Former Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama have all spoken out against Donald Trump’s perilous antics. Their leadership on the matter has shown that former presidents have important voices when it comes to protecting Americans from oppression. Will George W. Bush, who stated he won’t support Trump for re-election, rise to this occasion and speak out as powerfully as the other former Presidents? Sadly, President Bush has done little to raise his voice while Donald Trump has betrayed our country’s national security and military, threatened violence against peaceful civilian protestors, and has indicated that he is actively attempting to rig the 2020 election.
Trump’s oppressive actions resemble authoritarian dictatorship. This sounds an alarm for Americans. These reckless stunts are a warning for us — the danger Trump poses to the American people is so serious that it is not a partisan issue; it is bigger than that. George W. Bush should be well aware of the dangers a nation encounters in the midst of authoritarian dictatorship. When Bush was President, he led America into a war against Saddam Hussein, an oppressive tyrant who was the Dictator of Iraq. If George W. Bush was once willing to wage a war against a brutal oppressor overseas, why is it that he is so silent about the threat of oppression in America?
In my opinion, it is George W. Bush’s duty to raise his voice against Trump and stand up for the American people. A president is a public servant and should therefore be committed to protecting our nation from danger, even after their presidency has ended. If George W. Bush wants to put his country first, he needs to raise his voice against Trump. If he does not, he shows greater dedication to a political party (the Republicans) and Trump’s enablers than he does to our nation as a whole.
I understand that as a Republican, Bush might agree with Trump on some policy issues, and Bush certainly has a right to hold those opinions on political ideas. However, many of Trump’s transgressions against the American people have had less to do with political beliefs and more to do with civil liberties and national safety. Donald Trump’s conduct has jeopardized voting rights, national security, the lives of military service members, and even threatened violence against peaceful and innocent civilians.
If Bush fails to speak out against Trump’s attempts to suppress the vote, then he shows a lack of respect for justice, fairness, and democracy. Likewise, If Bush fails to speak out against Trump’s betrayal of America’s national security and military, then he shows a lack of respect for our nation’s harmony, fellowship, and togetherness. And if Bush fails to speak out against Trump’s threats to harm peaceful protestors with weapons, he shows a lack of respect for human rights, safety from violence, and freedom of speech.
George W. Bush’s Presidency was plagued with issues that resulted in him having a historically low approval rating by the time he left office. As his mistakes piled up, many Americans began to feel as if Bush had a perpetual habit of letting Americans down. It appears as if that trend is continuing into his post-presidential life.
As a former president, George W. Bush is a leader of the American community. If he chooses to speak up for the American people, he can use his leadership to protect the nation from danger. If he doesn’t, George W. Bush lets the American people down. . .yet again.
