George Herbert Walker Bush, the 41st President of the United States, was buried this week at his Presidential Library,  not too far from his hometown, Houston, Texas, a city I had the pleasure of living in for seven years in the 1980’s. He was then Vice-President under Ronald Reagan.

Although I never voted for Mr. Bush (and disagreed with most of his policies), he was a man who deserved respect and admiration, who cared about his country’s interests before his own. As I look back and remember him as a good example of how a President should act and behave, it is impossible not to compare and contrast him to the present resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Through this brief reflection on both men, we can enhance our understanding of how dangerous the current President is to our country.

Both Bush and Trump went to Ivy League schools; it is not obvious that the latter learned anything about history, politics, sociology or economics while there. Each man also came from wealthy families but, again, one of them worked hard to achieve success while, despite lying about it, the other was given millions of dollars to help him build his career.   Bush was a decorated military hero; Trump avoided military service because of “bone spurs.”

Following graduation from college, Bush (he had already served as a World War II Fighter Pilot), travelled to Odessa, Texas to raise a family and enter the oil industry. Trump immediately joined the family real estate business. Bush soon entered politics, becoming a congressman, envoy to China, UN Ambassador, CIA Director, Vice-President. and was elected President in 1988.

As President, Bush was confronted by two major crises—the fall of the Soviet Union and Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait. While formulating a successful plan for a post-Soviet Union Europe, Bush was able to work with European leaders to secure a successful finale to the Cold War. Likewise, he established a strong multi-country coalition to force Iraq’s retreat from Kuwait,  yet avoided entangling the U.S. in a long drawn-out conflict premised on removing the Iraqi dictator from power. Despite his efforts to secure a second term, strong public opposition to some of  his domestic policies led to a loss to Bill Clinton in 1992. Admired in his post-Presidential years by both Republicans and Democrats, he was our country’s leading elder statesman until his passing.

Trump, on the other hand, faced bankruptcy on a number of occasions, pursued dubious real estate transactions, had a reputation for not paying his bills, and seemed to rely on foreign sources (primarily Russia), to advance his business. His lack of integrity, fed by an insatiable need for acclaim, was cemented with constant lying and a use of conspiracy theories and Hollywood to advance his empire. Eventually, with apparent Russian assistance, he became President in 2017.

Today, in reflection, what do we find? While Trump is arguably the worst President in history, George H.W. Bush is mourned as someone who was decent to everyone, and always displayed a great deal of integrity. He fought the battles that were necessary to keep the country strong and secure. He relied on commonsense and intelligence in making decisions. Most of all, because he recognized he wasn’t an infallible “Sun-God,” he knew when to seek advice and who to seek it from. He deserves to be remembered and mourned, both as a very good man and a fine President.