Will the President Unite the Country?

[gracefulswan]

and did you see dick cheney's speach to an adoring crowd, "we have a clear mandate." yea..right.. they acted like they had one 4 years ago even when they did not.. so, this more 'decisive' victory will spur them on. i see more mudslinging between the 2 parties this time around...

 

[show 42]

There's an article on Yahoo news that states a large amount of hits are being made on Canadian immigration websites........42

Here's the link..... http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&e=1&u=/nm/20041105/od_nm/canada_usa_dc

 

[guinevere]

No freakin way.

Bush has taken this win as free license to push his REAL agenda thorugh the next 4 years (as opposed to the last 4 years, which were apparently the "mild" version).

Goodbye Social Security
Goodbye women's reproductive rights
Goodbye environment
Goodbye separation of chruch & state
Hello continued international hatred of the US and its citizens
Hello widening gap between the have and the have-nots
Hello increased discriminatory legislation against 10% of the population (lesbians & gays)

If I see one more quote from someone saying "I went with my values and voted for Bush!" I'm going to scream. That sentence has absolutely no meaning. It's like saying "I went with my dog to the polls and voted for Bush!". It's a catchphrase that eliminates responsibility on the part of the voter for 1) looking at the issues and/or 2) owning a stake in what this president will do the next 4 years. By saying it's about the highly subjective and ultimately empty word "values", the person gets out of saying straight out "I, too, believe that women's rights need to be taken away. And that gays and lesbians are 2nd class citizens who don't deserve to be treated equally. And that Cheney and Ashcroft really leading this country is A-OK." It's disingenous.

Obviously, I'm uspet that bush won re-election. But I can understand anyone who gives a clear reason for supporting Bush. Toni gave her reasons in another thread about supporting Bush based on pipeline issues and how they affect the state of Alaska - that is something I can understand and respect, if not agree on. It's the onslaught of "values"-driver voters that just makes me want to ram my head against the wall.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

No freakin way.

Bush has taken this win as free license to push his REAL agenda thorugh the next 4 years (as opposed to the last 4 years, which were apparently the "mild" version).

Goodbye Social Security
Goodbye women's reproductive rights
Goodbye environment
Goodbye separation of chruch & state
Hello continued international hatred of the US and its citizens
Hello widening gap between the have and the have-nots
Hello increased discriminatory legislation against 10% of the population (lesbians & gays)

He's got this man date. I wonder who he is?

And don't forget guinevere. - Hello tax equalization so the rich don't pay more.

Joe

 

[IDLERACER]

Although he's a republican, I'm seeing a disturbing reprise of the Johnson administration here. Another doofus from Texas who thinks that you can somehow lower taxes and finance a foreign war at the same time. My guess is that math was not one of this guy's strengths at Yale. My prediction is that by 2008, this country will easily be looking at a trillion dollar deficit. :sheesh: ​

 

[SingAlto]

With a 2.35 GPA, I doubt that there were any subjects that were strengths for Shrub. :sheesh:

 

[Longhornliz]

I dont think that Bush will bring the country together over the issues you all have listed... but I also dont think that is his role. His role is to find the happy medium, or to do what is in the best interests of the country. Its just not how it works to think that there are solutions to these issues that will please everyone. Democracy isnt even about pleasing everyone. I know I'm being overly optimistic here... but I think that the world will still turn 4 years from now. Bush will NOT be able to bring the country together... but we all have the power to make steps towards greater comprimise and understanding. Its up to each one of us to be open to other opinions (even crazy right wing ones)... without that, how can we expect them to become more tolerant and modern?

Would I have prefered another option for the next 4 years... yes. Did I think that we were choosing between the lesser of two evils... yes. Does it do me any good to talk about moving to another country because of my dissatisfaction with the election results... not really. I am still proud to be an American, because being an american isnt souly defined by our president.

I certainly disagree with many of Bush's policies and agendas, but I think that efforts to enact change can be done at a grassroots level and make a more signifigant impact. If there is an issue that strongly concerns you, write your congressman (they actually read our letters, because I got a response back once when I was 11).

 

[guinevere]

He's got this man date. I wonder who he is?

Joe

Thank for the laugh, Joe. That actually made me feel a little better!

guinevere

ps because of your avatar, I totally expect you to look like Dick Button, heh. Feel free to say that I must look like my dog Bella in return

 

[show 42]

but we all have the power to make steps towards greater comprimise and understanding. Its up to each one of us to be open to other opinions (even crazy right wing ones)... without that, how can we expect them to become more tolerant and modern?

Liz.......quite right. Perhaps it's time to move on and past all of this......it's those with fanatical thinking that I worry about. Strict religious groups and cults have a problem with "tolerant and modern"..........42

 

[valuvsmk]

Uniting the country?

So much for uniting the country ("hopeful and decent" my behind):

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20041107/pl_nm/bush_agenda_dc&e=1

 

[bronxgirl]

I wonder what Dick Cheney's daughter must think -in her heart of hearts - about this type of legislation.

 

[Piel]

Well that certainly made me feel better about the future-NOT!

 

[bumblebee1]

GW Bush has about as much a chance of uniting the country as Osama bin Laden has of becoming an Evangelical Christian.

Bush is a uniter: He's united the world against us.l

 

[SingAlto]

Bush is a uniter: He's united the world against us.l

You've got that right.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I wonder what Dick Cheney's daughter must think -in her heart of hearts - about this type of legislation.

She's what some gay friends of mine would say "she's a queer queer".

Joe

 

[bronxgirl]

Does any one but me feel that today's assault on Falluja in Iraq brings to mind the Tet offensive of the Vietnam war? It seems that we are going to lose a lot of young lives, and declare victory no matter the cause or cost.

 

[Peggy]

With the country divided down the middle can President Bush actually unite the Nation?

SIZE=5]CAN BUSH UNITE THE COUNTRY IN HIS SECOND TERM???[/SIZE]

Joe

If you look at the county by county election map--I think its pretty plain that the country is more united than you think.

check it out here--its pretty amazing.
http://hannity.com/#

 

[bronxgirl]

You have to consider the source, and I for one would never consider Sean Hannity unbiased.

 

[Peggy]

You have to consider the source, and I for one would never consider Sean Hannity unbiased.

Are you suggesting the map is false?
If the Demo's want the Presidency in 4 years--they better take note of all the red on that map.

 

[JOHIO2]

Welcome to the board Peggy. Of course that doesn't mean I'm going to agree with you.

Sean Hannity is most assuredly NOT unbiased. He is a big mouthed conservative who talks over anyone who disagrees with him, including his co-host Alan Colmes. That said, the map doesn't lie. But it doesn't tell the future either. Can the Republicans come up with a successor for Bush who could hold that group together? I tend to doubt it. The more conservative members of the red majority will expect to see their agenda advanced. And I think another four years of Bush will show that their agenda is NOT accepted by the majority of the Bush voters. What happens then? I suspect they will be very unhappy when they can't bully the country to the right. And after another four more years, they'll come to view many moderate Republicans as traitors. After all, they've held the majority in Congress since 1994 and held the presidency most of the past 30-40 years.

Personally, I expect to see the Republican party to continue moving to the right, until the rest of the country won't vote for their nominees. I see a Barry Goldwater-type emerging as an unelectable candidate.