JFK and Bush have much in common

    Once there lived a man.  This man ran for president.  He won in a close race by one state, in which opponents alleged voter fraud.  This man decided to cut taxes to stimulate a slowing economy.  He very much supported capital punishment.  His religion was very important to him and he made sure people knew that while he was on the campaign trail.  This man saw a threat to the United States and he took pre-emptive action.  People called his military action a blunder, he called it essential.
    Right now you are probably thinking that I’m talking about George W. Bush.  And all the points I’ve outlined would describe President Bush to a T.  But I’m not referring to him.  I’m referring to John F. Kennedy, who won the 1960 election against Richard Nixon in a race that was decided by Texas.  Jack Kennedy was the first American president that cut taxes, paving the way for Reagan-omics and later ,conservative economic philosophies.  JFK was very tough on criminals, and fully supported capital punishment just like President Bush.  Jack Kennedy was also our first ,and only, Catholic president, and instead of running from his faith on the campaign trail — he ran to it. 
    John F. Kennedy was very strong on defense.  He even pre-emptively attacked Cuba when Castro changed the government to communism.  Bay of Pigs was the result and really put a damper on Kennedy’s record, but he stood his ground while he stared down the Soviet Union in the Cuban Missile Crisis.   President Bush has also been very strong on defense, but increasingly, Americans are calling the war in Iraq a blunder, or even a mistake. 
    If you look at their positions on social, economic, and foreign issues, you will find that JFK and President Bush have nearly identical positions.  But people today seem to idolize Kennedy while Bush gets approval ratings in the ’30s.  I wasn’t alive during the Kennedy administration, so I can’t fully explain why Kennedy is so revered.  Perhaps, he could give really good speeches.  Maybe, it’s because he could pronounce nuclear.  Possibly, people thought Kennedy was a very handsome man.  Then again, JFK was assassinated and that usually sky-rockets a leader’s popularity. 
    It amazes me that people can talk about how wonderful a president Jack Kennedy was while saying that George W. Bush has done a poor job.  Their similarities in presidential politics makes it impossible for me to think one is good or bad without thinking the other is just as good or bad.  President Bush’s term isn’t over; he still has at least one more test.  North Korea’s nuclear warhead is his Cuban Missile Crisis.  Will President Bush be like Jack Kennedy and stare down North Korea until they give in?  Or will Bush be like Bill Clinton and provide money, food and official state visits to North Korea?  Only time will tell.  And time will judge.             
 

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Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 20 2006. Filed under Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry