Mr. 19%

[filkertom]

Can we finally get rid of any possible notion that George W. Bush's policies are popular?

Give the whole thing a read. It's fascinating.

Comments

[unclelumpy.livejournal.com]

And people still dislike Hillary enough to vote another Republican into office...

It's sad. It really is.

[nshoe.livejournal.com]

And these items are related how?

If you look at the report you would see that even most republicans disapprove of the shrub. Heck, if you could run Hillary against Bush right now she would likely win in a landslide.

But she would not be running against the shrub - she would be running against "another Republican" - and that makes all the difference.

What, do you expect that because people disapprove of how things are currently being done that they are suddenly going to make an about-face and radically change how they believe the country should be handled? That because W is an idiot suddenly a fiscal conservative should want to vote for someone for government sponsored health care?

Personally, I did not vote for W in either of the last two presidential elections - but I did not vote for Kerry or Gore either. Some would say I wasted my votes, but I refuse to vote against someone, I will only vote for someone I actually want for president. Hillary would have a very difficult time earning my vote, simply because I don't trust her. McCain and Obama I am undecided on, I'll just have to see how I feel as we get closer to the election.

[marcgunn.livejournal.com]

well, voting 'against' W was how Kerry lost the last race. I voted "anyone but bush" thus bush won.

[unclelumpy.livejournal.com]

What, do you expect that because people disapprove of how things are currently being done that they are suddenly going to make an about-face and radically change how they believe the country should be handled?

I imagine they would be disillusioned, disappointed and perhaps have their faith shaken, if that's what you mean.

Some would say I wasted my votes, but I refuse to vote against someone, I will only vote for someone I actually want for president.

Good for you. But I'm afraid that makes you the exception, not the rule.

[nshoe.livejournal.com]

I imagine they would be, if they actually felt that Bush was representative of what they wanted... a vast majority of the conservatives I know didn't vote for Bush in the last election because they wanted Bush - they voted for W because they didn't want the brand of socialism that Kerry wanted. And those people are simply not going to vote for Hillary if there is anything more moderate or conservative available.

Good for you. But I'm afraid that makes you the exception, not the rule.

I know, but I have my principles to live up to. (There are times I wish I could go back in time and teach the founding fathers about game theory so we could have another voting system that wouldn't inevitably devolve into a two party system)

[kightp.livejournal.com]

One interesting and, I think, telling point is the notation that among the very few who still think Shrub is doing a good job, a large majority say they are better off economically than they were at this time last year. They are, it would appear, *only* group that feels they're better off than they were a year ago.

What a surprise.

[markbernstein.livejournal.com]

Here's Glenn Greenwald (on Salon, so you may have to see a short ad) on right-wing efforts to disassociate themselves from Bush. This may make it easier for those who were supporters until recently to change their view. After all, if he's not a "real conservative", loyalty is no longer required.

[redaxe.livejournal.com]

*nods* The way Digby often expresses this is that neoconservative apologists claim "conservatism can't fail, it can only be failed." That way they can go through an endless number of failures while continuing to assert their doctrine of destroying government in the name of a corporate-owned world.

[liddle-oldman.livejournal.com]

I did notice that not one of the Republican candidates tried to align themselves with the sitting President, or stand next to him a lot, or get him to stump for them. Apparently even the Republicans can smell the cooties now.

[maiac.livejournal.com]

What about John McCain? He's certainly advocating the same shit-for-brains policies that the Shrub has now.

I'm hoping that the recent election in Australia is a harbinger for the U.S. The voters there tossed Dubya's BFF John Howard out on his ass, and the new Prime Minister is hard at work trying to undo the damage of Howard's pro-Bush and otherwise rightwing policies.

[liddle-oldman.livejournal.com]

Hmmm.

Seems to me that, even if he's espousing similar, misguided policies, he isn't relating them to the current lame turkey buzzard.

Though I will have to consider this point.

[vixyish.livejournal.com]

Well yeah... most of the Republicans that I'm personally acquainted with feel that their party's been stolen. That, specifically, Bush's policies and values are *NOT* Republican policies and values, whatever he calls himself.

[liddle-oldman.livejournal.com]

I'm about as Republican as, say, Ralph Nader -- and even *I* think that the party has been hijacked. If nothing else, aren't they supposed to be fiscally conservative and responsible? As someone said a while ago -- they're spending like drunken Democrats!

[lucywiggin.livejournal.com]

Anyone ever had a notion that Bush's policies are popular?

[maiac.livejournal.com]

'Fraid so. The snooze media was still describing him as a "popular president" when his approval rating had dipped into the 40s.

[lucywiggin.livejournal.com]

Bwah! It's like saying freakin' Olmert (unfortunately, my PM at the moment) is popular.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Well, the press hasn't been clamoring for his head for the past six years, and they all seem to think his rampant law-breaking and war-mongering are acceptable, and there aren't mobs with torches and pitchforks outside the White House 24/7, and everybody listens to his policy initiatives as if they make the slightest sense, so, yeah, I presume so.

[marcgunn.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's the thing. My parents still support W, and while don't agree on many of this actions and want someone last Right Wing, like McCain, they don't blame Bush for law-breaking and war-mongering. My dad feels the Democrats are just as much to blame. And while to some degree, he is right. I still think Bush's regime manipulated the facts to push his agenda.

[lucywiggin.livejournal.com]

Oh, well. As an Israeli, I get most of my info about American politics from my American left-wing friends, so I guess their POV of Bush is a bit different...Btw, I believe we have a mutual friend - The Die Hard.

[zibblsnrt.livejournal.com]

I seem to remember sometime around the middle of last year where Bush and/or his wife were claiming that the approval ratings were liberal hoaxes and that they really enjoyed 70% or somesuch support.

[redaxe.livejournal.com]

The lurkers support them in email!

*runs away quick, grinning*

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

Wow, lowest approval rating in the history of the universe AND a BDSM My Little Pony? FTW!

Economic forcast

[bigbumble.livejournal.com]

The interesting thing to me is that people believe their personal finances will get worse while the nation's economy will get better in a year. This is the opposite of some polls in past decades. It will be interesting to see where the economy stands in a year.

Several of the monetary protections put in place as a response to the 1930's depression have been removed since 1980. One that comes to mind is that banks are now, once again, allowed to sell securities. It looks like that is beginning to bite them in the but.

Re: Economic forcast

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

I suspect it's on the simple, hopeful thought that things can't get that much worse in the grand scheme of things, even though they might not be the ones to see it. I don't believe this; I think things can get much, much worse. Bluntly, I'm wondering when China is gonna call in its markers.

[liddle-oldman.livejournal.com]

I also sort of suspect that the 19% who still approve of him is also the 19% of the population that reports that they're in the top 1% of earners...