Hoofd-Nederland
31-05-2006, 02:27
Let me put this out right now, I disapprove immensely of Bush, but don't let me influence you. This poll isn't biased, but please, give reasons if you post, not just: "Bush sucks ass, he needs to go", or "Bush is god" (not trying to offend anyone).
So, just want to get an idea of what the world thinks.
Average. It's too early to judge the ramifications of his policies both until he leaves office and there is some time for them to play out. Even the defining moments of his presidency, 9/11 and Iraq, have only occured within the past 5 years...barely more than one term's length. It took nearly 15 years after WWII for Germany and Japan to really emerge as viable nations, and another decade for them to emerge as leaders. We've only been in Iraq for 3 and Afghanistan for 5, so I'm going to wait and see how things turn out.
The economy's decent, and the only real problem with it is the high price of oil and other commodities... which are in themselves a product of a healthy world economy more than anything. I give Bush credit for helping revive the economy post 9/11 through his tax policies and for successfully reforming corporate law in the wake of Enron, and criticize him for reckless spending and placing ideology before rationality.
Right now, the only problem I have with Bush is the money being wasted on the pork-barrel corn ethanol projects and the ridiculous, Soviet-style command economy surrounding that industry. At the same time, he deserves credit for increasing spending on other, viable alternative energy and calling for serious research and development of alternatives.
Overall, he's a mixed bag that will require the passage of time to judge.