If the '12 election is about Bush, the GOP wins

Yes, that's right. If Democrats want to make the 2012 election about President Bush, then I encourage them to do so, it only helps the republicans. First off, Americans will likely focus on the Obama record Vs. that of the Clinton/Gingrich record of the mid and late 1990s if Newt Gingrich is the GOP nominee, or Mitt Romney's 25 year business career and term as Governor of Massachusetts. However, focusing on President Bush would help the republicans. On the issues that have been the most controversial, Obama's record has not been as good as Bush's. Just compare the two records;

Economy & Budget;
- President Bush presided over 52 straight months of economic growth in which 8 million new jobs were added
- President Obama has presided over the highest unemployment almost 3 decades
- Deficits fluctuated under President Bush, they have steadily increased under Obama
- President Bush signed the largest tax cuts in a generation to stimulate economic growth
- President Obama has increased government spending by 25% leading to continued economic problems
- President Bush supported free trade, President Obama has been more reluctant


Immigration;
- President Bush deployed more boots to the border
- President Obama has not sent enough troops to the border despite increased violence

Health care;
- President Bush helped cover millions of seniors with prescription drug coverage
- President Obama has cut medicare by $500 billion
- President Bush signed the law creating Health Care savings Accounts
- President Obama's health insurance program is unconstitutional, and costs have increased by 9% in 2011

National Defense;
- President Bush signed into law bills that increased funding for the military and made it harder to board a plane
- President Obama has presided over TSA "pat-downs" which have caused many to be assaulted
- President Bush increased defense spending, President Obama has cut defense spending
*Luckily, there are some areas where President Obama deserves credit, but some of these were simply continued policies from the Bush era.