clinton presidency.
It's also doubtful there'd have been a Bush II in 2000 because there would have been no Clinton scandals or an Al Gore to run against.
There's a thousand different points that could be different in our world. I'm encouraged that the late president was offended by today's politics as usual. His disgust with the present should inspire us to be better.
I'm happy to point out Bush died with the knowledge he was no longer the father of the worst White House occupant in our history. He seemed like a decent guy and no decent guy should die with that on his conscience.