Do you remember "Read my lips"

possible | 2/2/2004 | possible

[possible]

Do you remember "Read my lips"? President George H. W. Bush was, arguably, defeated on the issue of credibility. He promised no new taxes, saying "Read my lips, no new taxes". And he broke the promise.

Although it doesn't involve a promise, President George W. Bush may be creating his own credibility problem. How serious will it get? Will it threaten his reelection? I don't know.

The Medicare prescription drug bill appears to be a classic case of false advertising. The bill was sold to the American people and congress with an advertised price. Now a few short weeeks later, the true price is admitted to be more than $130,000,000,000 higher. The increase in price alone is enough to create 130,000 millionaires!

The only "innocent" explanation I can think of is that some staff person somewhere did an extremely bad job of estimating the cost. Is this what happened? Will the American people believe it?

I suppose I'm old fashioned. I believe in accountability. If an employee of mine made a mistake of comparable magnitude, badly misestimating a contract for a customer, he'd be fired. And I'd be profusely apologizing to my customer.

From all appearances President Bush doesn't realize he has a credibility problem.

[laotzu]

"IMO, you are working for Kerry."

Now, there's an educated opinion.

And you base this humble opinion on what?

[onedoug]

Thanks. That's interesting.

I wish I could find the article I read here on the day of the NEA announcement, which posited that our country at war has always seen "lavish" domestic agendas and spending as a function of our societal dynamism viewed internationally by both our friends and enemies.

I've looked for that piece since, but just can't find it again.

...But id did make me feel a little better about some of this stuff.

[possible]

Are you surprised by the increase in the cost of the medicare bill for the gimmie generation? If so, you are the only one.

And if it had been Clinton...

My concern is that Bush is creating a credibility problem.

[laotzu]

"If we end up with a Democrat president as a result..."

It'll be because our candidate failed. His fault. Not ours, not theirs....his fault.

Here's a novel approach; let's demand he be a better President instead of intimidating each other to follow the herd.

[Consort]

Oh yeah, we remember "Read my lips" and how the Dems tricked Bush 41 into new taxes and tricked Conservatives into helping to elect Clinton. A beautiful con game that can work a few more times.

[laotzu]

"I'm a political realist."

So, yes.....you would fire an employee for this, but will vote him into the White House.

[possible]

Bull...if you would listen, the Congressmen said that they knew LIKE ALL GOV PROGRAMS that the price would be different. Some even said that they knew other numbers were going to come out soon. The one set, the one the President used was from the CONGRESS anyway! The new numbers are the ones that came out when Bush's budget office went over the Congressional ones!

I'm for Bush. I'm just concerned about a credibility problem developing. No matter where they came from, Bush used the numbers.

[Peach]

That's what I'm recommending actually when I ask people to write the White House and their legislators.

[possible]

What is with all these vanity threads lately, isn't there enough BushBashings threads already posted here on FR

This isn't Bush bashing.

[possible]

President Bush has lost some credibility and his base. If we all write to him and mention this to him, it will get him back on board - maybe. It's the only alternative we have unless we're willing to sit idly by and watch what a Democrat will do to the country.

Agreed!

[Peach]

I read an article that discussed how the new director of the NEA absolutely will NOT be funding some of the crap we've seen in the past.

In addition, in order to change the debasement of our culture, we cannot leave a void and this is, I believe, an attempt to return to the classics to fill that void.

I'm still not happy about the funding level for the NEA and other programs, particularly in a time of war and deficits, but the alternatives are so much worse and I admire so many other things about this president, that he still has my strong support.

[Peach]

It's a bigger pig when in addition to making illegals US citizens immediately (which most Rats want), they ALSO want nationalized health care, treat terrorism as a law enforcement issue, get us back into Kyoto, back into the ICC, etc.

We need to be grown ups and realize there is no perfect man. We voting for president, not perfection.

[laotzu]

"That's what I'm recommending actually..."

But, you are also recommending that people skirt responsibility and blame third party voters instead.

Bush has done some reprehensible things to my children. If he doesn't earn my vote, it will be because he failed his duty.

How dare you suggest that is would be me that failed my duty. Who are you to dictate my duty, judge my loyalty to it, and let Bush skate on his?

[Peach]

LOL. Ditto your #25.

[possible]

Oh yeah, we remember "Read my lips" and how the Dems tricked Bush 41 into new taxes and tricked Conservatives into helping to elect Clinton. A beautiful con game that can work a few more times.

It seems to me that there are two ways to prevent the con from working: 1. Don't be tricked into staying at home on election day. 2. Warn our candidate away from trouble. The credibility issue can hurt a Republican much more than a Democrat. Expectations, you know.

[MJY1288]

Well you used the term "Read my Lips" as if George W. Bush has broken a promise by trying to fulfill the promises he made while campaigning in 2000. I disagree with the Medicare Bill, but he ran on it.

As far as the spending..... Yes he nees to bring it under control, and Congress needs to hear from us about this, because they are the spenders.

I hope this explains my previous comment

[Peach]

But, you are also recommending that people skirt responsibility and blame third party voters instead.

Huh? I have not done as you suggested. Get a grip.

How dare you suggest that is would be me that failed my duty. Who are you to dictate my duty, judge my loyalty to it, and let Bush skate on his?

IF you don't vote or vote third party when you KNOW they cannot win, then you are throwing away your vote.

Do an inforum review of Jim Robinson's posts regarding this entire matter last night. I am not saying ANYTHING he isn't saying. So get off your high horse and pretend indignation.

[possible]

So, yes.....you would fire an employee for this, but will vote him into the White House.

Yes, indeed.

When I fire an employee, I get to choose the replacement. Not so with the president. I've seen enough of the Democrats in the White House. Politics is the art of the ...

[Phantom Lord]

get us back into Kyoto

We have never been "in" Kyoto. The senate voted 95-0 against Kyoto while Clinton was president. The RATS like to make noise about Kyoto but have no intentions of ever actually ratifying the treaty.

[Peach]

I know the facts about Kyoto but we were IN it when Clinton signed an executive order in his final days in office.

There's nothing to prevent a Kerry or Dean to sign another such order and both have mentioned Kyoto FREQUENTLY.