The Presidency of George W. Bush

A First Historical Assessment
Erscheinungsjahr 2010
ISBN: 978-0-691-14901-1
Verlag: Princeton University Press

Buch, Englisch, 386 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 611 g

The Presidency of George W. Bush brings together some of today's top American historians to offer the first in-depth look at one of the most controversial U.S. presidencies. Emotions surrounding the Bush presidency continue to run high--conservatives steadfastly defend its achievements, liberals call it a disgrace. This book examines the successes as well as the failures, covering every major aspect of Bush's two terms in office. It puts issues in broad historical context to reveal the forces that shaped and constrained Bush's presidency--and the ways his presidency reshaped the nation. The Presidency of George W. Bush features contributions by Mary L. Dudziak, Gary Gerstle, David Greenberg, Meg Jacobs, Michael Kazin, Kevin M. Kruse, Nelson Lichtenstein, Fredrik Logevall, Timothy Naftali, James T. Patterson, and the book's editor, Julian E. Zelizer. Each chapter tackles some important aspect of Bush's administration--such as presidential power, law, the war on terror, the Iraq invasion, economic policy, and religion--and helps readers understand why Bush made the decisions he did. Taking readers behind the headlines of momentous events, the contributors show how the quandaries of the Bush presidency were essentially those of conservatism itself, which was confronted by the hard realities of governance. They demonstrate how in fact Bush frequently disappointed the Right, and how Barack Obama's 2008 election victory cast the very tenets of conservatism in doubt. History will be the ultimate judge of Bush's legacy, and the assessment begins with this book.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Zelizer, Julian E.

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Systeme Politische Führung
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politikwissenschaft Allgemein Politische Geschichte
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politikwissenschaft Allgemein Politische Studien zu einzelnen Ländern und Gebieten
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Ideologien Konservativismus
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Weltgeschichte & Geschichte einzelner Länder und Gebietsräume Geschichte einzelner Länder Amerikanische Geschichte

Inhaltsverzeichnis

List of Contributors ix

Acknowledgments xi

Chapter 1: Establishment Conservative: The Presidency of George W. Bush by JULIAN E. ZELIZER 1

Chapter 2: How Conservatives Learned to Stop Worrying and

Love Presidential Power by JULIAN E. ZELIZER 15

Chapter 3: A Sword and a Shield: The Uses of Law in the

Bush Administration by MARY L. DUDZIAK 39

Chapter 4: George W. Bush and the "War on Terror" by TIMOTHY NAFTALI 59

Chapter 5: Anatomy of an Unnecessary War: The Iraq Invasion by FREDRIK LOGEVALL 88

Chapter 6: Transformative Economic Policies: Tax Cutting, Stimuli, and Bailouts by JAMES T. PATTERSON 114

Chapter 7: Wreaking Havoc from Within: George W. Bush's Energy Policy in Historical Perspective by MEG JACOBS 139

Chapter 8: Ideology and Interest on the Social Policy Home Front by NELSON LICHTENSTEIN 169

Chapter 9: Creating Their Own Reality: The Bush Administration

and Expertise in a Polarized Age by DAVID GREENBERG 199

Chapter 10: Compassionate Conservatism: Religion in the Age of George W. Bush by KEVIN M. KRUSE 227

Chapter 11: Minorities, Multiculturalism, and the Presidency of George W. Bush by GARY GERSTLE 252

Chapter 12: From Hubris to Despair: George W. Bush and the Conservative Movement by MICHAEL KAZIN 282

Notes 303

Index 363

Über Autor(innen)

Zelizer, Julian E.
Julian E. Zelizer is professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. He is the author of "Arsenal of Democracy, On Capitol Hill", and "Taxing America". He is a frequent contributor to CNN.com, "Politico", and the "New York Times", among others.