Reflections on the Bush Legacy and a call for prayer

By: Chris Johnson

Personal note:

I found the following email from the Free Congress Foundation very helpful. It’s entitled “Reflections on the Bush Legacy.”

As President Bush’s Administration comes to an end, he is being chewed up and spit out by the mainstream media while the same media makes President-elect Obama appear to be the next Abraham Lincoln.

I found this article to be well-balanced and brief. It’s author is the late Paul M. Weyrich. Mr. Weyrich was chairman and CEO of the Free Congress Foundation. He died recently and suddenly on December 18, 2008. These observations were compiled from his recent writings.

Reflections on the Bush Legacy
By Paul M. Weyrich

January 13, 2008

As President Bush prepares to leave office, a review of his eight years as the nation’s chief executive is in order. While the end of his presidency has been overshadowed by economic problems and angry calls from the left about certain aspects of the war against radical Islam, Bush did have some success which should be recognized.

His greatest success in office came when he remained faithful to his principles – namely, his belief in the sanctity of human life. When, in 2001, the issue of scientific research on embryonic life came to the forefront, Bush wisely held the line on federal funding for the destruction of human embryos not already in use, in spite of calls from many that he was “anti-science.” Six years later he vetoed the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, which would have permitted public financing of human embryonic stem cell research.

When vacancies appeared on the Supreme Court, Bush was able to find nominees who were highly qualified and who respected the Constitution, as written, to be the law of the land. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito have proven to be sound scholars, as well as serious and thoughtful Justices who respect the limits placed upon their branch of government by the Constitution. In other words, they have not tried to legislate ideologically from the bench nor attempt some sort of social or cultural engineering through the law.

One other success stands out. Bush frequently and consistently supported faith-based non-profit and voluntary organizations within American society. He recognized that the role they play in local communities, and at state and national levels, forms part of the bedrock of America. This is a theme as old as the country itself, but after the secularist assault on faith in the 20th Century, many of these groups struggled. Now more people recognize the services and resources these organizations contribute to those in need and, especially in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, how valuable they are.

In spite of the positive impact of these presidential decisions, there were others which have affected the country adversely. The most prominent of these is Bush’s recklessness in fiscal policy. He did not veto a single budget bill in his first term, though many were saddled with pork and unnecessary spending. He did not begin to veto spending bills until 2007. In fact, in his entire eight years Bush only used his veto power twelve times. Compare this to his three predecessors: Ronald W. Reagan vetoed 78 bills, George H. W. Bush vetoed 44, and Bill Clinton used his veto 37 times. As a result, both the federal deficit and the national debt have ballooned to unsustainable levels.

Along the same lines, Bush enacted No Child Left Behind legislation intended to standardize and improve American education but which in fact removed much of what remained of local control and oversight and instead threw millions of taxpayer dollars at public schools which need serious restructuring, not more money. While some states have improved student test scores, the means of achieving such results often have been devious and cunning.

Bush also signed the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act into law in 2003. The program, which provides prescription drugs for the elderly on Medicare, is another massive entitlement program that we cannot afford. The cost of the first ten years of the program has been estimated at $1.2 trillion and counting. And since few government programs, once created, ever decrease in size, one can expect the costs of Medicare prescription drugs to rise much higher in the future, unfairly straining the finances of future American generations.

Finally, in recent months Bush has overseen one of the largest federal interventions into the marketplace in modern memory. His administration has nationalized banks and other parts of the financial services and housing industries and seriously has considered nationalizing parts of the automobile industry. Because of the precedent this has set, others now are trying to grab a piece of the federal pie. Most prominent among these are states which do not want to face the difficult political decision of balancing their budgets, though some cities have moved in on the act as well.

The one question hanging over President Bush’s legacy is the result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It certainly is true that since going into both countries the United States has not been attacked by radical Islamic terrorists, and Bush deserves credit for this. However, both wars are unresolved. Until they are it is impossible to determine whether each country will be better off than it was beforehand or whether we will have disrupted al Qaeda’s network enough to prevent another attack upon U.S. soil. President-elect Obama must see that we do not leave either country as we did Vietnam, abandoning our allies and without anything positive to show for our involvement and loss of life. We must win and establish capable governments in our wake, though the sooner this is accomplished the better.

President Bush’s legacy, then, is a mixed one. On the fundamental issues of human life and freedom of religion he has been a great leader. On economic and education issues the record is rather unflattering. And on the major foreign policy issue of his presidency, history has yet to write the final chapter.

==================
I thought it appropriate to follow this account with a prayer letter from Carol Bauer, wife of Gary Bauer, President of Campaign for Working Families. Bauer, too, was an admirer of the late Paul Weyrich. This thoughtful prayer brings great focus and caring relative to prayer needs for the outgoing and incoming President.

Capital Prayer Alert

With the holidays behind us, I hope that the season found you comforted by the eternal truths of our shared faith. Family times, and a laser-like focus on the Gift of God offered to us with the birth of His son, sustain as we move into 2009.

Here in Washington, the political landscape is changing before our eyes. Most of the focus is on the exiting President Bush and the incoming President-elect Obama. But all through the halls of Congress and the Cabinet offices, similar changes are occurring as defeated members of Congress closed up their offices and incoming members assemble staffs and get ready to hit the ground running. Throughout the Executive branch, political appointees are packing their bags and providing transitional briefings to those in the incoming administration who will hold their jobs.

It is a time when those headed out of office ponder their legacies and those taking over are confronted with a big dose of reality. The burden of the presidency is lifted from the shoulders of George Bush, and it begins to settle on the shoulders of Barack Obama. Soaring campaign rhetoric sprinkled with outsized promises of change come face to face with the reality of a dangerous and complicated world. Simple solutions are non-existent. Difficult choices fraught with unintended consequences await.

Please pray for George Bush as he departs Washington for life back in Texas. Thank God for the decisions he has made that have kept our country safe after the 9/ll attacks. And pray that history will treat his leadership of the free world and his commitment to health issues in Africa more kindly than those in the media who constantly criticized Bush.

Also pray for incoming President Barack Obama. Ask God to provide him with wise counsel as he assumes the burdens and awesome responsibilities of being president of the greatest nation on earth. Pray that he will quickly develop the ability to make the right decisions that will continue to keep our country safe. Ask God to protect Obama and his family from physical harm.

Finally, ask God to comfort those who have served our nation well but are now leaving government. Pray that those who have been on the front lines defending the American family, upholding our faith heritage and supporting our military will find other avenues in public life to continue to be heard. And for those taking their places, pray that their policies and decisions will not undermine the values on which our nation was founded.

The days ahead present an interesting challenge for conservatives. Ask God to guide the congressional leadership team as it carves out its new role in the changing sands of Washington. Pray that its introspection and agenda setting would yield results. Thank our Heavenly Father for the excellent relationships Gary has honed over the years with this new leadership group. And pray that these relationships will pave the way for cooperative efforts that make a difference.

Ask God to guide those in and out of government as they craft a message based on the right principles and the most effective words and actions to present that message. Finally, pray that any discouragement would be replaced with a desire to boldly take on the challenge of leadership!
http://www.cwfpac.com/
====================

And looking ahead:

By popular demand, we are showing “Fireproof” at least one more time.

See below for a few more details.

Friday, January 16, 2008
At 7:00 pm at 203 E. Main Street, Fremont, Michigan

“Fireproof”
(at the first showing on New Year’s Eve, we had 125 in attendance)
(at the second showing on New Year’s Eve there were 50 in attendance)

Personal note in closing:

First, regarding “Fireproof.” This movie is a must see if there ever was one. Some are indicating they would like to see it again.
Others are saying they would like to come and bring a friend(s).
It isn’t available for release in DVD until January 27.

There is really something very special about seeing this kind of powerful Christian movie in community!

That’s why we have decided to show it at least one more time!

In closing, after the movie on New Year’s Eve, we asked you to indicate whether you were interested in receiving this kind of
update or invitation. We told you how important it was for us to spread the word by word of mouth!

Please join us in praying that this will be another evening where God is glorified and His people are encouraged to live for
Him!

Begin to tell others today! If you want to respond back to us telling us of your intentions, that helps us too!!

Thanks and may God bless you!

Yours in Christ’s service,
Bill Johnson, president
American Decency Association

The movie is free.
Refreshments will be available.

=================
To donate online:
https://americandecency.org/folder.php?f=donate
=============================

American Decency Association
Bill Johnson, President
P.O. Box 202
Fremont, MI 49412
ph: 231-924-4050
https://americandecency.org

---