The bungling Bush presidency is falling apart

Newsday ^ | March 3, 2006 | James Klurfeld

[Cannoneer No. 4]

An old acquaintance in Washington - a former member of Republican administrations whose foreign policy views are decidedly hard-line - recently had this to say to a friend about the Bush administration: This might be the most inept administration in American history.

But it should come as no surprise that President George W. Bush has fallen to an approval rating of 34 percent in a recent national poll. Just look at the events in this winter of his discontent:

Members of his own party have turned against him on the issues of whether a company owned by the United Arab Emirates should control six major ports in the United States.

As more and more information leaks out about the unauthorized and very likely illegal eavesdropping by the National Security Administration, there is more talk - only whispered at the moment - that there ought to be an impeachment inquiry into Bush's behavior.

But I fear we are now seeing the other side of the coin with Bush. His lack of historical perspective, his crusading religiousness, his Texas-style shoot-first-ask-questions-later approach to complex problems - that is, all the shortcomings that were obvious from the beginning of his presidency - seem to be catching up with him now. It's one thing to be a decisive leader. It is quite another to be consistently making the wrong decisions.

This is a presidency coming unraveled before our eyes. It is not a pretty sight, and it is not good for the country. What a difference a year makes. After his re-election, Bush said that he would use his political capital.

Soon he won't have any left. Then what?

[leadpenny]

Very good point, but we can't sluff off the perception, by the voters, of disorder in the administration.

[mr_hammer]

Agreed!

[newnhdad]

This administration has endured a media push unlike anything we've seen in our lifetime. The administration has not been able to get in front of anything because there's nothing to get in front of. EVERYTHING IS A SCANDAL IN THE EYES OF THE MEDIA. If there is an attempt to defend the administration they just call it a "cover-up" or a "spin on the truth, which they won't reveal". This guy can't go to the can and flush without some overpaid former Clintonista spinmeister complaining in a breathless news conference that he's destroying the environment.

My hope is that most people will grow weary the media portraying everything as the scandal dujour and ignore it like they did prior to 9/11.

The President has just made a historic nuclear agreement with the largest democracy and it didn't even make the papers here. We lead into the weekend with another old story about Katrina and one of the letters to the editor said that it's Bush's fault her kids are fat because No Child Left Behind is forcing schools to spend more money on core subjects like math, science and english and paying less into subjects like health and music. Like the president is forcing her children to eat twinkies, watch TV and play video games.

[Puppage]

his Texas-style shoot-first-ask-questions-later approach to complex problems

Shoot first, hmm?

[ConsentofGoverned]

Namby Pamby stayed at home and the GOP fell off the wall and all the kings horsemen could not put GOP together again.

[Cincinatus]

Tony Snow himself has stated he is mystified as to why this White House allows itself to be defined by their enemies.

Because George Bush doesn't care what the media thinks about him. He also doesn't care about polls and he doesn't care about his "approval rating." The mid-term is 10 months away, an eternity in politics. Bush thinks that if he does the right thing (as he sees it) and perseveres on the course he has (repeatedly) outlined, the American people will respond favorably at the polls when elections finally come. So far, through three national federal elections, he's been right and the "experts" have been wrong.

Very old fashioned -- a principled man acting on a course he believes to be right. Ignoring the naysayers. Leading. Downright quaint. Possibly why all of the media and a good many on this web site find him inscrutable.

[DeaconRed]

"A huge number of Freepers RAT LURKERS prefer Hillary to the President."
You can't be serious! ! !

[7thson]

I wish he would shoot first more.

[Candor7]

"An old acquaintance in Washington - a former member of Republican administrations whose foreign policy views are decidedly hard-line - recently had this to say to a friend about the Bush administration: This might be the most inept administration in American history."

Translation: A composite character made up of all the flatulance I have managed to remember callused into someone I remember as a hard liner Republican. While looking at this image in a mirror I heard him say that the Bush Administration is the most inept in the history of the country for not allowing formerly appointed Clinton bureaucrats from altering presidential policies across the board."

This is not ineptitude.

It is the President of the United States following the mandate given to him by the electorate,doing the best he can in the circumstances.

As a result, George W. Bush will be remembered as one of the great presidents. He will not need a presidential library full of lies that attempt to rewrite history, and will leave the American people a legacy of valor in the face of a democratic movement of raging maniacs lusting for power, without coherent principles or meaning.

This difference is obvious to the Amrican people:

[syriacus]

Enterprising liberals have placed a "Kick Me" sign on Bush's back and too many Americans are taking the bait

The liberal MSM is as fully aware of Alinsky's tactics (Rules for Radicals) as Hillary is.*

...the fifth rule: Ridicule is man's most potent weapon. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage.

It is surprising that Bush is doing as well as he is, considering the [mostly unsubstantiated] attacks on him and ridicule of him.

*The only thing I need to know about Hillary: Her mentor was Saul Alinsky.

[dirtboy]

A huge number of Freepers prefer Hillary to the President.

That is total bullcrap and you know it. But that is what the likes of you is reduced to when dealing with valid criticism of how the Bush Admin has handled the ports matter.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

What are you, a mind reader? I didn't mention your name on this thread.

[syriacus]

In my mind, buying Newsday (or the New York Times) is the same thing as contributing to the DNC, so, like you, I rarely buy the paper.

I once subscribed to both papers, but now I only buy them at the store, maybe 5 times a year.

I guess the advertisers must be realizing that both papers have suffered a drastic decline in circulation. The circulars from the grocery stores are now coming to my house once a week, with the mail.

[ConsentofGoverned]

"Very old fashioned -- a principled man acting on a course he believes to be right. Ignoring the naysayers. Leading. Downright quaint. Possibly why all of the media and a good many on this web site find him inscrutable"
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>................
The principles he is applying: OPEN BORDERS and invasion by MILLIONS of illegals- we should accept that huh?
Spending and growth of Gov out of control- we would do no worse with Dems in office
HE is holding off tax incr but he knows the next adm will have to address the deficits he is running up so he will continue spending which will lead to HIGHER TAXES
He expands the GOV role in education-much like the dems
He could stop funding of PBS, ACLU..with executive orders but does not?? better then a Dem U say??
THose who are not BUSHBOTs but just conservatives with open eyes are seeing his actions not his words and the pattern is very clear: he fooled us as to his conservative agenda..except for the courts and the WOT he is a terrible president..misinformed by his IVY LEAGUE education and social contacts.

[dirtboy]

What are you, a mind reader? I didn't mention your name on this thread.

What does that have to do with the fact that your claim is total nonsense? I'll call bullcrap when I see it whether or not it was directed at me.

Please show me ONE INSTANCE where a Freeper said he would vote for Hillary because of her stance on the port issue, or prefer her as president because of it. ONE INSTANCE.

[dirtboy]

Because George Bush doesn't care what the media thinks about him.

That's fine and dandy, but in order to marshal public support, a president needs to effectively use the bully pulpit - the classic example being Ronald Reagan, who fought a press that was just as hostile. Tony Snow is right - you have to define yourself and stay ahead of the press.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

See for yourself.

If you don't think Bush has sold you down the river, you're a kool-aid drinking Bushbot, right dirtboy?

[syriacus]

The principles he is applying: OPEN BORDERS and invasion by MILLIONS of illegals- we should accept that huh?

Bush put out a plan some years back. Did Congress offer one?

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Do your own research. Lots of threads to go through. You have all morning. Knock yourself out.

[ConsentofGoverned]

"Bush put out a plan some years back. Did Congress offer one?"
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.............
If the "plan" is more and more third world workers here in America with no control of the border makes your day it does not make mine..
as for congress they should do nothing. We have plenty of laws to control immigration - but the Executive should enforce our current laws-which if done with the spirit of those laws would lead to sealing the border.