Looking Back and Looking Ahead

In a couple of weeks, the George W. Bush administration will be over.

It's not unusual, especially at the end of a full two-term presidency (as rare as they have been in our history), for people to reflect on the outgoing president and the imprint he leaves on the nation.

Today, the Philadelphia Inquirer reflects, on its editorial page, on "The Bush Years" and the Bush "legacy" that the president and the first lady care so much about.

The Inquirer decries the "familiar litany" of Bush's failures as president, then proceeds to recite them for us. But it does point out what I consider to be the greatest failing (among many) — "Bush eroded respect for the democratic principles that founded this country."

And, what may have frustrated me more than anything else has been his insistence that his actions have been intended to preserve the dignity of the presidency.

The Inquirer speaks about that, too: "[T]hat has to be about more than just avoiding the sex scandal that marred Bill Clinton's presidency," writes the Inquirer. "[A]cting as if the holder of his office is above the law — without regard for constitutional checks and balances — now, that was a major misstep."

I would call it Nixonian.

After briefly reviewing Bush's record in office, the Inquirer concludes, "It's been a rough eight years, no question. In November, voters thankfully signaled that they're ready to move on."

That's fine — but what, exactly, are we moving on toward?

The Economist seeks to answer that question.

This month, for example, The Economist observes that America "welcomes Barack Obama, its 44th president, to the White House. Americans will hope that he can revive the economy and lift the gloomy mood at home while improving the country's reputation abroad."

Again, that's fine — but it doesn't really answer the question of what we can expect in 2009, does it? I mean, we're all, in our own ways, hoping for an economic turnaround, a better national mood and an improved national reputation abroad.

Mostly, The Economist recites events that are scheduled to take place this year. No surprises there — unless unforeseen developments force the postponement or cancellation of any of those events.

The most telling part of The Economist's report may be the illustration that accompanies it — a cartoon depicting various national leaders (including, apparently, Obama) in individual motorboats, each of which appears to have sprung a leak and is rapidly taking on water.

The visible leaders have their backs to us so they can only be identified by the national flags on their boats (and, in Obama's case, by the color of his skin).

No one seems to notice the shark swimming between the boats.