Brad Wardell's views about technology, politics, religion, world affairs, and all sorts of politically incorrect topics.
Why the Bush presidency may be remembered as a failure
Published on November 6, 2005 By Draginol In Republican

George W. Bush is on the brink of having his presidency remembered as a failure.  His poll numbers are very low -- less than 40%.  That's worse that Reagan's at the height of Iran-Contra and Clinton's during impeachment.  How did it come to this?

Simply put, Bush's character flaws and poor judgment finally passed an unspoken threshold in which people, even those inclined to support his policies, have concluded that Bush is a lost cause.

The straw that broke the camel's back was Hariet Miers. His nomination of her to the supreme court might as well have been a confession that Bush's detractors were right on some of their points: Bush is a shallow, unintelligent, old rich boy who is so far removed from ordinary people that he has few of their values.  That nomination demonstrated croneyism at its worse and given how much under the microscope modern presidents are, it revealed a mind boggling arrogance.

Sure, Miers is no longer in the running. But it doesn't matter. The damage is done.  We no longer know whether Bush is driven by what is best for the country instead of doing favors for his friends.  The reason things like Halliburton never stuck the the President (other than in the minds of the whacko left) is because it was unimaginable that the administration would be so stupid and corrupt to send deals to their friends so brazenly.  There's so many other reasonable and more likely explanations about Halliburton that the charges of excess make no sense.  But yet...now...there's that tingling of doubt.  Anyone who would appoint their own personal attorney to the supreme court...you never know... 

Then there's the botching of fiscal policy.  Conservates like tax cuts because A) the government is too inept to really help people effectively (Katrina kind of sent that message home) and hence people are better off having as much of their money as possible to spend more wisely. And In theory, tax cuts force the government to become smaller.

But look out, here comes Bush. He'll cut taxes and have party.  With Republican control of both houses and the Presidency, the conservatives should be able to institute their long-claimed desire of smaller government and effective fiscal policy.  Instead, we have deficits that bordering on insulting in that congress and the President want to throw money at everything. 

Then there's the war in Iraq.  I supported the invasion.  I am glad we went in there.  I am still glad we toppled Saddam.  The idea in a post 9/11 world that we'd allow a guy like Saddam to stay in power in a strategically vital region is nuts.  He had to go.  But he's gone now.  And over two years have passed and it's still a mess over there.  Yes yes, we're still over in Korea, Japan, and Germany and pretty much everywhere else we've ever fought a war.  But we're not having to keep 150,000 combat troops those places.  We're not having to suck down the National guard in those places.  At some point, Iraq is going to have to sink or swim on its own.  If their people don't care enough about freedom and keeping themselves from becoming a terrorist state, then there's nothing we can do about that.  Not to make too fine a point on it but it was relativley cheap to deal with Afghanistan and Iraq the first time.  The rehabilitation of Iraq is proving to be far more costly. 

Until recently, I had hoped that the administration had quietly let the Iraqi's know that they have until say next May to get their act together because at that point we would declare victory and start to bring troops back (not all of course, 10,000 here, 10,000 there).  I just don't have the confidence that Bush's team knows what they're doing over there. 

If there's any "anti-war" people reading this, don't get your hopes up that I'm coming on your side.  My complaint is that we're not being tougher.  I would have the "glass surface nation" policy if I were emperor. Deterrence may not work on terrorists but you can bet your ass that it would motivate the host countries of these terrorists to weed them out.

But on this and many other policies Bush wants to have it both ways.  Sometimes you have to make a tough decision and go all the way.  Half-way usually fails and satisfies neither contingent.

It's not so much that any of these things on its own is enough to cause me to lose faith in Bush.  It's the combination.  When put together (particularly the Miers nomination) it gives credence to the belief that Bush really is just a pampered good old boy of sub-normal intelligence who really has no business being President but is only President because the left-wing of American politics took a sanity vacation (which they're still on) and gave us no viable alternative (I mean what the hell were you left wingers thinking? Michael Moore sitting next to Carter at the DNC?? Hello! Goddam nutballs need to take your noses out of Cindy Sheehan's rear end and get your act together and realize how pathetic your party is when you can't beat someone like Bush). 

American politics has to be near the bottom it's ever been.  You have the Republicans in full corruption croney-loving mode.  And the Democrats are taking pride in their new status of being the party of victims and losers (as if that's a good thing). 

We need a viable third-party.


Comments (Page 4)
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on Nov 08, 2005

Reply By: rombios(Anonymous User)Posted: Tuesday, November 08, 2005
boo hoo hoo ... my emperor has no clothes ... boo hoo hoo

And after 5 years, you are still clueless.  Brad is honest in his condemnation of Bush, not for being too conservative, but for abandoning his conservative ideals.  The problem with you and your ilk is that you have no plan, you have no vision, and you had no candidate.  Until you can solve those three problems, Bush and his cronies will continue to win Elections.  Outside of New England, America does not want a stupid NE Liberal, and yet you keep foisting them on us year after year.  It is little wonder that the only 2 democrats in the last 40 years to win were from the south, where their brand of liberalism is not as extreme as that practiced by the pinkie finger effetes of the Northeast.

on Nov 08, 2005
Dr Guy .. what part of "(the democrats AND republicans be damned)" do you
NOT understand?

Those labels "liberal" mean nothing. Let me shatter your thinking here:
1) I am in FULL SUPPORT of the right to bear arms (Id like to see a thief
walk into a convienient store or rob a house when the possibly exists that
99% of the people in that store or house have a gun)

2) I am in FULL SUPPORT of tax cuts. Lets take this a step further and say
a FLAT TAX for ALL sectors of society. If you are earning 1 penny an hour
I want the same tax % applied to you as someone earning 1 million an hour.

Its OUR country we should all collectly fund its success or demise.

3) I support privacy ... what happens in your home in your community is NO
concern of mine as long as it doesnt hurt my wife or my kids.
Screw a cow if you want, pump yourself full of drugs as long as its in
your house

4) I support small government ... I know whats best for my family and would
prefer the government mimimize its decisions or decision making process that
affect my family

5) I support a foreign policy that does NOT involve bullying people and
other countries. There should be NO bases in foreign countries (respect their
soveriegnty for goodness sakes). I dont care if your dictator is killing
you, raping you ... your dictator and his supporters are human, they can
bleed, they can die .. .rise up against them or wallow in your mire.

Our National Guard guards are borders and territorial integrity nothing
more.

Our Army defends us when we are attacked on our soil ... nothing more. If
we are not there they have nothing to hit.

The Swiss are free and democratic and vote and blah blah blah ... no one
attacks them because they dont meddle in others affairs.

Foreign aid should be reduced to 0% ... If I PERSONALLY want to aid a foreign
nation ill send them a moneygram ... dont presume to make that decision
for me


Hows that for a "liberal" ... like I said those labels are meaningless and
you gain nothing from trying to pigeon hole me
on Nov 08, 2005

Hows that for a "liberal" ... like I said those labels are meaningless and
you gain nothing from trying to pigeon hole me

If you would like to reread my response, I did not brand you anything.  SO your diatribe is silly.  I railed against NE Liberals and the democrats trying to foist them on us.  You dont like being branded a democrat, try not sounding like one all the time.

on Nov 08, 2005
>You dont like being branded a democrat, try not sounding like one all the time.

So I should cease supporting a policy (I consider "sane") just because one
group or another supports it?

This is America, Ill support whatever I want to support!!!
on Nov 08, 2005
Hows that for a "liberal" ... like I said those labels are meaningless andyou gain nothing from trying to pigeon hole me


I can pigeon-hole you without stooping to political insults.

cry me a fricking river. you are NOW (after 5 years) discovering what manyof us knew from the get go?


I can only assume you are referring to Brad, since that's the only viable "you." What he is "discovering" is not what you knew at all. What you knew is that Kerry was a better decision than Bush, and I think Brad will still disagree with that. You're only going to makiea fool of yourself if you try to pretend that Brad didn't know what he was talking about.

Dan
on Nov 08, 2005
No that is the opinion of about 2/3 of ALL Americans.


Have you gone to every household in America col? If not, you don't know anything.


I do not know if the Democratic party represents what Democrats want but I do know the Republican Party DOES NOT represent what I as a Republican for over 40 yerars want for America.


You don't stand for republican values because you are not a republican. You are more aligned with radical liberals than anything.
on Nov 08, 2005
Why can't conservatives come to realizations and admit that Bush is not the best president, without ripping democrats and liberals?
on Nov 08, 2005
Why can't conservatives come to realizations and admit that Bush is not the best president, without ripping democrats and liberals?


For the same reason that the democrats and liberals can't refrain from ripping conservatives. There's a such a "haha, I told you so" dynamic right now in the political arena that it's hard to say anything that's actually listened to by the opposite political alignment.

Dan
on Nov 08, 2005

Why can't conservatives come to realizations and admit that Bush is not the best president, without ripping democrats and liberals?

I dont think any claim he is the best.  However, when the left only has hate in their arsenal, why are you surprised when it is reflected back at you?  If they had any thing substantive, there could be a rational debate, yet the only thing offered by most of the left is "Impeach him" (No Crimes), "They are all Crooks" (no Proof), "They coddle Haliburton and Big Business" (no evidence), etc.

on Nov 08, 2005
Why can't conservatives come to realizations and admit that Bush is not the best president, without ripping democrats and liberals?


Bush is not the "best" President, but he's better than anything the democrats can come up with. Until the democrats stop becoming the party of "blame America", and continually help terrorists, then they will never get my vote.
on Nov 08, 2005

Bush is not the best President.  But he's still better than what the Democrats have put forth.

I am disappointed in Bush because I expect more of Republicans.  Democrats I don't expect much from because, well, they don't really matter too much in the bigger scheme.  They, as a political movement, have marginalized themselves through their blind hatred, dishonesty, hypocricy, and just plain lunacy.  All too often they are incapable of carrying on even the most mild of political debates without frothing at the mouth.

In other words, I expect Democrats to be corrupt and infantile.  Republicans, and Bush in particular I expect to behave at a higher level and I'm disappointed that he has not been able to meet my expectations.  But that doesn't mean that "Democrats wer right".  Right about what? They hate so much stuff that it's hard to know what Democrats could be right about. 

on Nov 08, 2005
In other words, I expect Democrats to be corrupt and infantile. Republicans, and Bush in particular I expect to behave at a higher level and I'm disappointed that he has not been able to meet my expectations. But that doesn't mean that "Democrats wer right". Right about what? They hate so much stuff that it's hard to know what Democrats could be right about.


Exactly! Very well said!
on Nov 08, 2005
Double post
on Nov 08, 2005
If it makes you feel any better Brad, the president has ordered his staff to attend ethics counselling. Funny but true Link he is determined to make other people pay lol. Sounds like he might be the type of guy to stock up on papal indulgences just for kicks. Anyone making bets that Mr. Cheney and Mr Rumsfeld will not be in attendance?

on Nov 08, 2005
>If they had any thing substantive, there could be a rational debate, yet
>the only thing offered by most of the left is "Impeach him" (No Crimes),



Trust just like you are coming around on his lack of concern and ineptness,
you will eventually come to accept that high crimes have been comitted.

I am not even going to bother listing them.

>"They are all Crooks" (no Proof),

From Bill Frist to Tom Delay ... they are all under investigation. In another
thread ... someone listed the ongoing (almost 20 or more) investigations of
republicans in office at various LEVELS in various states.

But lets take Tom Delay ... who has been reproved NUMERIOUS times by
members of his own PARTY ... but still cries "left wing conspiracy" against
a prosecutor who has indicted more democrats than republicans.

>"They coddle Haliburton and Big Business" (no evidence), etc.

You are blind ... but just like you are now seeing your emporer for what
he is ... you will eventually come around to this.

Guess who is getting the contracts to rebuild louisinia after the hurricane?
you guessed it
Haliburton, KB and Root


I promise you ... you will ALL be forced to come around ... sooner or later
because at the end of the day we are NOT
republicans
democrats
whatever

we are AMERICANS end of story.

By the way I stated this before and I feel I must state this again.
neither party has anything to offer ... in the last election the best
choice was Nader.

The spineless IDIOTS and useless morons who pass themselves off as
democrats fought to keep him out of the ballot ... hypocrites that they
are

A POX ON BOTH parties .. democrats and republicans
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