Agreed... A lot of peeps rag on G Dubya (with good reason).... but in my opinion it was this guy that really started all the carnage: George H. W. Bush.
I would take it all the way back to LBJ myself. I think the trend started back then and is just now getting into full swing.
EDIT, but if you want to rag on Bush Sr., probably should rag on the geezer who he was VP for as well.