HW is one of my favorite presidents of all time, he was motivated by what was decent, rather than chasing the political headline.

1. Passed the ADA over the objection of his traditional allies in the business wing.
2. Swallowed pride and signed a tax increase rather than shutdown the government, something that ultimately ended his career.
3. Navigated the end of the Cold War with the deft of only someone with a great deal of understanding and attention to detail.
4. Led the ultimate example of the power of using international organizations and pressure to end a crisis. Probably the zenith of the post-war world and real American power.
5. Believed in arms control
6. Saw environmental problems like mercury in the air, and worked to fix them.
7. In defeat, he embraced his opponent leading to a 30 year friendship. He never spoke of locking up a political adversary. Three days before he died, Barack Obama visited him, speaking to the universal appeal of the man.

The loss of the Great Depression/WWII generation is a disaster for this country, replaced by self interested baby boomers who approach everything with the "I got mine" mindset. HW's generation survived the depression, fought fascism, built the social safety net, and international institutions to promote stability, because they'd seen what happens when those things don't exist.

Now everything is a cynical joke, and we're run by an internet troll.

RIP







[Post edited by mpcsu at 12/01/2018 1:55PM]