[StBernard] Green: Obama is a victim of Bush's failed promises

[Westley Annis]

Green: Obama is a victim of Bush's failed promises

By CHUCK GREEN
Columnist
Published: Sunday, February 7, 2010 11:14 AM MST
Barack Obama is setting a record-setting number of records during his first
year in office.

Largest budget ever. Largest deficit ever. Largest number of broken promises
ever. Most self-serving speeches ever. Largest number of agenda-setting
failures ever. Fastest dive in popularity ever.

Wow. Talk about change.

Just one year ago, fresh from his inauguration celebrations, President Obama
was flying high. After one of the nation's most inspiring political
campaigns, the election of America's first black president had captured the
hopes and dreams of millions. To his devout followers, it was inconceivable
that a year later his administration would be gripped in self-imposed
crisis.

Of course, they don't see it as self imposed. It's all George Bush's fault.

George Bush, who doesn't have a vote in Congress and who no longer occupies
the White House, is to blame for it all.

He broke Obama's promise to put all bills on the White House web site for
five days before signing them.

He broke Obama's promise to have the congressional health care negotiations
broadcast live on C-SPAN.

He broke Obama's promise to end earmarks.

He broke Obama's promise to keep unemployment from rising above 8 percent.

He broke Obama's promise to close the detention center at Guantanamo in the
first year.

He broke Obama's promise to make peace with direct, no pre-condition talks
with America's most hate-filled enemies during his first year in office,
ushering in a new era of global cooperation.

He broke Obama's promise to end the hiring of former lobbyists into high
White House jobs.

He broke Obama's promise to end no-compete contracts with the government.

He broke Obama's promise to disclose the names of all attendees at closed
White House meetings.

He broke Obama's promise for a new era of bipartisan cooperation in all
matters.

He broke Obama's promise to have chosen a home church to attend Sunday
services with his family by Easter of last year.

Yes, it's all George Bush's fault. President Obama is nothing more than a
puppet in the never-ending, failed Bush administration.

If only George Bush wasn't still in charge, all of President Obama's
problems would be solved. His promises would have been kept, the economy
would be back on track, Iran would have stopped its work on developing a
nuclear bomb and would be negotiating a peace treaty with Israel, North
Korea would have ended its tyrannical regime, and integrity would have been
restored to the federal government.

Oh, and did I mention what it would be like if the Democrats, under the
leadership of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, didn't have the heavy yoke of
George Bush around their necks. There would be no earmarks, no closed-door
drafting of bills, no increase in deficit spending, no special-interest
influence (unions), no vote buying (Nebraska, Louisiana).

 If only George Bush wasn't still in charge, we'd have real change by now.

All the broken promises, all the failed legislation and delay (health care
reform, immigration reform) is not President Obama's fault or the fault of
the Democrat-controlled Congress. It's all George Bush's fault.

Take for example the decision of Eric Holder, the president's attorney
general, to hold terrorists' trials in New York City. Or his decision to try
the Christmas Day underpants bomber as a civilian.

Two disastrous decisions.

Certainly those were bad judgments based on poor advice from George Bush.

Need more proof?

You might recall that when Scott Brown won last month's election to the U.S.
Senate from Massachusetts, capturing "the Ted Kennedy seat," President Obama
said that Brown's victory was the result of the same voter anger that
propelled Obama into office in 2008. People were still angry about George
Bush and the policies of the past 10 years, and they wanted change.

Yes, according to the president, the voter rebellion in Massachusetts last
month was George Bush's fault.

Therefore, in retaliation, they elected a Republican to the Ted Kennedy
seat, ending a half-century of domination by Democrats.

It is all George Bush's fault.

Will the failed administration of George Bush ever end, and the time for
hope and change ever arrive?

Will President Obama ever accept responsibility for something - anything?

Chuck Green, veteran Colorado journalist and former editor-in-chief of The
Denver Post, syndicates a statewide column and is at chuckgreencolo at msn.com