Bush, the Worst President Ever? Not.

Americans with partisan political views never cease to amaze me. Even after Obama was elected people are still filled with hatred over the two terms of President George W. Bush. Yet, when viewed historically, Bush can't be considered the worst president ever by anyone who is intellectually honest. Let's look at some other candidates.

The creation of the Department of Homeland security was in full accord with the Constitution. Other "homeland security" measures taken by previous presidents are not. How would you feel today if an ethnic minority, say young men of middle eastern decent, were targeted? What if 110,000 of them were excluded from an entire coastline? And, what if they were placed in camps under the watchful eyes of the US Army? Lest we forget, FDR did just that with Japanese Nationals, and Americans of Japanese decent. (Japanese American internment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Or, for those interested in the rule of law and the Bush administration, how about the suspension of the privilege of Habeas Corpus? President Lincoln, the Great Emancipator, did just that as he marched troops into Maryland on multiple occasions.

Imagine if todays President did such a thing. How great would the outcry be if elements of the Minnesota National Guard were sent to Texas to ensure the outcome of a statewide election? What if they arrested anyone critical of the government? What if those people were imprisoned without trial on an island in New York? President Lincoln did all of these things in Maryland and across the Union and yet he is hailed as one of our greatest Presidents of all time. (Abraham Lincoln and Maryland - Abraham Lincoln's Classroom; Teaching American History in Maryland - Documents for the Classroom - Maryland State Archives; The American Gulag by Thomas DiLorenzo)

And, since we are a nation that will judge our politicians as much by what they say as what they do, consider this. George Bush is often vilified because he commented that a dictatorship would be easier. Or, let's not forget the pronunciation wars over the word “nuclear”. What would we say and think if he threatened to summarily execute anyone not in compliance with the law?

President Jackson was furious over South Carolina's attempt to nullify a federal tariff in 1850. He was so angry that he “threatened to lead an army to South Carolina and hang any man who refused to obey the law.” (Henry Clay - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Partisanship is subjective. But, before we condemn a person to the trash heap of history, let's look at history first.