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Why Americans love George W Bush
Asia Times ^ | September 14 2004 | Spengler

Posted on 09/13/2004 2:00:26 PM PDT by Pitiricus

George W Bush almost certainly will win another term as president of the United States, as I have predicted all along (Careful what you Bush for, August 3). That surprises outside observers of US politics, who can see that the Democrats are cleverer, better dressed and better looking. It is just the sort of Americans who know they are neither clever nor good-looking who will vote for Bush.

Bush supporters are the sort of American one never meets. Through the media as well as through personal contact, Asians and Europeans meet the United States in the person of its coastal elite: academics, journalists, clerics, entertainers, and the technological avant garde. The sort of American traveler one meets in Hong Kong, Singapore or Bangkok probably will vote for John Kerry in November. Fewer than one in six Americans owns a passport, and those are found disproportionately on the US coasts, colored Democratic blue on the electoral maps. The elite enjoys the frisson of cultural difference and will travel thousands of miles to patronize quaint foreign cultures. By contrast, provincials from the inland states (colored Republican red on the electoral maps) take their holidays in Las Vegas or Disney World. For them the gambling-casino replicas of the Eiffel Tower or the Venetian canals are just like the real thing but without the inconvenience of strange tongues and customs.

Bush voters really do look worse (obesity is an inland disease in the US), dress worse, and are less likely to have attended a university than Kerry voters. But Bush voters are the sort of people who believe in their heart of hearts that America was founded to protect the likes of them - unlikely the clever and attractive people who can fend quite well for themselves. That is the source of their patriotism.

Outside the United States, Senator John F Kerry reportedly enjoys a 5-1 preference over President Bush (If the world could vote, it's Kerry in a landslide, by Jim Lobe, September 10). That emphasizes how great a gulf separates Americans from the rest of the world.

Political tourists who wish to understand the United States should seek out a medium-sized city somewhere in the country's interior, the sort of place no tourist ever would visit, and attend its Fourth of July festivities. There they will encounter a passion for country unknown on the other side of the Atlantic, and unimaginable in the Southern Hemisphere. Government, in the experience of the peoples of the world, has been an instrument by which the wealthy and powerful oppressed the weak. The passionate patriotism of ordinary Americans springs from their conviction that the American state is the shield of common folk.

To Europeans, patriotism implies a near-racialist nationalism of the sort that sent hordes of soldiers to butcher their fellows during the two World Wars of the last century. American patriotism belongs to a different species. Governments, in the experience of most of the peoples of the world, exist to help the rich and powerful oppress the weak and helpless. Whenever the representatives of the weak have taken power, they turned into oppressors. Europeans never have loved their governments; love of country means love of one's race and culture, the narcissistic self-worship of tribalism.

The United States, by contrast, is populated by the descendants of individuals who decided to cease to be Europeans (or whatever) so that no one would be able to push them around. That is why Americans own guns. By some accounts the number of guns in circulation exceeds the number of Americans. Americans do not use their guns, contrary to popular myth. If the violent behavior of certain minority groups is excluded, Americans commit the same proportion of violent crimes as do Europeans. But an armed population will accept only so much abuse. Gun control, by the same token, is a liberal obsession (the Drudge Report observed that Kerry sponsored legislation that would have banned the make of shotgun that he accepted as a gift from trade-union supporters in Pennsylvania).

Among such people, the president's simple message resonates mightily. Two World Wars taught Europeans that there is no good or evil, only the insidious jealousies of contending peoples. God therefore is on no one's side, and the alternative to mutual butchery is negotiated compromise. Senator Kerry and the US coastal elite believe the same thing, namely that enlightened specialists can interrupt the tragic destiny of peoples and save the world from itself. That is an alien intrusion upon the American world view, which began, almost biblically, by separating good and evil. The oppressive English monarchy was evil, while the self-governing English colonies were good; slavery was evil, while the system of free labor was good; what immigrants left behind in the old country was evil, and what they found on American shores was good. Nazism was evil, democracy was good; the Soviet Union was evil, while America was good.

Attacking President Bush for his failure to win European support for his Iraq venture may be the stupidest idea ever advanced by a major-party presidential candidate in a US election. Jokes about French cowardice were standard in the American repertoire for half a century before the US invasion of Iraq. "What's the salute of the French army?" (Raise both hands in token of surrender.)

After the end of the Cold War America's strategic interest in Europe withered away. As Muslim immigrants replace the infertile Europeans over time, European and US interests will diverge. It is meaningless to speak of America's "European allies" at this juncture. It is much more likely that the Europeans will become America's enemies a generation from now as Muslims emerge as a new majority.

Once attacked, Americans want to fight back. George W Bush may have attacked the wrong country (which I do not believe), and he may have mistaken the US mission after the initial fighting was over (which I do believe), but Americans are quite willing to forgive him. They understand that it is hard to track down and destroy a shadowy enemy, and do not mind much if the United States has to trounce a few countries before finding the right ones.

The attractive, witty and affluent elite who support John Kerry cannot bear the idea that the overweight, dull and impecunious commoners of Middle America will give Bush a second term. I am reminded of the fictional Franz Liebkind in Mel Brooks' 1968 movie The Producers. Brooks' slapstick Nazi complains, "Hitler was a better dancer than Churchill; Hitler was a better dresser than Churchill; Hitler was a better painter than Churchill: he could paint a whole apartment in one afternoon, two coats."

As for the other countries of the world, it is an inconvenience that George W Bush will pursue the "war on terror" to its bitter end, namely civilization war. It doesn't matter. They don't vote. My advice: suck it up and prepare for the second Bush administration.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bush; elections; europeans
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To: Pitiricus

Someone needs to compare and contrast, Peggy Noonan, Michael Moore, Laura Ingraham, (another fat male Lib), and Ann Coulter.


21 posted on 09/13/2004 2:28:43 PM PDT by Cobra64 (Babes should wear Bullet Bras - www.BulletBras.net)
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To: Pitiricus
Someone needs to compare and contrast, Peggy Noonan, Michael Moore, Laura Ingraham, (another fat male Lib), and Ann Coulter.

I forgot Arnold when he was Mr. Universe.

22 posted on 09/13/2004 2:29:45 PM PDT by Cobra64 (Babes should wear Bullet Bras - www.BulletBras.net)
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To: Pitiricus

I think I speak for many of of when I say I am not fat, I am pretty decent looking, I have college education, I have a feverish love for this country, and I will most definately vote for George W. Bush. The rest of the article is pretty good though.


23 posted on 09/13/2004 2:30:18 PM PDT by vpintheak (Our Liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain!)
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To: faithincowboys
I think Bush is much better looking than Lurch.

No doubt about it. The first time I saw Kerry on television, I was kinda taken aback at how um....'aesthetically challenged' he was.
24 posted on 09/13/2004 2:32:04 PM PDT by syp24
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To: Pitiricus

"Hitler was a better dancer than Churchill; Hitler was a better dresser than Churchill; Hitler was a better painter than Churchill: he could paint a whole apartment in one afternoon, two coats."


Ya gotta love Mel Brooks, he's utterly shameless with his gag writing.


25 posted on 09/13/2004 2:33:24 PM PDT by TalBlack
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To: Pitiricus

Just looking at the conventions, the Republicans were far better looking than the Democrats. Has anyone seen a Kerry surrogate by the name of Jenny something (weird, crazed eyes, a constant interruptor and bad teeth) on FNC. The Republican surrogates look like beauty queens compared to the Democrats.

Sure, Edwards is pretty, but he is a shallow metrosexual. Lurch is a dog, and the Rat wives aren't lookers at all.


26 posted on 09/13/2004 2:34:13 PM PDT by faithincowboys
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To: sarasotarepublican

Don't worry about it. The left-stream media is trying to whip up some anger about the AWB expiring, but it won't work. The only people who care are either already for Bush (pro-gun) or Kerry (antis). Most people know it won't affect them at all one way or the other, and don't buy the hysteria. The more time Kerry gets whining about it, the better. In fact the more Kerry is seen and heard about anything, the less people like him.


27 posted on 09/13/2004 2:37:16 PM PDT by Hugin
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To: Pitiricus
Once attacked, Americans want to fight back. George W Bush may have attacked the wrong country (which I do not believe), and he may have mistaken the US mission after the initial fighting was over (which I do believe), but Americans are quite willing to forgive him. They understand that it is hard to track down and destroy a shadowy enemy, and do not mind much if the United States has to trounce a few countries before finding the right ones.

BINGO! Give that man a prize!

28 posted on 09/13/2004 2:39:46 PM PDT by Smogger
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To: vpintheak

After I cast my vote for Bush I'm going to feel even smarter AND sexier.


29 posted on 09/13/2004 2:39:59 PM PDT by fr_freak
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To: Pitiricus
STARS WITH GOP STRIPES

ANGIE HARMON

BRITNEY W/ FLAG

JESSICA

LARA FLYNN BOYLE

BO DEREK

Angie Harmon, born in Dallas, Texas, is best known for her starring role as Assistant District Attorney Abbie Carmichael on NBC's Emmy Award-winning drama

I really needed this right now.

TOM SELLECK

30 posted on 09/13/2004 2:40:00 PM PDT by Liz
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To: faithincowboys

Janet Reno, Mad. Halfbright, Donna Schalala, Susan Estrich, Helen Thomas -- need I say more?


31 posted on 09/13/2004 2:41:13 PM PDT by The Great Yazoo (Hey! Hey! J-eFing-K! How many Vets did you Diss today?)
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To: Liz

Yup, Harman and Seahorn looked stunning at the convention. I hope it doesn't hurt their careers.


32 posted on 09/13/2004 2:47:08 PM PDT by faithincowboys
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To: Pitiricus

Bush summed up our differences quite well: "God is not neutral."


33 posted on 09/13/2004 2:47:39 PM PDT by rudypoot (Kerry sold out the US for political gain before now and he is doing it again.)
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To: The Great Yazoo

Seriously, the rank and file dem is UGLY.

The beautiful people in Hollywood are outspoken lefties because RDDBs like Harvey Weinsten run the joint and they want to work.


34 posted on 09/13/2004 2:48:35 PM PDT by faithincowboys
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To: faithincowboys

35 posted on 09/13/2004 2:49:53 PM PDT by Liz
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To: Pitiricus
Bush voters really do look worse (obesity is an inland disease in the US)

What a dope this guy is, huh? Of course we put the fat people in the middle, if we put it on them on the coasts the country would be tip over.

36 posted on 09/13/2004 2:52:11 PM PDT by Dolphy (Support swiftvets.com)
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To: sarasotarepublican
I’m mad as hell. Is anyone listening to Sean Hannity, or previously Rush? Each newsbreak is doing the story of the weapons ban. Each report is using Kerry's own voice from his last speech, criticizing President Bush. No follow up rebuttal given from the President. Talk about giving Kerry free air time.

I know. I heard them too. Both are clueless when it comes to firearms.

Rush said that the (Remington 12 ga semi-auto) gift to Kerry last week would have been banned if the AWB had been continued. If Rush were informed, he would have known that Kerry could not take legal possession without filling out ATF Form F4473.

Sean is in the same cloud. If someone told him that a 2" bbl S&W .22 was an assault weapon capable of shooting 400 rpm without reloading, he'd believe it.

The media should understand the topic before trying to address the topic.

The media is part of our problem. Maybe we should send them Gun Digest and an NRA membership for Christmas.

37 posted on 09/13/2004 2:54:18 PM PDT by Cobra64 (Babes should wear Bullet Bras - www.BulletBras.net)
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To: Savage Beast
Lots of us clever, good-looking Americans are met every day. I know my beautiful and brilliant wife (Phi Beta Kappa) and gorgeous children (Mensa) and I (more than 15 years of college education, degrees, faculty appointments, etc.) have been met many times--in Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, Latin America... Am I forgetting anything?

There are a lot more conservative Mensans than pundits seem to realize. In fact, the left hates this organization precisely because Hollywood wants to keep its copyrighted monopoly on the definition of "intellectual".

38 posted on 09/13/2004 3:15:48 PM PDT by BlazingArizona
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To: Pitiricus

"the clever and attractive people who can fend quite well for themselves. "

This clymer is a moron. The clever and attractive may be able to buy someone to look out for themselves but they are about as able as a 5 week old infant to fend for themselves.


39 posted on 09/13/2004 3:26:37 PM PDT by TASMANIANRED (What did Kerry know and when did he know it?)
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To: Darkwolf377

At first I thought he was being somewhat facetious, but then I realized he truly believed most of what he wrote. It's amusing though to read that Europeans, most of whom have advanced welfare states, hate government while those conservative Republicans, unlike those clever independent Dems, love big government. Obviously this guy has been listening to too many of those "clever, witty, and independent" libs who go overseas. Unlike, of course, us stupid and dull Republicans who never stray more than five miles from home. </sarcasm>


40 posted on 09/13/2004 3:33:45 PM PDT by driftless ( For life-long happiness, learn how to play the accordion.)
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