Bush's Approval Rating Continues to Drop

[Puck]

[Puck]

I know that I definately am not giving him as high marks these days.

[TrekkieMage]

[webtaz99]

Just my opinion, but most people have no idea what the Presidents' powers are. Lots of people are giving Bush downchecks for things which are not directly under his control. They are simply knee-jerk reacting to the Liberals' media attacks.

[Leo Wyatt]

That is so true webtaz99. Yeah most people believe anything from the media. Media does not always tell the truth.

[Link, the Hero of Time]

"Brownie, you're doin' a heck of a job." Anyone?

[Theresa]

Well, remember, Bush is God. All of those reports that Katrina was his fault. (Not the handling, response, etc..., the hurricane itself)

[Hitchhiker]

[Republican_Man]

I will admit that during the beginning portion of my ban from STV, I was very unimpressed with Bush. I thought that he was failing on so many things�moreso because of not what he WAS doing, but what he WASN�T doing. He has hardly done good things this term�however, when he made that one speech and everything�I gained more confidence in him. I was also very skeptical about Harriet Miers. It�s clear that there were far more more qualified nominees than her. She�s not nearly the best choice, and my skepticism of her was a little bit relieved over time. I�m giving her a chance to speak before the committee before making a judgment.
In short, I was, for a time, on the list that would give him a negative approval rating. Now, I�m not there, but I�m not far off.

[TrekkieMage]

[Republican_Man]

[LightningBoy]

I absolutely approve of President Bush.

Katrina wasn't Bush's fault, let's face that. The aftermath of Katrina wasn't Bush's fault either, FEMA IS NOT FIRST RESPONSE. Iraq is good. People are voting, the constitution is likely approved, Sadam's on the way to the gallows, 'Uday and Qusay are... dead-ay'. Employment is us, terrorist attacks on US soil are down. We've got a judicial genious as our supreme court chief-justice, and one of the worlds "top-50 greatest female lawyers" on the way to join him. Education funding in inner-city schools is at an all time high, and the government is finally looking out for all kids. Minorities have more top-ranking government appointments than ever, and they've got more opportuinites for advancement than ever.

Right now the state of the nation could be better, we (the people) are killing our economy by letting gas companies rape our free market for instance, but this is not by any action of the president. Weather is rough on us now, but that's an act of God. Yeah, we've taken hits, but the federal government could've weathered them much worse. Another problem we have are the witch-hunts against the Republican party, but obviously, that's not Bush's fault either.

Like anyone, Bush isn't perfect, but I thank my lucky stars that we've got a man like him in office. He's doing a great job.

[TrekkieMage]

[Republican_Man]

Typical Liberal...

[TrekkieMage]

Typically conservative

(I'm not going to repost the entire thing-it'll be too long)

1. War: There are rules for warfare. It is one of the few clear points in the constitution. Congress declares war. Not the president. This has been an issue since post WWII. It is nothing new, but the Iraq was is a perfect example. It is not our job to police the rest of the world. The UN has been tasked with that responsibility. And we helped start it. Perhaps it isn't doing a good job right now (I haven't been keeping up with UN happenings) but that may (MAY) be because America isn't supporting it as much as it could.

You're right. We did have a plan. But not a good one. When were the troops supposed to be out of Iraq? Why did we go into Iraq? Why didn't we just go after the terrorist? Didn't we put Hussein there?

I agree that we needed to help, we needed to do something. I just think that we rushed in without considering the consequences of our actions.

2. Miers: It usually is the far left and right that make loud opinions, but the fact that they both agree on not likeing her says something.

3. education: Yes. It is up to the sates. But it is the federal laws that guide the states. No Child Left Behind. It encourages standardized testing without helping the basic structures of schools (the buildings, the teachers, the materials). I also happen to live in a county that cares a lot about education. My high school is continually ranked in the top 15 or so high schools according to the Newsweek challenge index. I believe we are 5th right now. I should post a link to an article we read in government about the conditions of inner city schools. It had a very strong impact on me.

4. "witch hunts" This isn't anything new. Remember that Clinton was impeached (for those who don't know, impeachement is just the trial. Being kicked out of office is something different). Nixon was basically scared out of the White House. BOTH parties are guilty. I'm not blaming one party or the other. It just happens that right now the Republicans are under the spotlight.

It's not a witch hunt, it's justice. And it's how we keep this country running. With time the tables will turn and a Democrat will come under heavy fire.

And by the way, welcome back to WN

[Republican_Man]

[TrekkieMage]

I was teasing you about the typically conservative thing, RM

1. I know Congress hasn't formally declared ar since WWII. That's the problem. They are supposed to, but they don't want to take responsibility which is very irresponsible of them.

I agree that it was necissary (I can't spell tonight ) to retaliate against the terrorists. But bringing freedom to another nation is the US butting our noses into another country's affairs. We could have supported them in other ways. I don't know exactly how, but there were better alternitives. Perhaps we should try to give the UN some muscle instead of sitting on the sidelines as one of the most, if not the most, powerful nations in the world and criticizing them.

Perhaps I'm wrong about Suddam. But we did in some way help him stay in power.

2. I know they dislike Meirs for different reasons. But neither one likes her. That's the point. She doesn't even satisfy one party.

3. Throwing money at schools isn't the answer? Then explain why so many upper class citizens send their kids to schools that cost as much as a good college every year? I know it is the states responsibility, but the federal govenment is there to help the states, just as the states are there to help the federal govenment. No job is the responsibility of just one part of the govenment.
And I agree with your ideas for fixing the education system. And I think that other things we need to work on are testing. I think that there is too much pressure on the wrong tests. A lot of emphisis is already put on Math, English and Science, but funding and attention isn't being bestowed on the arts and social science. They are just as important as the other subjects. They help to develop more creative thinking as opposed to just memorizing formulas and rules. Besides, music is heavily linked to math and science.

4. That is a rather biased opinion. They just happen to be in the fire now because they are in control and people were noticing that things weren't working. Right now these trials are to determine wether or not they are actually guilty of the charges. Until they are done, we don't know whether or not they are guilty. Unless you happen to be telepathic

And I said impeachment is a trial because so many people think that being impeached means being kicked out. I didn't know that it wasn't until a few years ago. I just mentioned it in case anyone reading thought otherwise.

I find it interesting that while we still disagree on many points, we're narrowing down the pieces which we disagree on, it seems that we are taking some of the same information and interpreting it differently. It's facinating how we can spin different conclusions out of such similar sources.

[Republican_Man]

Let me tear up your argument.

[TrekkieMage]

And let me respond

1. I admitted that I don't know much about the UN. I'm going to try and learn more, but right now I really don't know enough to effectively debate about it.

All I am saying is that we should have been more constructive about how we went in. Our plan was too vauge, and we went in full scale to fast. Retalliation is acceptable in my mind. That made sense. But we should have debated going into a full scale war more than we did.

RM, over 2,000 Americans have lost their lives fighting an (in my mind) ill-planned war. We could have prevented some of those deaths. We didn't. I want to make this clear:

I support the troops. I support the cause. I support freedom.

I do not support the planning of the war. I do not support the course of the war.

2. Well. Meirs is gone. So there goes that debate. Guess we have to wait for a new nomination

3. I agree that the money is being distributed ineffectively. And that it is the state's responsibility. The problem is, people have been increasingly turning to the FEDERAL govenment when they need something. This has been something happening since the New Deal.

Perhaps a better solution is for the Federal government to outline a way for the states to take over more responsibility. Whatever the solution, it isn't going to be immediate.

And I do need to find you that article...

As for the arts- they are very important. They can be very relaxing, rejouvinating (again, my vocabulary may be good, but I can't spell woth beans ), challenging, and it encourages creative thinking. In that way it assists students in all their other classes.

Buracrats. I think.

4. I was too young to remember any scandal by the Democrats. But if there was, the Republicans had just as much of an opportunity to call them on it. But they didn't. Or they didn't make a big enough deal of it. If there is a strong enough, or serious enough possibility that officials of Dlay, Rove, and Cheny's importance it should be investigated. And again, we don't know wether or not a crime was committed. We'll see how the trials turn out.

And you at least knew what I ment about impeachment

And I never accused you of putting a spin on things. But we've interpreted things differently, which is interesting.

Oh, and for the record, I don't consider myself a Democrat. I don't like their attitude.

[Republican_Man]

[TrekkieMage]

1. I try to be careful what I say about topics I don't know much about, but sometimes I slip

[Republican_Man]

[Arellia]

It seems odd to me that most people either hail Clinton as great or put him down for being a failure. I don't understand either argument. I'd like to know more about him...why was he a failure, and Bush only made some mistakes? Did Clinton not do some good things? I.E., signing the nanotechnology initiative...that I see as good. Did he do everything so wrong, or was he like Bush in that he did some wrong and some right?

And no, I don't want to hear about the sex junk. That was disgraceful, but means nothing in regards to how he ran the government.

[TrekkieMage]

^I don't see it as either. Neither Clinton nor Bush were/are perfect. It's just a matter of the political climate. But that's just me.

RM:

(I'm just numbering these to make it easier to read)

1. I was teasing a bit

I'm not spinning your argument. I read what you said. We both agree that they had a plan. You think it was a pretty good on with a few small holes, I think that it was a poor plan that failed to account many factors.

2. Why do they blame the Federal govenment? Because it is the President we see on the news everynight. It's the national and global politics we see on the front page of the newspaper. People talk about the national government all the time, but the States aren't getting as much coverage. Also, things like McCulloch v. Maryland have been giving more power to the national government.

As for the federal outline: There is a big difference in what they should know and what they do know. I strongly agree that they should already know, but that doesn't mean that they do.

3. I agree with what Exalya said. And I think that your statement is very biased. Clinton wasn't a complete failure, and neither is Bush. But the current political climate is that people want to know why so many things have gone wrong. And they are just looking to those in charge for a reason.

And I am liberal. I just fall more torwards the center of the spectrum. You are a moderate/strong (can't think of the word!!) conservative, of course I'm going to seem very liberal to you

[Republican_Man]

I'll get to Clinton when I have more time.