Paul Begala on George W. Bush’s Very Bad Economic Advice

Paul Begala on George W. Bush’s Very Bad Economic Advice
by Paul Begala
Jul 29, 2012 4:45 AM EDT

Dubya might be skipping the GOP convention, but he’s not shy about sharing his thoughts on the economy. Too bad America would be better off without them.


If there were a Mt. Losemore of lousy presidents, George W. Bush would be on it twice. No one in the last century even comes close.

So it was politically wise for Bush to announce he is skipping the GOP convention. Lord knows the people of Tampa have suffered enough. Bush is no genius, but he is politically astute enough to know he is still toxic. He keeps a low profile, and a grateful nation sends its thanks for that.

But wait: a sighting. And another. Perhaps to show he has a sense of humor, Bush has something called The Bush Institute. (Insert joke about Dubya needing to be institutionalized here.) The Institute has a new book out, and the former president is out promoting it.

The book is titled The Four Percent Solution: Unleashing the Economic Growth America Needs. You gotta hand it to Bush. Either he was born without the moral compass that engenders humility or he has one sick sense of humor. To start with, let the record show that George W. Bush was in fact president of the United States for eight years. And for those eight years economic growth averaged not four percent, but 2.04 percent. For Bush to attach his name to a book claiming to be a recipe for economic growth is what we Texans call chutzpah. What’s next? Charlie Sheen as spokesperson for Just Say No? Chris Christie’s fitness video? Kim Kardashian’s tips for a long and happy marriage? The mind boggles.

Where Dubya is concerned I have tried so hard to be Elvis Costello, who famously sang, “I used to be disgusted, but now I try to be amused.” But I just can’t get past the retching revulsion I feel about what this man and his policies did to our nation and the world. We will set aside the legacy of lost blood and treasure caused by his unwarranted invasion of Iraq for another day—perhaps when His Airheadedness decides to publish a book on national security. For now let us focus on the economy and the Bush Institute’s book.


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