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Bush voters say nation going in wrong direction
The Houston Chronicle ^ | Oct. 8, 2005 | WILL LESTER

Posted on 10/08/2005 7:35:16 PM PDT by neverdem

Poll finds fears about gas prices, Iraq, the economy and disaster costs

Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Evangelicals, Republican women, Southerners and other critical groups in President Bush's political coalition are worried about the direction the nation is headed and disappointed with his performance, an AP-Ipsos poll found.

That unease could be a troubling sign for a White House already struggling to keep the Republican Party base from slipping over Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers, Gulf Coast spending projects, immigration and other issues.

"Politically, this is very serious for the president," said James Thurber, a political scientist at American University. "If the base of his party has lost faith, that could spell trouble for his policy agenda and for the party generally."

Sentiment about the nation's direction has sunk to new depths at a time people are anxious about Iraq, the economy, gas prices and the management of billions of dollars being spent for recovery from natural disasters.

Only 28 percent say the country is headed in the right direction while two-thirds, 66 percent, say it is on the wrong track, the poll found.

"There is a growing, deep-seated discontentment and pessimism about the direction of the country," said Republican strategist Tony Fabrizio.

Supporters uneasy

Among those most likely to have lost confidence about the nation's direction over the past year are white evangelicals, down 30 percentage points since November, Republican women, down 28 points, Southerners, down 26 points, and suburban men, down 20 points.

Bush's supporters are uneasy about issues such as federal deficits, immigration and his latest nomination for the Supreme Court. Social conservatives are concerned about his choice of Miers, a relatively unknown lawyer who has served as White House counsel.

The president's job approval is mired at the lowest level of his presidency — 39 percent. While four of five Republicans say they approve of Bush's job performance — enthusiasm has dipped over the last year.

Party backing slips

In December 2004, soon after his re-election, almost two-thirds of Republicans strongly approved of the job done by Bush. The AP-Ipsos survey found that just half in his own party feel that way now.

The poll of 1,000 adults was conducted by Ipsos, an international polling company, from Monday to Wednesday and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: 2006; 2008; aliens; bush43; bushvoters; conservatives; dummiespy; gop; immigration; poll; term2
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To: Schwaeky

Dismantle the IRS, implement a Flat Tax, and lessen regulations...ESPECIALLY on small businesses.


201 posted on 10/08/2005 11:42:45 PM PDT by Stellar Dendrite ( Mike Pence for President!!! http://acuf.org/issues/issue34/050415pol.asp)
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To: flashbunny; A.Hun
Sigh. Okay.




[no, they don't. That's why you're appearing a bit ignorant.] Ad hominem attack.

["Tinfoil" applies to people who have crazy theories or believe crazy things.] Too broad a definition.

["koolaid" applies to those who accept being told "trust us" without asking any tough questions, or believe that a certain party can do no wrong, in spite of actual actions.] Too narrow a definition or excluded middle ground.

[Let me guess, you probably think the word "niggardly" is a racial slur, too?] changing the subject fallacy of distraction. also sneering style of presentation is substituted for merit.

http://www.datanation.com/fallacies/index.htm


Good night.
202 posted on 10/08/2005 11:49:43 PM PDT by spinestein (Forget the Golden Rule. Remember the Brazen Rule.)
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To: VRWC For Truth
Bush served the meal. Blame him

Not on the Miers nomination. I'll blame the cowardly Senate Repub yorkies that are afraid of the pitbull Dems and Rinos.

And this will happen again on other issues until we get some REAL conservatives in the Senate.

203 posted on 10/09/2005 12:00:12 AM PDT by DJ MacWoW (If you think you know what's coming next....You don't know Jack.)
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To: righttackle44

My best regards for your son and cousin---I wholeheartedly agree with you that this place is becoming more disgusting to read every day--where the crybabies and doomsayers are crawling out of, beats me--you are absolutely right,"cindy could not have done more to demoralize our troops than you folks have--"--I thought it was just a couple on this site but more our coming out of the woodwork everyday to "pile on" our President--well, here is one old man, WW2 combat vet, that fully supports Bush while he is being hit on all sides by known enemies and 'so- called friends' alike--having experienced a small bit of minor politics during my 83+ years, I know all about the 'backslappers and summer soldiers' who are quick to turn on you when they smell a bit of blood--many of them never 'paid their dues' and another bunch can't even spell or use the English language properly but they are quick to criticize and lay out their tried and true formulas for governing a Nation--don't worry Dad, for "this too shall pass" when this bunch finds something or somone else to 'savage'---I pray God will Bless and Keep you boy and the other troops safe to return home to a Nation that is better than some of its citizens deserve--they have such a Nation because there were and are those of us who answered the call when we were needed to keep the whiners and wingers safe in their little beds at night--your son is one of the proud 'sheepdogs' who is protecting the 'sheep'


204 posted on 10/09/2005 12:14:31 AM PDT by cmotormac44
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To: Black Tooth

"the more people I meet, the more I like my dog"

I agree with your tagline--after reading your cute answers, I like my dog a helluva lot better than I would like you!

Another Bush hater bites the dust-


205 posted on 10/09/2005 12:24:37 AM PDT by cmotormac44
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To: CharlesWayneCT

Good summary of why the numbers are what they are BUMP!


206 posted on 10/09/2005 12:31:27 AM PDT by LibertarianInExile (Kelo, Grutter, Raich and Roe-all them gotta go. Pick Judge JRB! She'll nuke `em 'til they glow!)
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To: flashbunny

"wait a minute, I was told only the elitists were upset with what Bush is doing????"

Oh, that must be it, this is just a poll of ELITISTS! Geez, I feel much better now. Everyone loves the way the country's going except for those ELITIST bastards...


207 posted on 10/09/2005 12:34:17 AM PDT by LibertarianInExile (Kelo, Grutter, Raich and Roe-all them gotta go. Pick Judge JRB! She'll nuke `em 'til they glow!)
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To: right way right

It may be an article to encourage Dems. That doesn't mean it isn't true. Whether you like Bush or not is largely irrelevant. One can say "you drank the koolaid". And whether you did or not is irrelevant. What is relevant is whether there is a factual basis for what is being said. If there is, then there is a problem. Lord knows I didn't leave the party for 'no good reason.' Nor did I leave it because my feelings got hurt. I left it because I believe the party is as abusive and unserving of the good of America as the dims are. And when your field of proffered candidates are a republican trilateralist, a Dim trilateralist and an independant trilateralist, one is force to the obvious conclusion - hiding in the guise of three parties is a single party with three disguises. IMHO, it's time to outlaw political parties and remove term limits. The problem isn't the length of the terms, it's the party system allowed to abuse the office and grandfathered into the system. The problem is the party chosing the candidate instead of the american people doing it. Throw the ivy leaguers out and get the average joe into office. It's the lawyers, afterall, that know best how to game the system.


208 posted on 10/09/2005 12:35:29 AM PDT by Havoc (King George and President George. Coincidence?)
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To: A.Hun

"Tearing the party apart"

GWB is the one who did that by selecting miers.


209 posted on 10/09/2005 12:46:22 AM PDT by flashbunny (Sorry, but I'm allergic to KoolAid.)
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To: George Stupidnopolis
Wasn't it Alan Keyes who said that the only thing you find in a big tent is a bunch of clowns? LOL.....nice quote.
210 posted on 10/09/2005 1:26:05 AM PDT by indcons (RNC: Republican; Not Conservative)
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To: spinestein; PositiveCogins; rrrod; DTogo; andie74; earplug; sageb1; SC33
Just for the record, here is what our federal government has been spending during Bush's Presidency. Amounts are in trillions of dollars (and represent approximately 20% of GDP)

Although your metric you are using is true it is the wrong indicator and is misleading. You are diluting the impact of controllable spending with mandated/ongoing entitlements expenditures.
From the Congressional Budget Office.

http://www.cbo.gov/showdoc.cfm?index=1821&sequence=0

Table 7&8 are the only relevant data sets for the context of this discussion namely growth of gov. or run-away spending. These tables are of DISCRETIONARY SPENDING the spending by definition that is controllable and the metric that results in indicating gov. growth and spending.

Table 7 is in real $ table 8 is in % of GDP.

Using real $ in table 7, using the last year of the Bush I , last year of toon and the last year of Bush II(04) we have the following(last year =full control of budget)

Toon 2000 @15% over Bush I 1992, Bush II 2004 @45.6% in total discretionary spending.

Taking defense spending out of the equation (I think defense is critical) we still have:
Toon 38.2% increase over Bush I, Bush II 37.9% increase over toon. The republicans controlled congress (who really spends the $) since the 2nd yr of toon. Keep in mind that the last data is 2004 with out the drug program,highway bill aid to Africa.

When looking @ table 8 spending as a % of GDP we see an actual decline in spending by toon and a 1.4% increase by Bush II.

Keep in mind a small % represents a large deflection in actual $ since the factor (GDP) is such a large #. When looking at GDP other variables enter into the equation.

Looking at these facts I don’t see how anyone can deny that GWB and the Rep’s are out of control, spending faster than Clinton and “like a drunken sailor”. Bush is pushing these expenditures and Congress is going along with him. Especially since they are supposed to represent reduction of the size of government and spending.

I just got back from a trip and was just lurking, I have already decided that the Republicans party has left me and will not get one dime nor one minute of my time, however, I will not let misleading information stand without correction.

PositiveCogins; rrrod; DTogo; andie74; earplug; sageb1; SC33

Only pinging you because you were copied in the post that I am responding to.

211 posted on 10/09/2005 1:49:27 AM PDT by Aquakat (The Media is the enemy of America; ACT ACCORDINGLY.)
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To: righttackle44
(I have not served. My tagline honors my son and my cousin.)

My thanks to your son and cousin. Thanks goes to you as well as you have/are going thorough hell with your concern for your son.

212 posted on 10/09/2005 1:57:10 AM PDT by Aquakat (The Media is the enemy of America; ACT ACCORDINGLY.)
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To: Black Tooth
I am on the side of truth, justice, and the American way!

Faux patriotism: The Last Refuge of a Scoundrel.


If you want a Google GMail account, FReepmail me.
They're going fast!

213 posted on 10/09/2005 3:18:12 AM PDT by rdb3 (Have you ever stopped to think, but forgot to start again?)
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To: flashbunny
"Tearing the party apart" GWB is the one who did that by selecting miers.

Garbage.

Pure garbage.

214 posted on 10/09/2005 4:01:26 AM PDT by patriciaruth (They are all Mike Spanns)
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To: George Stupidnopolis
Any time I start to think the country might be going in the wrong direction, I simply state two little words: President Kerry

Whenever GWB has done something that conservatives question, since he started his first run for President, his supporters have had three responses:

1. He's better that (fill in name). Gee gosh, I'll stick with him when I look at the alternatives.

2. Well, he has to go slowly now, until we get control of the HOR, Senate, and Presidency...then the conservative movement is unstoppable. (oops...haven't heard that one for awhile)

3. But it's all about...THE JUDGES!!! GWB's Supreme Court choices will just cleanse this country of the liberal insanity and over-reaching, over-spending government.

I'd say it's time to get past these three arguments, and articulate how what GWB has done, and is doing, has made us a stronger, less intrusive, safer country, heading back towards a minimalist federal government that understands the Constitution and does everything possible to uphold it.

215 posted on 10/09/2005 4:15:09 AM PDT by grania ("Won't get fooled again")
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To: Schwaeky
.. As for the problems right now, in a static situation with nothing done to change it, it is called the Business cycle, get used to it.. but they can take the regulatory handcuffs and shuffle them aside and make a good deal of positive change....

That's an excellent stump speech to make on FR, but it's not one incumbents - Democratic or Republcian - want to have to be making to the voters in Oct of '06.

216 posted on 10/09/2005 4:21:30 AM PDT by M. Dodge Thomas
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To: txrangerette
Bush is one of the better Presidents we have ever had.

You forgot your end sarcasm tag.

217 posted on 10/09/2005 8:14:51 AM PDT by NCSteve
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To: rdb3

Is this all you people can do? Is attack those that make comments that you may disagree with? Some of you people ought to get paid to run from thread to thread attempting to control damage. Pathetic.


218 posted on 10/09/2005 9:31:02 AM PDT by Black Tooth (The more people I meet, the more I like my dog.)
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To: Black Tooth
Is this all you people can do? Is attack those that make comments that you may disagree with? Some of you people ought to get paid to run from thread to thread attempting to control damage. Pathetic.

This is what we call "PROJECTION!"

What you described is precisely what you do, yourself. You go from thread to thread with the same nonsense.

Now, you wouldn't want to be considered a hypocrite, would you? If not, don't criticize others for what you do. It's very simple.


If you want a Google GMail account, FReepmail me.
They're going fast!

219 posted on 10/09/2005 9:36:05 AM PDT by rdb3 (Have you ever stopped to think, but forgot to start again?)
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To: neverdem

Oh ya, these polls do a great job of distinguishing the difference between "The nation" going in the wrong direction, and "The President" going in the wrong direction....

The MSM, Hollywood, "progressive" religions, courts, corporate policy, state laws, personal behavior, all reflect "the Nation" going in the wrong direction, yet have NOTHING to do with where Bush is driving!


220 posted on 10/09/2005 9:38:36 AM PDT by G Larry (Only strict constructionists on the Supreme Court!)
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