Americans have a bleaker view of the country’s direction than at any time in more than two decades, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll. Sharp disapproval of President Bush’s handling of gasoline prices has combined with intensified unhappiness about Iraq to create a grim political environment for the White House and Congressional Republicans.
Mr. Bush’s approval ratings for his management of foreign policy, Iraq and the economy have fallen to the lowest levels of his presidency. He drew poor marks on the issues that have been at the top of the national agenda in recent months, in particular immigration and gasoline prices.
Just 13 percent approved of Mr. Bush’s handling of rising gasoline prices. About a quarter said they approved of his handling of immigration, as Congressional Republicans try to come up with a compromise for handling the influx of illegal immigrants into the country.
The poll showed a further decline in support for the Iraq war, the issue that has most eaten into Mr. Bush’s public support. The percentage of respondents who said going to war in Iraq was the correct decision slipped to a new low of 39 percent, down from 47 percent in January. Two-thirds said they had little or no confidence that Mr. Bush could successfully end the war. . . .[/quote]
Obviously, this is when leaders have their mettles tested. I am sticking with Bush. Who knows what his ratings will be in two more years? I would rather have a leader who has a vision rather than one who sits around crunching public-opinion poll numbers to find the “right policies” to become “popular.”
I also find it incredible that despite 4.8 percent gdp growth and record-low unemployment that the media keeps the drum beat going about economic concerns, high gas prices, etc. etc. No bias there right?
I agree with Fred on this one (although I don’t really like Bush’s vision). It was pretty clear that he was going to continue with the “war on terror” if elected. I prefer to see candidates state what they believe in, what they think should be done and then have them stick to it. Changing things because it will “look bad” or harm one’s chances for re-election is a crappy way of doing things.
I remember when Yeltsin was coming to the end of his bunglings and his pole ratings were 2% with a margin of error of 4%. I’ve heard of people doing negatively in the poles, but what would it mean to have a -2% popularity rating. Imagine having 2% of the population wanting to gun you down.
Fred, Gilgamesh: You guys are great. There’s something quaint about a guy so brimming with optimism that he fails to notice his ship is headed straight for an iceberg, refuses to acknowledge that it just crashed into the damn thing, refuses to listen as passengers scream and jump overboard, and clings tightly to the ship as it slides beneath the surface and heads for the depths, insisting that the naysayers are all too pessimistic and surely the captain knows what he’s doing.
I suppose you’re still holding onto your Enron stock, too, certain that it too is in sound hands and one day will be vindicated. Good luck. :bravo:
Anyway, Fred Smith is old enough to remember how the press went after Reagan in oh surprise suprise his sixth year of office during the Iran Contragate and the huge deficits and the sleeping president and his astrologically obsessed first lady and and and and and and… he went down in history as one of our greatest presidents ever and there was no “ex” affixed to his title ala Carter. Historians meant it and he did not need to prostrate himself before Nobel Peace Prize boards or suck up to PR agencies to get glorified titles like “he meant well” and “he really cared about human rights” and “but he’s America’s best president” or “one of the best mediators” hahahah
Now, let’s look at all the human rights work that Carter has done and how many people that has helped, then let’s look at the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the decline of such movements in Latin America, the end to such socialist ventures in Latin America and Africa and even Vietnam going capitalist along with China and Russia and let’s ask ourselves who really was America’s most human-rights engaged president and who really deserved a “peace” prize.
" . . . The Gallup polling organization recorded a 13-percentage-point drop in Republican support for Bush in the past couple weeks. These usually reliable voters are telling pollsters and lawmakers they are fed up with what they see as out-of-control spending by Washington and an abandonment of core conservative principles more generally. . . .
Since Bush took office, government spending has increased by more than 25 percent, the largest increase under any president since Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson. . . . "
What? Even worse than Jimmy Carter? Preposterous. That can’t be true.
Perhaps communism snuffed itself out. Let’s just run through that Irancontra thing again. So the Iranians were buying weapons from the Americans at inflated prices; the profits of which were stored in some festering sinbin of a bank so that they could be directed to illegally fund some guys to rape and kill a bunch of nuns and the like in Nicaragua. Sounds like a plan.
I will be honest and admit that I am very worried about the midterm elections but despite the erosion of support, does that mean necessarily that others are going to vote for the Democrats? Not necessarily. Anyway, like I said, I am worried but I for one will be sticking with Bush until the end. Let’s worry about 2009 when it gets here.
Would you like to argue that Reagan was not one of our greatest presidents? Care to revist the Reagan vs. Carter thread? Let me know if we need to open that discussion.
Mordeth: What do you think Bush lied about? Be sure and supply proof and details. I will be waiting.
[quote=“fred smith”]Would you like to argue that Reagan was not one of our greatest presidents? Care to revist the Reagan vs. Carter thread? Let me know if we need to open that discussion.
Mordeth: What do you think Bush lied about? Be sure and supply proof and details. I will be waiting.[/quote]
Ok, I’ve got about three examples that pop into my head with less than a second to think about it.
One example was where he was giving a press conference…and he was saying some bullshit about “The Future of America” and how he was making it stronger. He then pointed to a girl in her twenties in the audience who asked him how all the tax cuts to student funding and loans…is going to help America’s future. Bush then proceeded to pretend he didn’t hear the question…so she repeated it. He then pretended his ear piece wasn’t working…and then he pointed to someone else…and luckily he could hear them fine .
I didnt say that Bush knows what he was doing. In fact I don’t think he does but he was pretty clear that he was going to continue the war in Iraq. People knew his presidential style. If they didnt like it they should have voted for the other guy.
Did Bush voters actually think he was going to leave Iraq? Did they think he was going to change the way he runs the country? America got what they voted for.
Bush lie #1:
“Now, by the way, any time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap, it requires - a wiretap requires a court order… [C]onstitutional guarantees are in place when it comes to doing what is necessary to protect our homeland, because we value the Constitution.” – April 20, 2004
Bush lie #2:
“The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him.” Sep 13, 2001
“I don’t know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don’t care. It’s not that important. It’s not our priority.” March 13, 2002
[quote=“Chris”]Bush lie #1:
“Now, by the way, any time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap, it requires - a wiretap requires a court order… [C]onstitutional guarantees are in place when it comes to doing what is necessary to protect our homeland, because we value the Constitution.” – April 20, 2004
Bush lie #2:
“The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him.” Sep 13, 2001
“I don’t know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don’t care. It’s not that important. It’s not our priority.” March 13, 2002[/quote]
.