Vanity - What is a Bushbot?

[gondramB]

I got called a Bushbot again yesterday - its happening more and more. Now this particular person wants machine gun nests set up at the border to kill anyone who crosses and he sees all foreign trade as evil and thinks the President is trying to end U.S. sovereignty and when he calls me a Freeper he means it as a bad thing... So I'm not too worried about his opinion but it got me thinking...

In a lot of ways I'm more conservative than President Bush - I don't think he places enough importance on controlling spending, border security or dealing with existing illegals. I don't think he has vetoed as much as he should have.

Sometimes I differ on what the President thinks is conservative, for example with evolution or privacy - I'm big on science, individual rights and limits on government.

In some areas, like holding the country together after 9/11 and dealing with Afghanistan, judicial appointments, trade and opposing abortion Presient Bush has done a great job - not perfect but no President is perfect.

I don't think we went into Iraq at the right time in the right way. I don't bring this up much because we are at war now - there is nothing to be gained by complaining about how we went into Iraq - we are there and it needs to be a national effort to see the job through, support our troops and leave a stable Iraq that isn't a threat.

I'm starting to think that a Bushbot is a conservative who, even though he sometimes disagrees with the President continues to support our commander in chief in time of war and who is darn glad he's the President instead of Kerry.

I guess there are worse things to be called.

[gondramB]

Redcloak: >>A Bushbot robotically supports the President even when he does stupid things; and yes, the President has done some stupid things while in office. For example, a Bushbot might have vehemently opposed the McCain-Feingold Bill while it was being debated, but turned into a true-blue supporter of campaign finance reform once Bush signed that turkey. Or they may have opposed amnesty for illegal aliens... until Bush supported it.

On the other hand, Bushbots should not be mistaken for those who make realpolitik decisions. Such a person might oppose a particular Bush policy, but voices support for the President because they see him as a vehicle to achieve their long term political goals<<


Funny you should mention realpolitik because I didn't know the term but looked up a dozen references on it earlier this week. I think you have hit the nail on the head as to the real difference.

Supporting a war time commander in chief after admitting and thinking through differences is very different from a robotic response.

And what is irritating me is that I am doing the first and being called the second.

[gondramB]

CD: >>This should be an entertaining thread.<<

I'm kind of surprised anybody noticed it - my last thread over here was to say that we should show Israel the same military assistance we would show for any other ally with missiles raining down on their cities. There wasn't a single response.

[Richard Kimball]

Gosh, I get called a Bushbot regularly, and I opposed both.

You might get called a Bushbot if you don't say, "Well, I'm sitting home this year and I hope the liberals win the elections! That'll show the Republicans and maybe they'll get some backbone!"

You might get called a Bushbot if you think people who voted for Perot were duped, because Perot was running specifically to drain off conservative voters and throw the election to Clinton.

You might be a Bushbot if you support the President, even though you disagree with some of his policies.

Proud Bushbot:

Voted for GHW Bush in 1988
Voted for GHW Bush in 1992
Voted for W in 1994 Texas Governor
Voted for W in 1998 Texas Governor
Voted for W in 2000 President
Voted for W in 2004 President

BTW, I took the top photo. Yes, I'm a proud Bushbot.

[gondramB]

HumblegunnerL >>A Bushbot is a kind of gas powered robot that trims hedges, you can get them at Home Depot.<<

Boy, I bet they hate this new usage - I couldn't find that device on google even adding lawn care to the search.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Kinds like a Roomba then...

[KC_Conspirator]

A Bushbot is someone who relexively agrees or defends the president no matter if his policies are in contrast to Republicanism or Conservatism, even to the point of attacking fellow Republicans or Conservatives. An example of this might be Harriet Miers, Dubai Ports, spending, or illegal aliens.

[gondramB]

TC: >>There have been several issues where Conservative Republicans have not agreed with The President.

A little infighting or disagreements among Republicans is one that distinguishes us from the other party.

Come Nov. I'd be voting one time (straight party) but I've got to figure out who to write-in or dial-in for Tom Delay.<<


I think you've got it about what defines the difference. I certainly disagree with the President on some issues but I don't understand conservatives who want to make Nancy Pelosi speaker and Hillary President to punish the GOP.

[gondramB]

That was almost painfully cute. :)

[Constitution Day]

There wasn't a single response.

Hmmm, odd.
Well, Bushbot is one of those hot-button words that gets under peoples' skin, so expect a LIVELY 'debate' (lol).

Personally, though I voted for Bush 2x and support him on MOST issues, I am not a Bushbot.

I consider the term pejorative, and when I hear it, I picture certain Freepers who doggedly refuse to admit the man can do ANYTHING wrong.
You know the type... they're awfully thin-skinned.

Have a good 'un!

[Sam Cree]

I generally agree with your sentiments as expressed in the original post. I don't consider myself a Bushbot, but by those standards, I would qualify.

[gondramB]

>>A Bushbot is someone who relexively agrees or defends the president no matter if his policies are in contrast to Republicanism or Conservatism, even to the point of attacking fellow Republicans or Conservatives. An example of this might be Harriet Miers, Dubai Ports, spending, or illegal aliens.<<

I think that should be the definition from a conservative point of view (with liberals having their own definition)...

But the term seems to be applied more and more to conservative who disagre with him, think things through and then make a decision not to attack the President while we are at war and he is under attack from liberals.

[theFIRMbss]

>Well, Bushbot is one of those hot-button words that gets under peoples' skin

Just the other day
I heard that Ann Coulter fans
get labeled, AnnDroids!

[A CA Guy]

I don't think we went into Iraq at the right time in the right way.

Hi G, what would you consider the right time and right way?

[Constitution Day]

AnnDroids

That is cute! (so is the haiku)

[Rb ver. 2.0]

You might be a Bushbot if:

You think Hezbollah has been defeated.

[MikefromOhio]

I just ignore people like that.

1%ers get ignored by everyone else, I wouldn't worry if they are calling you names :)

[Constitution Day]

Oh, so true.

[KC_Conspirator]

I don't think that is true at all. The great majority of people who disagreed with Bush on specific policies, have almost unwavering support for the war on terror and other areas.

[NeoCaveman]

You might be a Bushbot if:
You think Hezbollah has been defeated.

Oh let me try.

You might be a Bushbot if:

You think the Medicare prescription drug bill will actually save the tax payers money.

[gondramB]

CD: >>I consider the term pejorative, and when I hear it, I picture certain Freepers who doggedly refuse to admit the man can do ANYTHING wrong.
You know the type... they're awfully thin-skinned.<<

1. Yes
2. I do too.

But I'm not without sympathy for people who reflexively defend - leaders these days are under constant attack and much of it is politically generated. Take hurricane Katrina - the accusations of the President not caring about the suffering because the people were black together with incompetence of the city and state officials in N'awlins and Loiusiana led some conservatives to defend everything FEMA was doing.

But at such times its good to go back to first principles - FEMA is a giant government Bureaucracy, recently reorganized spending boatloads of money very rapidly. Conservative common sense should tell us that is a recipe for things to go wrong.