The+Presidency

The Presidency

**Biography** George Herbert Walker Bush was born on June 12, 1924. As soon as he turned 18 he joined the U.S. Navy and served in as many as 58 flight combat missions. Following his experience in the Navy, he attended Yale. While at Yale, he joined the Skull and Bones secret society. George Bush was able to meet some very influencial people through this secret society. After completing his education at Yale, Bush went into the oil industry, working for Dresser Industries. Bush's first political activity was his defeat for a Texas Senate seat in 1964. In 1966, however, Bush was able to reel in a seat in the House of Representatives from the 7th district of Texas. Again in 1970, however, Bush was defeated for another seat in the Senate. By 1971, Nixon appointed him as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, which he held until 1973. By 1972, Bush had become the RNC chairman.

During President Bush's presidency, many of his actions were based on foreign policy. Shortly after being elected, he got America involved in an invasion of Panama in order to take out General Manuel Noriega in 1989. Only a year after that, the United States got involved in the short lived Gulf War. The popularity gained from his decisive victory in Iraq, however, did not last long during the economic troubles he found himself in. On the backside of his presidency, he took a step in the opposite direction and helped to end the Cold War. He lost his re-election campagin to Bill Clinton.

Following Bush's terms as President, he mostly stayed away from politics; as much as a former President can. In 1993, however, there was an assassination plot against him during a visit to Kuwait. The security there found out about the plot, however, and put an end to it before anything could happen. There had been some questions of his health later on as well after he vomited in the Prime Minister of Japan's lap, but he claimed it was only the flu. He was also diagnosed with Graves disease in 1991, along with his wife and dog. As of now, Bush has not written a memoir and still does not plan to in the near future.

**Supreme Court Appointments:**
 * George H.W. Bush appointed Justice David Souter and Justice Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court.
 * Highlights:**
 * Bush was acclaimed for quickly gathering numerous international leaders to join in the coalition against Iraq during Operation Desert Shield.
 * Operation Desert Storm, involving the actual combat, is regarded as the United States' most efficient and effective military operation.
 * Not-So Highlights:**
 * Bush had a hard time getting any of his favorable legislation passed, due to constant opposition form the democratically controlled Congress. This resulted in very few legislative activity in general.
 * Bush inherited an ever-increasing national deficit from former President Reagan, and was forced to raise taxes, which went against his campaign promises and further alienated him from the Republican party.
 * Executive Orders:** Bush's first days in office were characterized by these executive orders
 * Executive order #12668 dealing with the Federal Ethics Law Reform and the President's commission on it
 * Executive order #12669 dealing with the organization of the eastern Caribbean States
 * Executive order #12670 which helped promote peace by extending the period of nuclear cooperation with the European Atomic Energy Communtiy
 * Executive order #12671 which enforced an exlusion of the Customs Office of Enforcement from the Federal Labor-Management Relations
 * Executive order #12672 which promoted the rights of handicapped employees by creating an interagency committee
 * Executive order #12673 which helped with disaster relief and emergency assistance functions
 * Executive order #12674 which defined a code of ethics for governement officers and employees
 * Executive order #12675 which created a National Space Council
 * Executive order #12676 which spread out authority to aid in the Nicaraguan resistance
 * Executive order #12677 which encouraged historically black colleges and universities to participate in federally sponsored programs
 * Supported Legislation**
 * As can be seen from the major legislation passed by Congress, George H. W. Bush supported legislation that helped to protect the rights of every American. He was also forced to support, against his will, increases in taxes even though it went against his campaign promises.

George H.W. Bush ran for president in 1988 with Vice Presidential running mate Dan Quayle. Bush's campaign ran with two main strategies: to ride the wave of happy feelings from the Reagan administration and to run a harsh mud slinging campaign against his opponents. Some famous events that helped Bush win were the promise of a continuation of Reagan, no new taxes, the Willie Horton commercial, and Dukakis riding in a tank which many believed made him look childish. With this well focused and run campaign Bush easily won the election. George H.W. Bush came into the presidency at a time when communism was collapsing in eastern Europe, Germany was being united, and the Soviet Union, under Gorbachev, was issuing new reforms and building better relations with the U.S. This all seemed like good news to the United States, but the reality was that violence was still around and wars were still being fought. Bush had to manage many of these foreign conflicts, which were very different than the conflicts involving the communist Soviet Union that Bush was used to.
 * Vetoes:**
 * Known for his high amount of vetoes
 * 44 total vetoes, with 15 pocket vetoes. Only one veto was overridden.
 * Bush and Congress**:
 * Bush had a hard time getting along with the democratically controlled Congress
 * Bush "supported and passed fewer legislation than any other president since World War II" due to constant opposition from Congress
 * Bush and the Boulevard of Broken Campaign Promises**
 * Bush and the Judiciary/Supreme Court**:
 * The Bush administration carefully screened federal court nominations to ensure a lasting conservative influence.
 * By the time Bush left office in 1993, almost a quarter of the federal judges were appointed by him.
 * Foreign Relations:**



Intro Congress Supreme Court