Poll: While Bush Stays in Bubble, Americans Confronting Real World
Bush's numbers continue to fall as he ignores reality and pushes ahead with his corrupt behavior. Ironically, as Bush continues to defend Karl Rove and Alberto Gonzales, he probably ensures more legal trouble for himself than if he simply fired those two and cleaned up his act. But Bush is a truly rigid authoritarian who can't see very well. It's going to take more work on the part of Congress and others to continue limiting the president's recklessness.
Here's an AP poll carried by The Huffington Post:
Actually, I'm amazed that Bush's numbers, even at this late date, are still as good as they are. After twenty years of wins by conservatives that year by year pulled our country dangerously to the right, Bush came in. Since 9/11 (but even before), The Decider has had a free hand to pursue his radical right-wing agenda for the last six years—and the results are not pretty. But common sense has deserted much of the Republican Party. As an example, Southern California is experiencing a severe drought. In conservative Orange County, public officials in March asked residents to voluntarily reduce their water usage. Instead, water usage shot up! Now that's in-your-face conservativism!
There are signs that the rest of America is waking up but that 25-30% of Americans who think Bush's radical right-wing agenda is good for America need to look long and hard in the mirror. Reality is catching up and photo ops, spin, posturing and fantasies are no way to confront those realities. If a dam is beginning to crack, there are things you can do about it but first you have to admit that the dam is beginning to crack.
Our country was built by optimists but that optimism would have been worthless in the vast American wilderness if it had not been paired with the ability to look at things honestly. Among other things, Bush has been stuffing the government with loyalists who are incompetent. A majority of Americans know in their hearts that the government can't function without the professionals who know what their doing and we know we can find those professionals regardless of whether they're Democrats, Republicans or independents. But Bush blunders on. That is where we're at in the spring of 2007, in the seventh year of America's most failed presidency.
Here's an AP poll carried by The Huffington Post:
It's gloomy out there. Men and women, whites and minorities _ all are feeling a war-weary pessimism about the country seldom shared by so many people.
Only 25 percent of those surveyed say things in the U.S. are going in the right direction, according to an AP-Ipsos poll this month....
(snip)
The current glumness is widely blamed on public discontent with the war in Iraq and with President Bush. It is striking for how widespread the mood is among different groups of people.
(snip)
When voter optimism hits such low levels, "It's not being driven by any specific group. It's a general kind of malaise that's across the board," Republican pollster Neil Newhouse said.
Actually, I'm amazed that Bush's numbers, even at this late date, are still as good as they are. After twenty years of wins by conservatives that year by year pulled our country dangerously to the right, Bush came in. Since 9/11 (but even before), The Decider has had a free hand to pursue his radical right-wing agenda for the last six years—and the results are not pretty. But common sense has deserted much of the Republican Party. As an example, Southern California is experiencing a severe drought. In conservative Orange County, public officials in March asked residents to voluntarily reduce their water usage. Instead, water usage shot up! Now that's in-your-face conservativism!
There are signs that the rest of America is waking up but that 25-30% of Americans who think Bush's radical right-wing agenda is good for America need to look long and hard in the mirror. Reality is catching up and photo ops, spin, posturing and fantasies are no way to confront those realities. If a dam is beginning to crack, there are things you can do about it but first you have to admit that the dam is beginning to crack.
Our country was built by optimists but that optimism would have been worthless in the vast American wilderness if it had not been paired with the ability to look at things honestly. Among other things, Bush has been stuffing the government with loyalists who are incompetent. A majority of Americans know in their hearts that the government can't function without the professionals who know what their doing and we know we can find those professionals regardless of whether they're Democrats, Republicans or independents. But Bush blunders on. That is where we're at in the spring of 2007, in the seventh year of America's most failed presidency.
posted by Craig at 3:48 PM
2 Comments:
I know I must sound like a broken record, but this insight is crucial to understanding most hard-core right wingers and their devotion to backing Bush.
Again, a big reason why a good many in Bush's base like him so much and support him so blindly is precisely because the rest of us find him so intolerably awful. These diehards are motivated by perversity and vindictiveness. If Bush is a sharp stick in the eye of the rest of us, then they want Bush now and for someone equally awful to succeed him.
I've noticed, too, a strong correlation of people who exhibit the abovementioned attitude, fanatical gun-rights advocates and people scornful of equal rights for ethnic and racial minorities.
Note that I'm not saying these things is true of every last diehard Bush supporter. I just see strong, definite correlation.
Correction: Note that I'm not saying these things are true of every last diehard Bush supporter. . .
Post a Comment
<< Home