Anastasia+F.

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Anastasia Fritchey Civics Mr. Sherman December 19, 2011 Presidential Comparison Essay There have been many Presidents over the course of America’s history that have taken steps for the nation and drastically changed the lives of its citizens. Both George W. Bush and Barack Obama are no exception to the changes faced during a Presidency. Each with a different political view and solution to stressful affairs, they rely on different techniques to solve past, present, or future problems. The comparison between Barack Obama and George W. Bush can be seen throughout their handling of foreign affairs, domestic affairs, and many other differences in and outside their presidency. Foreign affairs make up a large part of the American presidency. Dealing with other countries in political matters is something every leader should be strong in. During George W. Bush’s term in office, many problems arose outside our country that we still deal with today. On October 7th, 2001 the war in Afghanistan was started with the U.S. launching attacks on terrorist camps associated with al Qaeda and the Taliban. Along with the U.S. invasion of the country of Iraq to seek and replace its Baathist regime with a democracy based on our own. Bush’s capture of Saddam and the killing of his sons did nothing to help alleviate the chaos in Iraq in 2004. Years later when Barack Obama became President the war has been boiling in the Middle East for over four years and the nation was tired. One of his main campaign efforts was promising to withdraw more of our troops by the end of 2011. He also promised to step up the U.S. military commitment in Afghanistan, and also granted the military’s request to increase the troops, sending 21,000 more which created a total of 60,000 troops, that was made at the end of Bush’s last term. Even with their opposite political views they seem to share the same plan on foreign matters. A nation’s domestic affairs hit closer to home. George Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act, by the National Education Association, was signed on January 8th, 2002. The bill stated that schools within the nation had to have improved test results or funding to the individual school would be cut or withdrawn completely. Schools who decided not to participate received no federal funding unless they followed the act. Obama, being a big supporter of education, kept up the Act during his own term as well. He also endorsed Bush’s TARP relief program, or the Troubled Asset Relief Program, which gave a $700 billion initiative to rescue banks from crashing and disrupting the economy and creating a bigger crisis. A huge domestic affair that rocked the nation during George Bush’s presidency was the attack on the Twin Towers in New York City, which started the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their home life held many advantages and disadvantages for them both. President George W. Bush was elected as the 43rd President of the United States in the battle against Al Gore. His father, George H.W. Bush, was president before Bill Clinton. George was raised in Texas and attended college at Harvard Business School. He experienced family trouble when his little sister Robin Bush died at the age of four, leaving his family traumatized in the tragedy. Barack Obama became the 44th President of the United States and the first African American president in the history of the US. He was born in Hawaii and raised partly in Indonesia and Hawaii. His father left when he was two months old. Obama left the islands for higher education and also eventually found himself at Harvard Law School. However, Bush’s political views stayed tuned to the republican side and stayed true to Texas. George Bush gained his position through family recognition and family power, whereas Obama gained his through hard work. Both Barack Obama and George W. Bush were memorable presidents. They defend the nation against outside forces and foreign disputes. They dedicate time and money into fixing the country’s problems, each does their best to represent all of the citizens in the U.S. Most Presidents deserve the responsibility they are given. They have financial, educational, and business experience to help run the country. The hardships of their lives help them to relate to the people. They run the country and figure out foreign and domestic affairs, and use their background knowledge as a springboard to success. Though they have their differences, Barack Obama and George Bush are relatively the same. Though their techniques differed, they had the same goals and succeeded for the better of everyone.