Comparing and Contrasting the George Bush and Barack Obama Presidencies - Essay Example

Comparing and Contrasting the George W. Bush and Barack Obama Presidencies Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama find themselves as strange bedfellows these days. While Bush gave up the reins of government to Obama back in '08, there is a continuously running comparison between the two and a game of one upping currently underway. So, how exactly do these two men compare and contrast to each other in terms of their upbringing, political roles, and governance? Those are the subjects that this comparison and contrasting essay will strive to look into.

George W. Bush served as Texas governor prior to coming to the White House. His was a politically rounded upbringing that that led to his ascent to the presidency. This was not without controversy though. Accusations if draft dodging and doctored school records abounded but could never be factually proven. He became a war-time president on September 11, 2001 when the simultaneous attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon threw the United States into a frenzy of panic, forever changing the political landscape of America.

While battling the looming effects of a recession that begun under his predecessors watch he was also tasked with bringing to justice the instigators of the attacks that claimed thousands of American lives. Unfortunately, the economy soured during his last year in the presidency, causing people to view him as an economic saboteur rather than what he really was, the last great American president who knew that in order to keep America safe, he had to wage an unpopular battle overseas. Barack Obama was born in Hawaii of a Kenyan father and American mother.

Circumstances forced him to be raised by his grandparents. Like Bush, his election was not without controversy. The fact that his father is not an American has often raised doubts surrounding his citizenship and authenticity of his birth certificate. He ran for president in 2008 under the flagship motto of “Change we can believe in”. However, he has failed to enact any changes in any of the areas he promised to improve upon his campaign. Under his watch, deficit spending rose to the trillion dollar mark, and none of his economic stimulus packages helped stir the economy either.

He has often finger pointed to his predecessor, George W. Bush in order to remind people that he merely inherited the recession and its accompanying problems instead of actually fixing the problem without adding to the burden of families with failed programs like Obama Care. A landmark health coverage bill that has made it almost impossible for people to get needed medical care. He will perhaps be remembered for being the president under whose watch Osama Bin Laden, the leader of the 9/11 conspiracy was killed by an elite team of Navy Seals.

They will be remembered as the greatest men of their time. Their achievements, shall be respected and placed in history books. After all, it is not the mistakes that we should be remembering, but rather their greatest achievements that have helped define and shape our great nation. References“George W. Bush”. whitehouse.gov. The White House. n.d. Web. 2 Oct. 2011.“Barack Obama”. whitehouse.gov. The White House. n.d. Web. 2 Oct. 2011.