The Death of President George H. W. Bush During A Bush League Presidency:  Oh How A Mighty Nation Has Fallen. 

We should all know what the term “bush league” refers to but for those uninitiated in the patois of the common man I’ll set out a definition I found that seems to encompass it: “mean, petty, unprofessional,” 1906, from baseball slang for the small-town baseball clubs below the minor league where talent was developed (by 1903), from bush (n.) in the slang sense of “rural, provincial,” which originally was not a value judgment.”

True, it may not have been a value judgment but today it is clearly a pejorative. one. Now according to the Oxford Dictionary it means” “Not of the highest quality or sophistication; second-rate.”  Merriam-Webster has it: “being of an inferior class or group of its kind marked by a lack of sophistication or professionalism.” It is in the synonyms that the true meaning can be discerned: “bad, bastard, bush, crummy, deficient, dissatisfactory, ill, inferior, lame, lousy, . . . wretched, wrong.”

The tributes to President George H.W. Bush have been numerous. One I liked that seemed to describe him well suggested that the best adjective that could describe him was prudent. Another, was offered by Vice President Pence whose son  recently “made his first tailhook landing as a Marine aviator on the U.S.S. George Herbert Walker Bush” who said “There was a kindness about the man that was evident to everyone who ever met him. All his years in public service were characterized by kindness, modesty, and patriotism.”

I must digress a moment. I woke up at a friend’s home on Drakes Island, Maine, on June 12, 2012. I walked into their living room to get my morning cup of coffee and saw a magnificent sight that I will never forget. The USS George HW Bush aircraft carrier was sitting off shore taking up a good chunk of the horizon. It had come to bring President Bush on board.

Think of that: “kindness, modesty and patriotism” and cast you eyes on the present holder of that office.  You can honestly describe that person by using the antonyms of those words: “cruel, arrogant, brash, or imprudent, and self dealing.” Oh how a mighty nation has fallen.

Remember Trump’s speech at the United Nations in September, 2018 when he said: “In less than two years, my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country, . . . .”  which was met with laughter; or his comment about himself, “nobody’s ever done a better job than I’m doing as president.”

Certainly Trump never had his mother tell him not to talk about himself while it was well-know by those who knew him that Bush’s mother told him not to brag. Despite entreaties he refused to write an autobiography about his life; the other guy has written twelve which one person who tried to read them all told us “I encountered a world where bragging is breathing and insulting is talking, where repetition and contradiction come standard, where vengefulness and insecurity erupt at random.”

Well, that’s what some wanted for America. They wanted a guy who said “I have nothing to do with Russia – no deals” as he pushed to get Putin about whom he had nothing but kind words to let him build a tower in Moscow; now after iron clad proof showed that he did have dealings in Russia he tells us he’s a business man and that “everybody knows” he had deals there.

How did this happen that we went from a war hero type president to a fake draft dodger? I read one article where I believe the writer came close to hitting the nail on the head. He wrote: “The Post’s George F. Will once remarked, after Reagan’s ascendancy, that Barry Goldwater won in 1964; “it just took 16 years to count the votes.” Likewise, Buchanan won in 1992; it just took 24 years to count the votes.”

Preceding that remark he noted how Patrick J. Buchanon in part because of Bush’s raising taxes despite his promise not to do so ran against him for president in 1992. Buchanon received about one-third of the votes cast in the primaries, a little less than 3 million, but won none of those contests. His attacks on Bush brought about the candidacy of Ross Perot who would gain 19% of the popular vote to Bush’s 37% to Clinton’s 42%. Many of Buchanan’s themes were echoed by Trump.

Buchanon spoke at the Republican national convention that nominated President Bush ending his speech with these words: “And as those boys took back the streets of Los Angeles, block by block, my friends, we must take back our cities, and take back our culture, and take back our country.” The Republicans had held the presidency for 12 years. It led many to believe that if the country had been lost under the Republicans perhaps someone else should be given a chance.

What happened in 1992 was the first step on the road to our present state of affairs. A modest president was replaced by one who ended up being impeached for his carnal acts. Clinton having lowered the standards for America by his tawdry behavior made it acceptable for some to vote for Trump who was everything bad about Clinton magnified many times over.

Unlike the present holder of the office who did nothing for the nation before being elected, George H. W. Bush served our nation well in combat, as a congressman, the UN ambassador, our representative in China, director of the CIA, vice-president and president. He was humble, self-effacing, honest and courageous. He did mostly a good job in his quiet way attempting to carry on a modified Reagan standard. May he rest in peace.

Sadly this type of presidency was not what America wanted; it wanted pizzazz and ended up with a pisser.

 Oh how a mighty nation has fallen!

 

34 Comments

  1. https://www.pressherald.com/2018/12/05/saudi-backed-lobbyist-paid-for-500-rooms-at-trumps-d-c-hotel-just-after-election/

    Saudi-backed lobbyist paid for 500 rooms at Trump’s D.C. hotel just after election
    The bookings were for an unorthodox campaign that offered U.S. military veterans a free trip to Washington if they went to Capitol Hill to lobby against a law the Saudis opposed.
    BY DAVID A. FAHRENTHOLD AND JONATHAN O’CONNELLTHE WASHINGTON POST

  2. Trump decisive? Playing games with the market after announcing a freeze(“I’m really a tariff guy”). Doesn’t give a shit about intellectual property rights. I’m sure American Super Conductor is real happy.

    Disgraceful reaction to the murdering prince to save his son-in-law’s hope for a loan.

    Judiciary? I never heard of a chief justice coming out battling a president who has demeaned their independence. This, not from some leftist, but Roberts.

    Siding with a neo tsarist and demigod s to curry favor for proposed hotels. Sides with murderers against capitalist democracies.

    Disgraceful.

  3. a lawyer is someone who will spit in your
    face and tell you it’s raining

    https://theintercept.com/2018/12/01/the-ignored-legacy-of-george-h-w-bush-war-crimes-racism-and-obstruction-of-justice/

    The Ignored Legacy of George H.W. Bush: War Crimes, Racism, and Obstruction of Justice
    Mehdi Hasan
    December 1 2018, 11:38 a.m.

    THE TRIBUTES TO former President George H.W. Bush, who died on Friday aged 94, have been pouring

  4. It’s all about the gene pool cess pool, eh?
    how are those squishy,squishy peanuts Matt ?

    https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2015/07/25/421797/Cheney-911-false-flag-

    Cheney was in charge of 9/11 false flag operation: American scholar
    Sat Jul 25, 2015 09:42AM [Updated: Mon Jul 27, 2015 07:38PM ]

    in other news

    https://www.mondialisation.ca/the-bush-familys-links-to-nazi-germany-a-famous-american-family-made-its-fortune-from-the-nazis/5512243

    Bush Family Links to Nazi Germany: « A Famous American Family » Made its Fortune from the Nazis | Mondialisation – Centre de Recherche sur la Mondialisation

    The Bush family links to Nazi Germany’s war economy were first brought to light at the Nuremberg trials in the testimony of Nazi Germany’s steel magnate Fritz Thyssen. Thyssen was a partner of George W.

    oh oh

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/10/27/russian-born-oilman-real-international-man-mystery-vivid-presence-jfk-files/807303001/

    Russian-born oilman, a real international man of mystery, a vivid presence in JFK files
    Ray Locker, USA TODAY Published 3:03 p.m. ET Oct. 27, 2017

  5. Hmmm. Looks to me like Trump has lost in Syria, is losing in Afghanistan, and is only contributing to endless suffering in Yemen at the behest of his boy, Crown Prince Mohammed. Not caught up on Libya, but it’s still a mess, thanks to Trump.

    Maybe we should stop arguing politics, and concentrate on somebody we can all hate, billionaire sex fiend Jeffrey Epstein!

    I was astonished to learn that Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance had actually attempted to give Epstein a helping hand by trying to get a state judge to downgrade Epstein’s status as a level 3 sex offender (most dangerous) to level 1 (least dangerous). The judge was flabbergasted that a DA, of all people, was trying to help a man of Epstein’s pedigree. She rightly refused to change Epstein’s designation. Here’s the story in the NY Post: https://nypost.com/2018/12/01/manhattan-da-sided-with-pedophile-billionaire-after-botching-investigation/

    • Dan:

      Yes, there is the Epstein matter which I assume is a bipartisan disgrace to the country. There is a good series on him in the Miami Herald newspaper. It should be a must read to see how justice can be perverted by lawyers and cowardly prosecutors. Alan Dershowitz washing his hands of his investigators working at his behest to come up with dirt on the young girl victims saying he only tries the case; and that pervert-like lawyer Ken Starr who helped destroy the reputation of these young girls with his machinations. I’ve got to go back to that matter at some point. It seems fitting that there is a connection between Epstein and the two presidents who lowered the reputation of the Oval Office with their tawdry carnal behavior.

      • Matt, With all due respect perhaps read through all of it twice. Do you ever wonder people who were born during Vietnam and grew up during Watergate grew so jaded as they got older? Read the mention of no one being investigated who was associated with Epstein as part of the plea deal? Do you wonder why people of color think the United States has two sets of laws? Those for power and those for not?

  6. We have a photo of H W Bush his wife children and grandchildren on the kitchen window sill . . .he was a good man.
    Trump is a brash New Yorker, sometimes hard to swallow, oftentimes childishly still throwing spitballs at people. But he’s a good decision maker along many fronts, economy, judicial appointments, stronger military, stronger borders.
    I always admired Bill Buckley, Pat Buchanan, Thomas Sowell, Milton Friedman, Ronald Reagan, Ted Cruz …smart conservatives who understand the great conservative Catholic, Christian, Jewish philosophers, theologians, political theorists in history and who can quote them . . .I was re-reading C.S. Lewis’s condemnation of modern culture espoused by the liberal dems like Hillary and the Globe and NYT . . .re-read THE ABOLITION OF MAN . . .he points out modern journalists are not journalists, they’re idealogues . . .the whole Democratic party has strayed from first moral principles . . .protect human life, protect the elderly, allow free markets, encourage individual enterprise, socially responsible governments, too, . . . not the pro-abort, pro-killing, pro-euthanasia, identity-politics, groupthink, plantation mentality of the Big Gov, Orwellian Big Brother, MIght makes Right, the State is Right, Tax and Spend Mentality of the DEMS.

    But I find the DEMS stuck with their ideologies and can’t get past them: DEM is good; Republican is bad. THIS is how they’ve been brainwashed. DEM is good; as John said, DEM s think all 60 million people who voted for Trump are ignorant racists, and we DEMS are better and holier than them because we support killing the unborn and euthanasia and more taxes and we call people bad names like Racist, Sexist, Homophobe, and that ends all arguments

    How many years did HIllary serve in the Uniformed Forces of the United States? How rich did she get off the Government TEAT, as compared to John McCormack or Joe Moakley who retired modeslty . . .who actually served others, besides primarily themselves . . .how many more wars of liberation in Libya, Syria, Yemen, will Hillary and the DEMs give us?

    • Bill:

      It isn’t the Democrats who when they lose the governor’s mansion change the law so that the incoming governor lacks the same power as his predecessor. It was the Republicans in North Carolina, Wisconsin, and a couple of other states who have done that. The idea that the Democrats think all Trump voters are racist is clearly wrong. Many voted for him simply because they did not like his opponent and felt a need to vote for one of the two.

      I agree that Hillary as well as her husband are nothing but greedy money loving people. By the way, I hope you didn’t buy any of the $500 dollar seats at the Opera House in late April to spend the evening “with Hill and Bill.” You will be able to hear them just as well in the $300 dollar seats. To answer your question, Hillary and Trump spent the same number of years in the uniformed forces.

      Tell me where Trump has made good decisions? Judiciary – much too conservative and against the working man. I know you like the right to life judges but there is so much more to the people he is appointing than just that. Right now he has nominated a guy from North Carolina who has spent much time trying to take the franchise away from black Americans. The economy? Trump lowered taxes on BUSINESSES and RICH folk. Again he is not helping the working man. Trickle down doesn’t work; you know the more money people who live for money have the more they want to keep. Stronger military? Yes, he did give it more money but like with the tax cut someone is going to have to pay for it. Just throwing money at something does not make it stronger. In fact, the military is still complaining it does not have enough to fight two wars at once and wants more. Perhaps it could do with a little less and get rid of its fat like the hundred of thousand civilians – up to 80% of the military do not have combat roles. Borders? – he’s mostly talk on this. Nothing has really changed.

      What about his foreign policy ideas – alienating our allies and cozying up with those who seek to do us harm. How about his inability to question Muhammed bin Salman or Putin or Kim Jung? What countries will we rely on helping us if we need it?

      The bottom line is Trump will never be held up by any parent as a person to a child as one would want to emulate. His life is a mess. His twitter fights with the smallest of people diminishes the office. There is still the real problem that is coming up with Trump and that is Iran. He has withdrawn from the treaty and has been guided in his decisions by two people who want the U.S. to attack Iran: Netanyahu and bin Salman. What will you think of him then?

      • Matt, On election night in 2000 George Bush Senior spoke on TV AS THE VOTES WERE COUNTED. Former President Bush, we have had 8 years of peace and prosperity and my son has run a great campaighn. How soon people forget all of the stock market gains in the 1990s.

  7. Tranquilizer gun to Matt’s blog, please! Repeat poster a danger to himself and others. Shoot on sight.

    • John King McDonald

      Oh Danny Boy …..

      Are you having the vapors ?

      Are you confused ?

      Are squibs like that different from actual bullets ?

      Are you the next ” Khalid ” on the block , so to say, seeking my attention . No, Khalid is a worker . You are a lazy thinker to post actionable inebriated utterances like that .

      Here’s to your health !!!

      NOT WORTH IT .

      • John King McDonald

        Danny Boy :

        As John Will used to say …. You know what I like about Dan, though, is … He ain’t the brightest bulb, but he’s always burnin’ !!!

  8. RIP President H W Bush. A good man and a very good family.

    • Yes a very good family…that pushed into one of the most destructive wars in our nations history that we still haven’t bounced back form. Yes, a very, very good family.

  9. I see the free range beserkers have gathered
    for their play date.

    Clarabell of Savin Hill
    As Matt is fondly known to his MTC Irregulars

    In other George Walker Bush Naughty news

    https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Legacy-George-Murder-Kennedy/dp/B002Q79WMM

    Dark Legacy: George Bush and the Murder of John Kennedy

    3.6 out of 5 stars 247 customer reviews

    This just in from Ed Tatro

    SHANE JUST FORWARDED THIS EMAIL TO ME:

    I’m very pleased to share my first piece for The Washington Post, featuring a Watergate burglar sent on a double agent mission to Cuba by US intelligence five years after the break-in; and a deception operation by Antonio Veciana targeting Cuban intelligence during the HSCA investigation into the JFK assassination: The Cuban spy and Watergate burglar who won a presidential pardon

    Please share widely. The article draws on my new book Dirty Tricks: Nixon, Watergate and the CIA, out now: http://www.nixondirtytricks.com

    In other news

    https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-metro-bronx-cop-finds-possible-semen-precinct-water-bottle-20181203-story.html

    EXCLUSIVE: NYPD probing officer’s complaint that fellow cop put semen in her water bottle

    By THOMAS TRACY and JOHN ANNESE
    | NEW YORK DAILY NEWS |
    DEC 04, 2018 | 6:00 AM

  10. John King McDonald

    What’s really sad is that your political distemper, like that of a clearly rabid dog requiring shots, corners your talent as a writer . You paint yourself into that corner. Your human observation stuff is pretty damn good .
    This political ranting just makes you the crazy uncle at the family banquet .

  11. AW!
    Shock and Awe is OK once in awhile.
    Just grateful the littlest Duke ever didn’t make the cut.

  12. John King McDonald

    Everyone gets the super creepy STEELE DOSSIER allusions to your precious Presidential golden showers .

    Democrats absolutely ….. REEK OF URINE … on the FISA skullduggery and attempted Presidential Coup . No more time to humor their nonsense .

    So SAD !!!

  13. John King McDonald

    This is really just an operatic variation of Matt’s constant nosing out of every rhetorical fire hydrant he finds , Head of State funeral hydrant or no, so that he can micturate on the Sixty Million fellow Americans who voted for Donald John Trump .

    DON’T EAT THE YELLOW SNOW JOB !!!

  14. John King McDonald

    ★ I detest his politics . I have , nonetheless , never , referred to Barak Obama as … Obama .. on this blog . I have always honored him in his Office as President Obama .

    Of course , I have Class .

    You walked right by Class !!!

    Obviously .

  15. John King McDonald

    George Bush was a great man and former C.I.A. Director . He was ….. Deeeeeep ….. Not the confectionery character you have created to satisfy the Dem sugar Jones for loving the absolute stuffing out of a guy that historically they reviled .

    Oh , feckless bunch of dissembling, backstabbing, crocodile tear factories !!! …. Priceless poseurs … The greatest thing President Obama ever said was that a good percentage of them … Alderman to Senator … are idiots .

  16. John King McDonald

    Are you starting to smell TIJUANA btw ???

    You and your ilk have exceeded our patience .

    Hold on to your hats .

  17. John King McDonald

    Oh, How a Mighty Nation has Fallen !!!

    Or , did it just get dropped ?!?

  18. John King McDonald

    There is something bush league about constructing a political diatribe around a seeming homage to a dead American President .

    You just pulled up to a bush just outside the Oval Office and pissed on the PRESIDENCY .

    Grow up for chrissakes !!!

    Ham n’ egger ?!?

    Thought you were a bit of a Pro at this by now .

    Tedious BS !!!