Controversies of the George W. Bush Presidency: Pro and Con Documents

The George W. Bush administration has become one of the most controversial in American history. The president that once enjoyed a post-9/11 astronomical approval rating of 88 percent ranked almost as low in his second term as any president in history. Throughout the social security and stem-cell research debates, the Enron trial, the Patriot Act, the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal, No Child Left Behind, and the administration's lackluster response to Hurricane Katrina, George Bush's presidency has been white-hot controversial, Fueling the controversies have been Bush's speeches and public statements (axis of evil, mission accomplished, etc.). This volume is packed with primary-document excerpts from presidental speeches, public statements, and letters, and from opposing congressional arguments—an excellent resource for helping students understand events that will affect the U.S. for years to come. Introductory sections set the context for each document, and extensive lists of web sites and further reading sources supplement the material. This volume is an excellent resource for helping students understand events that will affect the U.S. for years to come.

About the Author :
NANCY LIND is Professor of Politics and Government, Illinois State University. She is co-editor of The U.S. Constitution for Federal Executives (training manual for the Federal Executive Institute, 2005), Presidents from Reagan through Clinton, 1981-2001: Debating the Issues in Pro and Con Primary Documents (Greenwood, 2001), and Nonviolence and its Alternatives: An Interdisciplinary Reader (1999). She has taught for over 20 years in the areas of public administration, organizational theory and behavior, and public policy. BERNARD IVAN TAMAS is Assistant Professor of Politics and Government, Illinois State University. He has authored several articles and presented in the areas of party competition and the election process.

Review :
Lind and Tamas provide readings on President George W. Bush's economic, domestic, and foreign policies, and terrorism and military actions from 2000- 2006. Readings were chosen to represent the most central and controversial issues in his administration and focus on events that influenced citizen judgment of the president's actions, such as Enron, Social Security reform, stem cell research, the Patriot Act, Hurricane Katrina, 9/11, and the war in Iraq. For each issue, a pro and con speech is includedone by Bush and the other by an opponent of the policy, usually Democratic senators or congressmen. Presidential documents and answers to journalists' questions are also provided, as well as a framework for analysis of his remaining years as president.