Lets See Who Thinks These Were Truly Achievements

TW: Fred Barnes would make my list of least respected right-wing pundits, he has been at it for a long time yet continues to receive compensation despite his ignorance. Here he summarizes ten "great achievements" of the Bush presidency. They are:

1) Rejection of the Kyoto accords and general skepticism towards global warming
2) Propagation of "enhanced interrogation techniques" aka torture
3) Pushing executive power to new limits
4) "Unswerving support for Israel"
5) Creating the No child left behind legislation
6) The promotion of democracy internationally
7) Supporting the medicare prescription act
8) Naming Alito and Roberts to the SCOTUS
9) Improving relations with certain Asian nations (Korea, Japan, Australia, India)
10) The surge in Iraq

I would argue #1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 10 are either exactly what we should not have done (#1, 2, 3, 4, 8) or incredibly poorly executed actions leaving us worse off than before (6 and 10, without initiating the war in Iraq there would have been no need for a surge a fact usually left off by the right-wing).

Items #5 and #7 are at best pushes. NCLB remains a highly dubious initiative and the medicare act perpetuates discriminatory benefits for elderly while digging our fiscal hole even deeper.

#9 fine, improving relations was a concept frequently left off the Bush agenda but all of those East Asian nations were eager to hedge their bets relative to an emerging China.

And lets not forget what is not on the list: economic success of any sort NONE!

Fundamentally, Barnes columns frames the yawning gap between the right-wing and where this country should be headed. Lets see the list as it could have been:

1) US ratifies Kyoto and works with other leading nations to address global warming
2) US despite 9/11 reacts with maturity reflective of the world's greatest power and upholds its cherished liberties whilst combating terrorism
3) Bush works with Congress and the courts to balance the needs of the GWOT with the Constitution
4) US engages in balanced diplomacy in the Middle East protecting Israel's fundamental right to exist and original borders while encouraging a fair settlement to the Palestinian issue
5) Creating the No child left behind legislation
6) While promoting democracy internationally where relevant the US engages in multi-lateral initiatives to promote economic success, free trade, and good governance
7) Supporting the medicare prescription act while addressing the fiscal challenges faced by the US, spending was reduced on ???.
8) Moderates were named to the SCOTUS
9) Improving relations with certain Asian nations (Korea, Japan, Australia, India) and Africa and South Asia and Europe etc.
10) The US continued to constrain Saddam Hussein while multi-laterally defeating the Taliban and capturing Osama Bin Laden at Tora Bora etc.

Perhaps we will do better this time
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/015/986rockt.asp