We can have all kinds of arguments about all kinds of subjects relating to the eight years of President George W. Bush. I'll just serve a few things from my viewpoint.
I will always remember Bush's "I'm a uniter, not a divider line," as he said he would govern the nation as he governed the state of Texas, with all sides in mind.
He didn't exactly follow that mantra during his time in office.
Don't get me wrong - he isn't the only one to bear the blame for the political battles of the last eight years. Republicans who ran the House and Senate did all they could to antagonize the Democrats, too.
And I won't be surprised if we see a repeat in the Obama years, except that the party labels will be turned around. That's the way things go around here.
Obviously, this President has one event that transformed his time in office, that being the attacks of September 11, 2001.
It's almost hard to believe that happened over seven years ago.
That led to the War in Afghanistan and then the War in Iraq. We had lots of questions about faulty intelligence, torture, half truths, etc, few of which were ever answered to the satisfaction of Bush's Loyal Opposition.
There were a few times when Democrats were genuinely involved in decision making, mainly when they finally took control of the Congress and when the "No Child Left Behind" law was approved (which seems to be roundly despised by many in both parties.)
Bush talked a big game on keeping the budget under control, but that didn't happen. Yes the War on Terror used up a lot of money. But the American people were never really asked to make any sacrifices in terms of how to spend their tax dollars.
Barack Obama will take office under much different circumstances. He won a clear victory (unlike Bush's disputed win in Florida in 2000) and has a healthy majority in both houses of the Congress.
Will he be any different?
It all depends on your point of view.
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