Just watched the Boy Boy video on George Bush’s Masterclass, and they made me think about which U.S. President was actually worse.

  • Hillock@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Bush was the worse president, Trump is the worse person.

    I can see a lot of potential presidents in 2001 act the same way as Bush did, especially any other Republican. Even Gore would have gone to war in Afghanistan. Unless of course we go down the rabbit hole of could he have prevented the 9/11 attacks. The Iraq war probably would have been avoided under Gore.

    But I don't see any other president doing the same damages that Trump did. While the current status of the Republican Party has many people just as bad as Trump, I don't think they would have the same traction today without Trump.

    And let's not forget the worst of Trump was prevented. If his coup would have succeeded, he would even be the worse president.

    • Dkarma@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Disagree. For all his faults and for all the Iraq fiasco I truly believe that George bush respected the office of president. There was a line even he wouldn't cross. He wouldn't attack democracy itself. I think he would have resigned if Kerry had won. That alone is massive

      Trump has no respect for the office beyond what it can get him personally. He will trample every vestige of the Constitution if it makes him a dollar

      • CmdrShepard@lemmy.one
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        1 year ago

        I don't believe Bush was really running things and deferred most decisions to Cheney who is about as deplorable as one can get.

      • tryptaminev 🇵🇸 🇺🇦 🇪🇺@feddit.de
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        1 year ago

        The respect for the office is worth very little the million Iraqis killed and millions of people suffering under the IS terrorists that raise thanks to Bushs invasion of Iraq.

        Also it showed to another generation of people that the US does not uphold international law and order. Instead they commit the most heinous of atrocities if it helps to funnel money to their oligarchy.

        Also fiscally Bush turned the US away from reasonable fiscal policy into incurring ever more debt without investing into the future of the country. The current republican party wouldn't be half as bad if Bush didnt open the floodgatey.

    • kryptonianCodeMonkey@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Yeah, the worst of Trump isn't limited to what political actions he took as President, but also the wider cultural impact he directly spawned, escalated and continues to propogate even outside of office. He contributed so much to this cultural shift that has provided legitimacy to crooks, crackpots, and literal nazis. And worse, he's pushed the Republican party to coddle those people, capitulate to their whims, promote their voices, and endorse their views and elections. Not that the Republican party had been respectable in a generation, but 20 years ago, they weren't publically allied with open fascists, far-right militia groups and domestic terrorists. They are now, though.