"The ban has been in existence for 22 years, pioneered by Jesse Helms, resisted by the first Bush, signed into law by Bill Clinton, legislatively repealed by George W. Bush and now administratively ended by Barack Obama."
Notice that it was Bill Clinton that signed this regressive piece of legislation into law, and notice that it was George Bush the elder that resisted it, and George W. Bush who actually began the repeal process. It's not surprising that President Obama is on board with doing the right thing in this matter, but in reality, it was President George W. Bush that did all of the heavy lifting.
Just making sure credit is parcelled out appropriately.
you think you might be stretching a little bit here? Bush may have repealed the bad prohibition, but Obama ended it. If Bush really cared about this that much he wouldve made sure it was taken care of when he was still in office. just like we might be saying the same thing about Obama if he doesnt start taking his gay constituency more seriously...
ReplyDeleteIts easy for us to fall into camps about I hate this person because of this or I love this person because of that, but one of the greatest advantages of Christianity (and one of the key tenets that is being eroded away in our contemporary Christianity) is the ability to look at people not as issues but as real flesh and blood saints and sinners. I believe Bush tried to do the right thing many times, but it doesn't mean he did and ignorance shouldn't pardon a servant in dereliction of duty. I do believe he deserves to be shown as doing right here if you believe this policy is just. He did more about Africa than most presidents (according to the BBC* even). Bush's administration is a lesson in doing "the right thing" and how rightness or wrongness based on our own judgement is not always the best way to go.
ReplyDeleteWith regards to your last comment. Why should Obama start taking the gay constituency more seriously? He should do what is in the best interest of all Americans which is acknowledgment of homosexual civil unions, monetary and insurance reform when it comes to partners, and the equal treatment under the law of all alliances of people. But these issues are hardly things that only the gay community favors. These things are things that all Americans favor. The dangerous thing is when any group or constituency views themselves as the only voice in the American political world. All constituencies should see themselves as a voice among the many and each person should see himself or herself as a voice amid the constituency.
* http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7831460.stm
G: Stretching increases flexibility.
ReplyDeleteP: I like the part about the tunnel vision that constituency groups can get.
Good management spends a lot of time weighing costs and benefits. Leadership, like life, is a great balancing act.
As Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons might say about George W: "Worst President Ever!"
ReplyDeleteI don't know. Andrew Johnson was pretty bad.
ReplyDelete