Joined: 06 Jul 2003
Posts: 7077
Location: Central CA
| Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 8:46 pm Post subject: Anti-Bush backlash? | |||
I belong to at least a dozen Republican organizations and you need to be asking those questions of a lot of your fellow party members, (assuming you even belong to the Republican party  ). And it's not a question of Kerry being "right for the job", but more one of "is Bush definitely wrong for the job?".
I've been a Republican for longer than some of the posters on this board have been alive, This forum is only one of many I belong to in which Political issues are debated from the Republican viewpoint. As an invalid with nothing else to do, most of my waking hours are spent gathering information from ALL sides of any question that happens to catch my interest. Since I don't have any money or power, my political convictions have had to expand beyond a simplistic support of anything that puts more money in the pockets of either myself, the corporaion I work for and/or both. I've even had to modify my old political slogan to, "It's Not ONLY The Economy, Stupid.". Unfortunately, the perception many Americans and not a few citizens of other nations have of the Republican party is that it Is ONLY about personal and corporate wealth and power. It's called greed and like it or not, it's the way people look at us. Given some of the rhetoric being bandied about I'm not too sure it isn't pretty accurate or at least justified by quantity if not quality. In any case, it's not a perception that's likely to be changed by some of the rhetoric comng out of the more radical right other than to simply reinforce it. You would be amazed at the number of people in our own party who are forming groups to oppose George Bush. Oh I know. Like I said, I've been doing this for a long time, and I know that there are always people who vote cross party in national elections on both sides, but this time I'm not too sure there will be an offset. Here's what they're telling me: Some won't vote at all because while they cannot support GW, they can't bring themselves to vote against the party. Others don't want to vote for Bush OR Kerry but still want to participate so they'll vote third party. The vast majority will vote for Kerry. Not because they believe Kerry will do any of the things you're concerned about, not because they have that much faith in him as a leader, but because they want Bush out of the White House and hopefully out of the Republican party altogether. They simply feel that the Bush group presents an image of unbridled greed and selfishness, maybe even corruption and they don't want to be represented in that light. Without going into any discussion as to whether this backlash will or even can defeat Bush in November, the fact that it exists in the proportions that it does, should be food for thought for any thinking Republican. For every Republican already committed against Bush, there are many right on the edge and all it will take is another real or perceived foulup or scandal or two to push them over. My own experiences, some right here on line, have me doing a lot more research on John Kerry than I ever would have thought to otherwise and I'm very likely going to negate someone's Bush vote in November. The harsh, often times cruel rhetoric of Limbaugh, Hannity and others, which more and more blatantly every day favors anything that increases the money and power of major corporations and rich robber barons at the expense of the common people has defined the way the common man, as well as the world, is beginning to view the Republican party. These more visible types are augmented by many, posting on internet forums. Since many of these people are not trained debaters, (Rush and Sean don't have to debate, they just shout down and hang up on anyone whose opposite views approch their own in radical zeal ) true logic and reasoned discussion often go by the wayside and it results in either shouting matches or pissing contests. In the eyes of the undecided and uncommitted, we all become mean spirited indoctrinated zombies, incapable of an original or reasoned idea of our own.
The bottom line in almost all of the shouting and rhetoric is the creation of a perception that the shouter will defend anything that makes more money and gives more power to the the already rich and powerful, regardless of any "collateral damages". Not at all attractive to those most likely to be the collateral damage. Used to, they picked your pocket. No finesse anymore. Today, they simply mug you. Unfortunately, many on the right are ill equipped to discuss social issues. It's easier to to simply ignore the idea that social issues even exist and are worthy of discussion so it's glossed over lightly, if at all, by accusations of "leftism" or "socialism or whatever "ism" it's fashionable to accuse someone of these days. Concern for social issues does not equate to a support for socialism, yet that is the response many get if they even broach the subject. This kind of rhetoric does nothing to enhance the perception of the GOP in the eyes of the unwashed masses either. I don't think Repubicans can afford to shrug this off anymore. First, let me say that in my own opinion, Bush won the election. He won in Florida, he won everywhere, there was no theft and no manipulation by the court. But the margin was extremely small, one of the smallest in history, and only the makeup of his win in the Electoral College actually put him in office. In other words, there was no clear mandate from a clear majority of the people. At best, he had the full support of barely 50% of the voters. Not the population. Of those voting. A person in office by the skin on his teeth, had better not be alienating members of his own party in any numbers, let alone the numbers in which Bush appears to be doing so this close to another election. While many have enjoyed enhanced prosperity as a result of current policies, others have been severely damaged by them These may be the ones who failed to vote four years ago. They might not forego the privilege this time around. If he's alienating Republicans in those numbers, what is he doing to the independents, undecideds and the uncommitteds? These groups may consitute numbers larger than his margin of victory four years ago. They may constitute numbers larger than his majority in the polls today. Those groups need to be won over by candidates in every election and you aren't going to win them by creating the perception that the depth of your conviction is merely the depth of your wallet and that you don't care about them except as a means to get what you want. Try this site. Visit it with an open mind. Feel free to reject it in total if you don't agree with anything on it. It's free and while it probably won't change your mind about anything, it will give you a little different picture to look at and it won't detract in the slightest from your annual income either. http://damiankeller.tripod.com/ Thanks Edited for the most blatant typos caused by my one handed typing style.
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Joined: 05 Jul 2003
Posts: 1522
Location: chicagoland by the big guys
| Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2004 2:07 pm Post subject: | |
| I love my new bumper stick Bush Lies Who Dies | |
Joined: 07 Jul 2003
Posts: 762
| Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2004 2:58 pm Post subject: | |
|
Low,
We are in a war, like it or not. Not a war created by Bush administration lies, but a war waged on us by some very determined Islamic Fundamentalists. We can't just bury our heads and hope everything will get better...it won't. |
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Joined: 05 Jul 2003
Posts: 1522
Location: chicagoland by the big guys
| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 12:59 pm Post subject: | |
| I guess I just find no justification for the war in Iraq. Afghanistan yes but where did that go. What disrespect for the ones who lost loved ones in 911. Shame on you George. I am sorry I can not stand George Bush or Cheney, this whole Presidency has been based on lies deciet. Let us not forget he cheated his way in the WHiteHouse. And shame on Al Gore for not running again he let us down. I can not wait till he leaves office | |
Joined: 07 Jul 2003
Posts: 762
| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 2:46 pm Post subject: | |
| 2008 is 4 more years away. That's an awfully long wait. | |