President Bush.

The left loves to beat the drum of the Bush's poll numbers. There is no doubt that the constant negative reporting from Iraq and none of the progress, makes people tire of this war and brings down Bush's poll numbers. Many have accused me of being a cheerleader for Bush, although I rarely post on him. But when I was looking through my archives for something I found this one I posted back in January of 2005. I think I will re-post it. I think Bush deserves it since there is this completely false picture painted of him from the left.

During the first Inaugural of President Bush most conservatives were just relieved to be rid of Clinton at last. But Texans were ecstatic!!!! Not only did we suffer so during the Clinton years but we had to suffer through Texas Governor Ann Richards as well. When George Bush decided to run against Richards no one thought he could win. I didn't think he could win. Richards was very popular, extremely funny, and witty. But policy wise, she was a classic left wing liberal. Wrong on everything.

I am not a bumper sticker kind of girl. I don't like them on my car. But I put those Bush stickers all over my mini van. I did what I could for the campaign ( I had 3 little ones at the time) and I told whoever would listen to vote for Bush. It was a nasty and dirty fight and the night Bush won was almost as sweet as when he later won the Presidency. The next day I made a poster that said "There is a God, George won!!" and taped it to the back window of my van. SOOOOO unlike me. But I was so happy.

The Clinton years had depressed me. It made me realize that Americans could be charmed away from the real issues. It made me realize what a visual star quality Americans liked now and the issues, they felt, never really changed much. And sometimes it seems that way. But changes do take place, just at a very slow pace. The democrats were very good at increasing taxes slowly and in different ways, where many Americans didn't realize how much of their paycheck was flying out the door to the government. Reagan shook us awake on that one. But it took his star quality to get there as well.

Bush had something more than star quality though. Bush had been a regular guy. Liberals like to paint him as part of American royalty like the Kennedys, but it was so different for Bush. Growing up in Midland Texas no one gets the feeling that your a part of royalty even if your dad is in the Senate.

I'll tell a personal story that I think reveals a lot about Bush. The year before Bush ran for Governor I was driving over with my best friend to her mom's house who happened to live in the same neighborhood as Bush. The houses are expensive in this area. But not because of how big or plush they are, they look like normal middle class homes, but because of the location the land is very expensive. We passed by Bush's home and my friend said. "You know what is interesting? My mom says she sees George Bush mowing his lawn. You would think the son of a former President would hire someone to do that." Right then I was impressed with that simple thing that all of us do. Mow our lawn. I am sure Bush could have afforded it, but that is the kind of guy he is. His home in Crawford is big but I have seen pictures of the inside, and you can tell from the outside, it is not fancy or over adorned. It looks like a home you or I might have. No one can ever accuse Bush of being aloof or elite, no matter how much money he has. Part of the reason I think he won is that people sensed that he was more like us (certainly more than Kerry) and his down to earth quality was real.

So I watched every single part of Bush's first Inaugural. But his Inaugural address impressed me so much I kept a copy of it in my hope chest.
Here are my two favorite excerpts.

"...The stakes for America are never small. If our country does not lead the cause of freedom, it will not be led. If we do not turn the hearts of children toward knowledge and character, we will lose their gifts and undermine their idealism. If we permit our economy to drift and decline, the vulnerable will suffer most."

The "cause of freedom" now seem prophetic. At last the conversation is at least being discussed regarding the hearts and character of our children. And Bush did pull us out of recession that threatened our economy and considering what happened 8 months after he took office, it is a miracle that it was achieved.

But the quote Bush sited towards the end of his speech and then referred to at the end is the one that touched my heart. First Bush said:

"After the Declaration Of Independence was signed, Virginia statesman John Page wrote to Thomas Jefferson: "We know the race is not to the swift nor the Battle to the Strong. Do you not think an Angel rides in the Whirlwind and directs this Storm?"

And then a few paragraphs later Bush ended with this:

We are not this story's author who fills time and eternity with his purpose. Yet his purpose is achieved in our duty; and our duty is fulfilled in service to one another.

Never tiring, never yielding, never finishing, we renew that purpose today: to make our country more just and generous; to affirm the dignity of our lives and every life.

The work continues. This story goes on. And an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm."


Beautiful.