How Bush could lose it

OC Register ^ | 1/25/04 | John Hood

[NormsRevenge]

President George W. Bush blew it Tuesday night. He delivered a State of the Union address that downplayed his most promising - and potentially revolutionary - domestic-policy initiatives. Earlier drafts had reportedly contained a lengthy exposition of his vision of an "ownership society," expanded and strengthened by tax changes and Social Security reform.

[sinkspur]

But as you can clearly see at least three people do care.

I'm not sure what your point is. More than three people want Dennis Kucinich to be president. So what?

[Owen]

A couple of points:

We have in the past used date of signup as a clear indicator of possible DU disruptors. Given FR's longevity at this point, that method may no longer be valid. Democrat disruptors may have shown up years ago when FR first became clearly a place of influence.

In much the same way that the far left becomes displeased with Democrat left leaning centrists, we *may* have people here from the far right displeased with Bush, who is a right leaning centrist. Or we may have disruptors. If you are a disruptor and you do not wish to have your posts pulled or your membership cancelled, clearly the best way to do damage to your opposition is to make comments to create an impression of Bush being further and further away from the right. Enshroud yourself in an aura of far right conservatism. It's not new. And it is dangerous to victory.

The best defense is for everyone to remember the immortal words of W F Buckley.

"I support the most rightward candidate who is viable."

It's not rocket science.

[petercooper]

it's laalaa

http://pbskids.org/teletubbies/hints/inside.html

[RiflemanSharpe]

The wording of you statemenwas people do not care, some people do. Some may not but there are those to whom the deficit is a big deal.

[sinkspur]

Most of my friends, lifelong conservatives, are ready to sit this one out because of Bush's failure to protect American jobs and borders, and his crazy fiscal policies. The immigration proposal was the last straw for many.

Janet, having run into you a time or two over the past couple of years, I can't imagine you having all that many friends.

[rwfromkansas]

Great post.

[sinkspur]

Some may not but there are those to whom the deficit is a big deal.

The last time a bunch of dyspeptic grouches voted on the "deficit" they put Bill Clinton in office.

You want something like that again?

[Ingtar]

One of the big contributing factors in the defeats of the elder Bush, and to some degree Dole, was one or more groups of Republicans that stayed home and did not vote. "No new taxes" pledge being broken drove many to stay home. In Dole's case, a bunch of mischaracterizations caused a large part of the Catholic vote to stay home or vote third party over a belief that he was pro-choice.

[janetgreen]

Why do you resort to insulting remarks when someone doesn't agree with you? Juvenile.

[janetgreen]

(Adopt a shelter dog or cat! You'll save one life, and maybe two!)

On this we DO agree.

[arete]

Well, if he goes back on the sauce...

Colonizing the moon? I figured he already was sneaking a few.

Richard W.

[Cobra64]

"...have been dismayed by Bush's dismal record on federal spending and entitlements. Non-defense discretionary spending under Bush and a Republican Congress soared by nearly 19 percent in two years..."

I'm dismayed too. More entitlement programs... W seems more like Johnson than Johnson.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Did you ever think that maybe you are, yourself on a personal campaign to see him defeated? I don't see that at all where I am at. In fact, I see the opposite. I see huge numbers of moderate Democrats coming over to our side, and Republicans here don't even know this forum exists and they are quite happy with his performance.

Sorry, when I said "our" I excluded you.

[VRW Conspirator]

But the latter (general public) want to see some significant efforts in the right direction - at least a firm commitment not to start any new, likely- to-burgeon programs and a willingness to negotiate aggressively with pork-crazy lawmakers.

Many good points here - well reasoned analysis. The above line gets to the heart of the Bush leadership. Is he going to change the party of Reagan into the party of George Bush II by redefining the platform to accept big government spending as a norm. This, IMHO, is the chink in the armor.

[sinkspur]

In Dole's case, a bunch of mischaracterizations caused a large part of the Catholic vote to stay home or vote third party over a belief that he was pro-choice.

Nonsense. The Catholic vote went for Clinton in 1996 and they knew he was pro-choice.

Dole lost because he was a terrible candidate and there was no reason for the vast majority of voters to change horses. It wouldn't have mattered who the Republicans ran against Clinton in 1996.

[Cobra64]

Meg33, the problem I have with GWB is that I am having a hard time telling the difference from him and some of the dems.

Me too.

[theFIRMbss]

>Colonizing the moon? I figured he already was sneaking a few.

Lately, I've wondered if this whole political season might in fact be like that Dallas season -- just a long, strange dream, we'll all wake up from...

[RLK]

Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates. Jan. 22-23, 2004. N=1,233 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3. . "Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?"

Approve Disapprove Don't Know

1/22-23/04-- 50-- 44-- 6

1/8-9/04-- 54-- 41-- 5

12/18-19/03-- 54-- 38-- 8

12/11-12/03-- 51-- 42-- 7

11/6-7/03-- 52-- 40-- 8

Zogby's show lower support and higher negatives for Bush.

[arete]

as you can clearly see at least three people do care.

Make that four. Not getting my vote. Leon Trotsky could run to the right of Bush.

Richard W.