It was heartening to see a couple of polls come out recently showing that, for the first time in a long time, Americans trust the Democrats more than the Republicans on the economy. It’s insane that this can come as a surprise, and that these two parties are even running as close to one another as they are is absurd. Trusting the Republicans more on the economy at this point is like trusting Sean Combs to be your babysitter.
For decades now, the Republican Party has built its electoral success on myths and lies. Ronald Reagan was the last Republican president who your average person would say left the country better off than he found it. I wouldn’t say that, for a range of ideological reasons, but I’m a liberal. I’m ready to admit, however, that your average person would say that about him.
But that’s a long, long time ago now. You have to be in your fifties at least to have any memory of it. But the last three Republican presidents—Bush, Bush, and Trump—have been disasters.
I get what you’re saying in general, but I’m not sure why Bush Sr gets put in the same category. Sure there was a recession and scandal or two, but these were pretty minor overall, and it was followed soon after by one of the most successful economic periods in US history, it’s hard to argue his presidency was a disaster, and in the same context as Bush Jr and Trump
GWH Bush’s issue was that he didn’t really do anything. He always wanted to be president, and nakedly chased that ambition for years. EVERYBODY in DC knew he was after the job. When he got it, his objective was met, his dream fulfilled, and he was done.
He had his 100 Hour War in Kuwait, and he was quoted by insiders as believing that alone would get him reelected, and he didn’t need to campaign much, which he hated to do. Meanwhile, both Clinton and Perot were running very enthusiastic campaigns.
He also pardoned all the traitors in the Iran-Contra Scandal, under the advice of Bill Barr.
So he got beat, because he got lazy and tired, and he didn’t have any real positives to point to.