Like it or not Jeb is right about his brother, George W. Bush's leadership was "awe-inspiring."

[Jesus Malverde]

We tend to think of things from our own perspective. Look at it for a moment from their perspective. Remember who his actual base is.

Prior to 911 GWB was being seen as an inefficient, muddling looser. He ruminated several times about how things would be better if he was a dictator.

911 was a transformational event that allowed him to service his base, create a unitary executive unaccountable to congress, reframe the role of the United States military and promote the interests of a number of countries.

More so than any president of recent memory GWB changed America, likely forever.

His Base.
Following the 911 attacks the following groups benefited financially,

Military Industrial Contractors - The long expected peace dividend, promised since the fall of the soviet union went out the window and corporations in the military, intelligence, and security benefited handsomely. Something that continues to this day.

The financial sector - Following the 911 attacks Wall Street banks, hedge funds, and home lenders entered into a period of deregulation, continued low taxes, and minimal oversight. Something that continues to this day.

The US military - Under the leadership of GWB the US military, was reinvigorated. After the fall of the soviet union many questioned the size, mission and expense of the US DOD. All those issues were vanquished as the War on Terror took on a life of it's own. No longer were we at war with one country, we now had a global WOT that would be multigenerational. Something that continues to this day.

The energy sector - Post 911 the oil and gas industry benefited incredibly as middle east instability, the destruction of one of the largest OPEC producers drove oil prices to record highs. The beneficiaries, companies like Halliburton, the saudi's and commodity traders made billions perhaps trillions based on his leadership. The rise of fracking, and our continued reliance on fossil fuels. Something that continues to this day.

The Saudi's - With Iraq in ruins the Saudis' had one less competitor on the world market. This allowed them to rake in billions of petro-dollars. GWB's leadership successfully insulated the Saudis' from any connection to the 911 attacks. Something that continues to this day.

Israel - GWB laid waste to the main threat to Israel. After 911 and the invasion of Iraq, Israel will never have to worry about scud missiles raining down on it's cities from Iraq or Saddam giving money to the families of suicide bombers, and funding for Palestinian nationalists. All the while reframing in the eyes of the world the occupation of Palestine as a war against terrorists. In the aftermath of the 911 attacks Israel enjoyed unprecedented intelligence and military cooperation that has not only continued but expanded. Something that continues to this day.

Netanyahu admitted as much saying 911 was good for Israel.

Pakistan - Prior to 911, Pakistan was a bit of an international pariah, corruption, human rights violations and military dictatorship called for them to reform. Under the leadership of GWB all that was swept under the rug as they were transformed into an indispensable ally in the WOT. Something that continues to this day.

The unitary executive. - Following the 911 attacks and the shut down of congress by the anthrax attacks. The leadership of GWB disemboweled any semblance of checks and balances and oversight by congress. From the passage of the patriot act, the Iraq war resolution, congress became a rubber stamp for his initiatives and lost any semblance of power it had before his administration. The careful narrative of the 911 commission set the tone, assigned the blame and wrote the official history of what happened. This was carefully managed by his administration. The rise of the unitary executive and a lack of congressional oversight is something that continues to this day.

The national security state - From being high school drop outs, cops were transformed into first responding heroes, never to be questioned and admired for being a communities front line defenders in the war on terror. Never mind the billions spent on naked body scanners, cameras and other surveillance tools needed to keep the American public safe. Something that continues to this day.

The media - He turned them into fawning stenographers that published ridiculous narratives and kept the American public in a state of panic and RED ALERT for years. Something that continues to this day.

The opposition - Following 911 it was social suicide to be critical of the president and his actions. Millions of previously politically active took a vacation from activism or risked being labeled kooks, peaceniks and crackpots who just didn't get it. In some ways this is one area where there has been push back but by and large it's something that continues to this day.

The next generation of politicians - Not only did they punt on looking at the malfeasance and crimes of the administration. They embraced the spirit of regime change, military expansion overseas all the while caught up in the GWB framework of the global war on terror and two wars which we are still stuck in today.

I could go on, but probably very few people will read this. I think it's clear GWB's leadership was transformational, multigenerational and from his bases perspective extremely successful.

It's a post 911 world and that world was transformed under his leadership.

America will never be the same.

[PatrickforO]

1. Shock and awe.

This is a very good post. Thank you. Yes indeed, it was transformational, in a very bad, very destructive way for those who actually like real freedom instead of Dubya's dubious brand.

[Jesus Malverde]

2. Pretty much a nightmare

I think to ignore the changes he made to society might be cognative dissonance.