Bush loses in Iowa

WND ^ | 1-21-04 | Joseph Farah

[JustPiper]

The big loser in the Democratic presidential caucuses in Iowa wasn't Howard Dean. It wasn't Dick Gephardt. It wasn't even Al Sharpton who managed to attract about .5 percent of the vote.

The big loser was George W. Bush.

Only one thing can explain the bizarre positions taken by the White House before this week – an overconfidence that President Bush would be facing Howard Dean in his re-election bid this November. Karl Rove's polling must have made the president's political advisers so cocky about the race that they felt invulnerable.

What else could explain the president doing the following:

proposing a politically unpopular amnesty program for illegal aliens;

raising spending on domestic programs by bigger percentages than any of his predecessors, including Democrats;

proposing a vague manned mission to Mars without providing even the least compelling reasons, goals and objectives?

Bush has made many other mistakes in his term, but these whoppers are very recent gaffes made leading up to an election year.

Iowa should provide a wakeup call.

Instead of facing an angry Democrat out of touch with mainstream American values and temperament, Bush may well be facing a seasoned, smooth, mature political pro in John Kerry.

I wonder if he is up to that challenge.

How about a Kerry-Edwards ticket?

I believe if the election took place today, that ticket would have an excellent chance of beating Bush.

I say this as a dispassionate observer, a political analyst. I will not vote for either Bush or Kerry, or any other Democrat seeking the nomination.

But I think it's worth noting we are witnessing the self-destruction of a president – much like his own father self-destructed politically when he broke his "read my lips" pledge.

The latest polls show Bush in a tight race for re-election even before it's clear who his opponent might be.

As a result, Bush finds himself in a statistical dead heat with the opposition nine months before the election. When matched against an unknown Democratic presidential candidate, Bush squeaks out a 48 percent to 46 percent victory. On the question of who is most trusted to handle the nation's major problems, Bush is virtually even with Democrats, ahead 45 percent to 44 percent – down from an 18-point advantage Bush enjoyed nine months ago.

Americans think the Democrats would do a better job on domestic issues – the economy, prescription drugs for the elderly, health insurance, Medicare, the budget deficit, immigration, even taxes.

And why shouldn't they?

Here's the way this presidential race is shaping up: Bush will propose spending $18 billion fighting AIDS in other countries. The Democrat will up the ante to $25 billion.

Bush will propose spending 10 percent more on domestic giveaway programs. The Democrat will up the ante to 20 percent.

If it is conceded that more spending is good, a Republican will lose every single time.

And that's just what Bush has conceded with his phony, so-called "compassionate conservatism," that is really no more than old-fashioned tax-and-spend liberalism.

Bush gained no advantage with the public for his prescription-drug plan. He gained no ground with his bid to legalize millions of illegal aliens. He gained nothing from his attempt at inspiring Americans to join a new space program with a goal of a manned Mars landing. And his domestic spending increases, under attack by his own Republican base, have not served to win new independent or Democrat voters.

In fact, a CBS News poll showed similar drops for Bush support – notably over his plans on immigration.

If Bush were deliberately throwing this election, he couldn't do a more masterful job of losing votes, breaking bonds with his constituency and losing touch with his base.

If ever there was a time for a third party to emerge with some alternative ideas, 2004 is it.

[My2Cents]

The only ones making a mistake are those who allow a single issue to determine how they will vote in November. We can all disagree with specific policies of this President, but there is no question he needs to be re-elected, considering the bloodlust of the Democrat Party to get back into power. Now is the time to be pulling people together FOR the President, despite personal disagreements with him here or there, rather than savage him and those who support him. I'm not pleased with his immigration policy. But I'm still enthusiastically voting for him in November. I've considered the options, and frankly, there are no other options that are acceptable. I won't join those who want to drive the immigration bus off the cliff.

[JENINMO]

This reads like a page from DU...........

[My2Cents]

Americans think the Democrats would do a better job on domestic issues – the economy, prescription drugs for the elderly, health insurance, Medicare, the budget deficit, immigration, even taxes.

What's Farah smoking? Anti-immigration Kool-Aid powder? Does he think we're all such dolts that we're going to give credence to this kind of analysis?

[Protagoras]

We're going to Mars. That's the objective. Mars. A manned mission to Mars is quite compelling.

I'm not going, if you want to go, pay your own way. If you want someone else to go, take up a collection, and send them.

I need my own money for my objectives.

[My2Cents]

because the numbers of Independents have outgrown both parties, and they're fed up.

Who are these mysterious Independents? I can tell you're fed up, but I see no evidence that the great hoard of independents are fed up.

[Baseballguy]

I thought America was a land of opportunity. I agree that those that come illegal should not roam free across our country but they should be identified. Why do people that do not support GWB immigration policy think that if nothing is done but rounding them up and sending them back will stop it.

Being of sound mind, I can not see what gain is it to send back those that work jobs most Americans deem not worthy doing. Most democrats would rather not work if they dont have the same job that laid them off. Adapting is the true nature of this country. Why put a stigma on those that will work in America at any cost.

[KevinDavis]

I'm going to vote for Bush this November. I like his tax cuts, the way reacted to the terrorist, and his space proposal. Yes he could do better on spending and immigration, but no one is perfect.

[pete anderson]

Consider the source. It's nutty Joe Farah.

What is he saying that is not true? Can you provide one example on when the President has proposed and actually cut spending?

[Dead Dog]

Don't forget that Bush is Stupid, and an Evil genius like Hitler.

[BigSkyFreeper]

If we're to get our way, we should be focused on getting more Conservatives in Congress to get beyond the Democrat obstructionism, filibusters, and any other tactic they have in their quiver that just makes Conservatives downright angry. You don't like Bush's compromises? Take a look at the hair thin margin in the Senate, take a look at how angry the Democrats are as Bush steals the baked bread on their kitchen table and makes the loaf his own. The Democrats are not happy that Bush has taken their bread and butter issues and made them his own. I say to the Democrats: TOUGH!

[BigSkyFreeper]

Don't forget. Radical left winged websites will rot your brain.

[zook]

I won't pretend it doesn't exist, but I will attack its validity as a representation of what policies the American people will truly support. It may be valid as a reflection of what people *say*, but words are cheap. The kind of policies you advocate would be political suicide for any candidate.

Look what Pat Buchanan's convention speech did for Bush I.

[zook]

We're going to have to figure that problem out regardless of whether or not we have immigration.

[pete anderson]

If a Democrat were proposing spending like President Bush there would be a 24-7 Freep Protest blockading the gates to the White House.

This forum would be on Fire with posts denouncing 15 billion for AIDS in Africa, whoops, I think Bush raised that to 25 Billion for AIDS in Africa. It is hard to keep up with his spending.

The Fire would continue to rage as a Democratic President proposed granting Amnesty to illegal aliens, or a 470 Billion Medicare Package, 30 Billion for Education etc. etc. etc.

However, W has an R by his name and as far as many on this forum could care Bush could propose spending a trillion dollars to provide free meals to gay illegal aliens and the Bush-bots would cheer and call me a troll for questioning their president.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Well, that was then. The Pat Buchanan I saw this morning hailed Bush's speech as "one for the ages". Newt Gingrinch, who's been critical of Bush also had words of praise on Hannity & Colmes last night. He thought the speech was absolutely fabulous.

[pete anderson]

He thought the speech was absolutely fabulous.

Considering how much money Bush wants to spend I am sure Teddy, Hillary, Howie Dean and Karl Marx thought the speech was fabulous.

[Dead Dog]

holy crap! I went 12 rounds with 3 liberal engineers yesterday. I can not believe some of the shizen these supposedly educated and critical thinking individuals have accepted.

There is an vast socialist mythology that people who grow up with CNN and NPR just seem to accept. They were convinced that GW was like Hitler, that the Jose Padilla case was a blatant and unprecedented assault of our constitution, and that Iraq was no threat to the US.

I had to concede that Jose Padilla's interrogation and arrest without charges was not a strict adherence to the constitution, but they felt it was "Rape". Interestingly enough, they didn't know Xlinton had suborned perjury or witnesses in a civil trial. They thought he just lied about getting "some head". And that the Jose Padilla was a constitutional crisis an order of magnitude greater

Left wing web sites have pooped in their heads.

They are also of the belief that Israel is the cause of the Palestinian plight. Go figure, they didn't know most Palestinian refugees aren't from "Palestine" I've decided that a majority of Engineers are incapable of leadership, and have an unhealthy desire to be reasonable at the expense of reality.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Well, they aren't happy, Kennedy said "Bush threw out a 10 foot long rope to a drowning victim 13 feet away". I made the comment that Kennedy is knowledgeable in that regard.

[BigSkyFreeper]

LOL. An exercise in futility my FRiend!

[varon]

I believe if the election took place today, that ticket would have an excellent chance of beating Bush

Agreed.