| | More controversial was President Bush's decision to invade Iraq in 2003, after its dictator Saddam Hussein refused to disarm and refused to cooperate with inspections of its nuclear program. Some feared he was developing "weapons of mass destruction," though no hard evidence of that has ever been found. More plausible is that Saddam Hussein was harboring or funding terrorists, and there is no doubt that was brutal to Iraqis themselves. Americans captured Baghdad, Iraq's capital, remarkably quickly, but actually the enemy had gone "underground" and engaged in terrorist attacks against our troops for the next several years, possibly aided by Iran. In 2007, President Bush approved "the surge" to stop the terrorist attacks, and it was remarkably successful. American troops remain in Iraq to this day, though Barack Obama (elected in November 2008) promised early in his campaign to pull them out. | | More controversial was President Bush's decision to invade Iraq in 2003, after its dictator Saddam Hussein refused to disarm and refused to cooperate with inspections of its nuclear program. Some feared he was developing "weapons of mass destruction," though no hard evidence of that has ever been found. More plausible is that Saddam Hussein was harboring or funding terrorists, and there is no doubt that was brutal to Iraqis themselves. Americans captured Baghdad, Iraq's capital, remarkably quickly, but actually the enemy had gone "underground" and engaged in terrorist attacks against our troops for the next several years, possibly aided by Iran. In 2007, President Bush approved "the surge" to stop the terrorist attacks, and it was remarkably successful. American troops remain in Iraq to this day, though Barack Obama (elected in November 2008) promised early in his campaign to pull them out. |
| − | President Bush was unsuccessful in passing an attempt at immigration "reform" that would have granted amnesty to millions of illegal aliens in the nation, and given them a path to American citizenship. President Bush did support and sign into law the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001," which allows students of public schools that repeatedly do poorly on mandatory tests to transfer to another public school that has a better record on these tests. Ted Kennedy's staff wrote most of the bill, and before long both conservatives and liberals were criticizing many of its burdensome regulations on the school system. The Act does seem to have improved accountability of public schools slightly, but does not generate new alternatives. The Act did contain a provision protecting homeschoolers against being subjected to the mandatory public school tests; any state that attempts to do that (and there was legislation in New Jersey to require that) will automatically lose millions of dollars in federal funding. Homeschooling had become mainstream by by 2008. | + | President Bush was unsuccessful in passing an attempt at immigration "reform" that would have granted amnesty to millions of illegal aliens in the nation, and given them a path to American citizenship. President Bush did support and sign into law the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001," which allows students of public schools that repeatedly do poorly on mandatory tests to transfer to another public school that has a better record on these tests. Ted Kennedy's staff wrote most of the bill, and before long both conservatives and liberals were criticizing many of its burdensome regulations on the school system. The Act does seem to have improved accountability of public schools slightly, but does not generate new alternatives. Political activism by homeschoolers resulted in adding a provision to protect us against being subjected to the mandatory public school tests; any state that attempts to do that (and there was legislation in New Jersey to require that) will automatically lose millions of dollars in federal funding. Homeschooling had become mainstream by by 2008. |
| − | By the end of 2008 the economy was in a severe downturn, with unemployment increasingly rapidly. 43 out of 50 states had a budget deficit (more expenses than revenue), and since nearly all states have laws requiring them to balance their budget, they need to cut back the programs and lay off government workers. The federal government itself faces a large deficit and congressmen are considering a "stimulus package" to spark economic improvement, as President FDR did (unsuccessfully) with the New Deal. | + | By the end of 2008 the economy was in a severe downturn, with unemployment increasingly rapidly, and this contributed to victories by the Democratic Party in Congress and the presidency. 43 out of 50 states had a budget deficit (more expenses than revenue), and since nearly all states have laws requiring them to balance their budget, they need to cut back the programs and lay off government workers. The federal government itself faces a large deficit and congressmen are considering a "stimulus package" to spark economic improvement, as President FDR did (unsuccessfully) with the New Deal. |