Defending the President

I used to be quite anti-Bush. However, this was before I read anything by Milton Friedman and before my newspaper of choice became the Wall Street Journal. Now when I go out to parties or meet new people or hang out with friends, I try to tell them why outright hatred of the president is unmerited. In a bid to convince more people of this fact, I have created an easy to follow guide to why George W. Bush is not the worst president:

1) Supply-Side Economics – Conventional wisdom and many economists have scoffed at the concept of this theory. However, Art Laffer provided economics with a great theory for taxation (the Laffer curve – cutting taxes can bring in more revenue). His wisdom has found its way into the Bush administration who has lowered taxes considerably. These lower taxes have actually brought in MORE tax revenue (as the theory would predict). In fact, growth in tax revenue (11.4%) is at highest level in twenty-five years. Add a booming economy (2005 GDP growth – 4.4%) and you have a President who has helped move America more in the direction of economic freedom.

2) Israel – Unlike Clinton, he knows that you cannot negotiate with terrorists. This was a hard one to swallow for me because I believe diplomacy is essential between democracies. However, the world is facing a big threat in the Middle East. Clinton's assumption for negotiations was that Arab anger was over occupation. However, today's events where Hizbollah and Hamas have attacked from unoccupied land disproves this assumption. These groups are committed to the destruction of all Western interests. The only response should be self-defense; this is why Bush has allowed Israel to do just that.

3) War on Terror – While I believe that the invasion of Iraq was misguided, I understand why Mr. Bush went there. Iraq supported terrorism in the Middle East. My belief was that the costs outweighed the benefits of an Iraqi invasion. I think today's events are proving this. With that said, the Iraq adventure would be worth it if we continued the fight with a war against Iran and Syria. It would show the world that we are serious in our fight against terrorism. This fight would be a lot easier if Europe was behind us.

4) Stem Cell Research – The debate of stem cells has been incomplete. Most people who talk about this issue do not realize that stem cell research is legal. The only thing that Mr. Bush has made sure of is that FEDERAL money is not used for this research. I understand this especially considering, as a libertarian, the government should stay out of the business of most things. Many Americans believe stem cell research is immoral and while I disagree with them, I understand them. Furthermore, considering that government spending is the spending of every Americans' hard-earned money, Mr. Bush is telling his constituents that he will not spend their money on things that they see as immoral. So where do I believe stem cell research should go? The private sector. The Cato Institute put it best with the following: "By its very nature, government politicizes everything it touches. Science is no exception. Stem cell research needs neither government money nor politics. It is better is to get the government out and let the private sector continue its good work. Those people calling for increased funding could take out their checkbooks and support it. Those who oppose embryonic stem cell research would not be forced to pay for it."

5) Social Security – Mr. Bush is trying his best to remedy the coming doom of the Baby Boomer's retirement effect on Social Security. However, Democrats have blocked any attempt to fix Social Security. Social Security is a policy that destroys economic freedom. It forces everyone to give money to the government who will save it for them in low-yielding bonds until they are 65. It also gives politicians access to raiding social security to pay for other things. Mr. Bush proposes that workers be given the CHOICE to put money into an account that will yield returns that mirror such devices as the US stock market. For example, "For the 129-year period of 1872 through 2000, average real return on the S&P 500 was 8.8 percent per year." This means that the money you contribute to your personal retirement account (if it was linked to S&P growth), would double every eight years. Not bad!

"I believe the best way to achieve this goal (of fixing Social Security) is to give younger workers the option, the opportunity if they so choose, of putting a portion of their payroll taxes into a voluntary personal retirement account."- George Bush, April 28, 2005

6) Affirmative Action – The Bush administration is against and this is a simple issue. While, I used to support it, affirmative action is the ultimate policy that strips citizens of its freedom (to hire and admit who they want). Can we not trust people not be racist? Are we creating a racist society by telling people that they MUST hire black people? The government has done enough harm to the black community in the past, it should leave them alone from now on. Frederick Douglas put it best with: "What shall we do with the Negro? I have had but one answer from the beginning. Do nothing with us! Your doing with us has already played the mischief with us! Do nothing with us...just let him alone! Your interference is doing him a positive injury!"

There are definitely things I do not like about the president but there are also many places where we agree. I think the American public would do a great service to the country by looking at all the issues and not just say, "Bush is a terrorist!"