President’s progress this term unimpressive

George looks around and finds himself in the least desirable position any American president… George looks around and finds himself in the least desirable position any American president has been in since the days of Watergate. Just one year after his re-election, he walks like a dead man taking his party down with him. There is no foreseeable end of bad news for Mr. Bush in sight.

Writing this column, I feel like the nice high school teacher giving a progress report to a student who tries hard but just can’t seem to cut it. Bush’s facial expressions indicate that he sees his own presidency weakening.

When elected for a second term, he had a curriculum to focus on. The first four subjects were issues that were part of his campaign for re-election. Meanwhile, responding to Katrina became a required course thrust upon him – a heavy course load. Here’s his progress report after the first quarter of his second term.

Bringing The Country Together: C-

After Sept. 11, 2001, you were either with “us” or against us. Most Americans agreed at the time. But by the time the election of 2004 came around, Republicans and Democrats had the nation bitterly divided. Conservatives saluted Bush as the guy willing to make tough decisions while disheartened liberals saw Bush as a threat to America’s good name abroad. He promised a healing of the nation during his second term.

Although he may be bringing the nation together, he certainly isn’t healing it. It appears that the Harriet Miers nomination combined with the government’s response to Katrina has done much to unite Conservatives and Liberals. Both pretty much agree the president is not doing a good job dealing with his office.

Making Iraq a Stable Nation: D+

We did not rid Iraq of terror. We replaced a corrupt dictator with a fierce insurgency. The Iraqi people continue to endure the insurgency that has no end in sight. To Bush’s credit, they are holding free elections.

The Iraqi Constitution just passed, and this accomplishment should be applauded as a tremendous achievement. However, with over 2,000 American deaths so far, an unfathomable amount of Iraqi civilians killed and a war with an approval rating of 37 percent, events still appear bleak at best.

Dealing with Iran and North Korea: D-

Bush argued a pre-emptive strike invading Iraq would make the rest of the Axis of Evil pay attention. Maybe both other countries did, but they’re both building up their arsenals.

North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Il, shows no signs of cooperating or ending his nuclear program.

The president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, recently carried on his nation’s hate rhetoric against Israel, claiming that those choosing to recognize Israel, “will burn in the fire of the Islamic nation’s fury.” Pretty interesting considering the Palestinian government condemned his words. Press Secretary Scott McClellan insinuated that this indicates they still will not give up their quest in building nuclear weapons.

Responding to Hurricane Katrina: D-

Michael Brown will be paid $12,333 this month. He is currently working as a consultant, looking at the response to Hurricane Katrina. By this rationale, we should have everyone investigate their own crimes – the rise in “not guilty” counts will be an interesting coincidence.

Reforming Social Security: F

Citizens expressed no enthusiasm for privatizing Social Security. People accepted that Social Security needed change, but not privatization. After all, people do not tremble with fear over the fact that Social Security may be in trouble in the year 2041, a date many have called inaccurate.

In the five classes he has taken, and four of them which he has chosen to take, he’s achieved a calculated QPA of just 0.85 – a far cry from his 77 percent average at Yale. These are not grades to bring home to George Sr. and Barbara.

Mr. Bush was not ready for this course load. He’s still got 75 percent of his grade left to be decided in his second term, but it does not look good.

Mr. Bush, you have three years to pick up the pieces. Be competent and responsible, not for your base or your ideology, but for your nation.

E-mail Scott his progress report to sdn2@pitt.edu.