Bush: I Did Not Want Bread Lines

Amanda Carey | June 19, 2009

George W. Bush made a rare post-presidency appearance Wednesday at the annual gathering of the Manufacturing and Business Association in Erie, PA. The former president shared his thoughts on a myriad of topics including health care, Gitmo, Iran and TARP.

The main topic of conversation was how his successor (whom he refused to criticize by name) has handled the economic crisis. But criticisms that he himself opened the floodgates of government intervention in the economy by authorizing TARP were not left unaddressed:   

I firmly believe it was necessary to put money in our banks to make sure our financial system did not collapse. I did not want there to be bread lines, to be a great depression. 

Later, in that very same speech he elaborated:

I know it's going to be the private sector that leads this country out of the current economic times we're in. You can spend your money better than the government can spend your money.

So which is it? Unfortunately the Bush legacy of wishy-washy economic policy continues to live on.

Read here for more about the former president's speech.

Also, refer to Reason's January issue and read more about "Bush's Disaster Socialism."

Comments

Xeones|6.19.09 @ 12:17PM|#

Shut the fuck up, George Bush.

|6.19.09 @ 12:24PM|#

As an Obama supporting, Bush hating whackaloon I see this as an "atta-boy with backslap" for Obama. But it leaves me very confused.

|6.19.09 @ 12:25PM|#

"Bushitler" doesn't work...

How about "Walkeroosevelt"?

|6.19.09 @ 12:27PM|#

Bush most closely resembles Nixon from the standpoint of being a large government republican, if one buys into the idea that there any governing philosophy here. The thinking that foreign policy is paramount, and more government programs (Nixon created the Federal alphabet of the EPA OSHA, etc)like the medicare prescription drug benefit are OK if it gets you votes so you can "do" the important foreign policy stuff.
But I don't buy the governing philosophy stuff - Bush is just another politician who wants to spend to buy votes, either by new programs, or cutting taxes and refusing to cut any programs. All desert and no brocoli.

|6.19.09 @ 12:30PM|#

"Bushoover"?

anarch|6.19.09 @ 12:32PM|#

So which is it?

Objectivity in history supposes impartiality in the historian, language betrays thought, it is absurd to desire the impossible, and there are questions which no science can answer.

Next.

freeforall232|6.19.09 @ 12:34PM|#

I wonder how many Republicans will forget their party's support of TARP when the next elections roll around...

|6.19.09 @ 12:36PM|#

"Georgeisenhower" doesn't work on any level.

Colonel_Angus|6.19.09 @ 12:38PM|#

Bushoover makes sense. This is what I expect from republicans- they talk about supporting a free market and then do the opposite. I really hate it when dumbass progressives talk about "free market/ deregulation policies" of people like Bush, Hoover, Reagan, etc and conclude that more regulation is necessary.

|6.19.09 @ 12:45PM|#

George W Peron.

And- If there *had* been breadlines, we know his guys had contingency plans to ensure they were orderly.

Paul|6.19.09 @ 12:47PM|#

So who is this guy and why are we listening to him?

|6.19.09 @ 1:40PM|#

So who is the successor?

Obamatilla?
Barackennedy?
Husseinixon?

Dribbles|6.19.09 @ 2:30PM|#

"I firmly believe it was necessary to put money in our banks to make sure our financial system did not collapse. I did not want there to be bread lines, to be a great depression.

Later, in that very same speech he elaborated:

I know it's going to be the private sector that leads this country out of the current economic times we're in. You can spend your money better than the government can spend your money."

I dodn't see the incongruity. He is saying that the government needed to enject money into banks in order to keep them from failing. Now, having done that, it will be the private sector that leads us out.

Dribbles|6.19.09 @ 2:30PM|#

enject???

|6.19.09 @ 4:03PM|#

It's my coursin's fault.

I told my American cousin: "You vote for Kerry, you are going to have a total train wreck in the US economy."

But he voted for Kerry anyways, and sure enough, that's what happened.

|6.19.09 @ 5:02PM|#

Hey Aresen - you stole that from me. It orignally went:

They told me if I voted for Goldwater, there would be race riots in American cities and the sending of our boys to do the fighting over in Vietnam. I voted for Goldwater anyway and I'll be darned if they weren't right!

Frizzle|6.21.09 @ 11:45PM|#

No question about it...Amanda Carey is my fav. writer on Hit & Run.

John|6.23.09 @ 12:05AM|#

Maybe he just wanted everyone to Earn Bread instead of waiting in line for bread?!?