Quote from Pig Porky:
Look at the results of this poll. The most popular opinion for why the unemployment rate is at 6% is because of Bush's policies. What a bunch of BS. The real reason is the markets have been going down. The effects of it spread to cause problems like this.
GWB certainly didn't cause the stock market to stop going up. The markets don't go straight up. They have to have their downturns. When the downturns happen, people make up bogus explanations for everything. Just like the markets are chaotic, so is just about everything else, including the unemployment rate. Sure, there are things maybe Bush could do to help, but to blame all this on Bush's policies is just STUPID.
Here is how the game works:
A guy decides to run for president. He campaigns, says he is going to solve the problems, that he has the solutions.
People vote.
Well, Bush wins the presidency.
So, is Bush to blame for the conditions of the country when he takes office? No.
Is Bush to blame for the problems that are a direct result of what wasn't done properly in previous administrations? No.
Is it Bush's job to fix the problems? Yes, that is what he said he was going to do.
Is it Bush's responsibility to turn it around? Yes, that is his job, isn't it?
I head some master spin yesterday from one of Bush's chief advisors Bill Kristol, that boiled down to an argument that we need to forgive any failures on Bush's part that have to do with the economy or domestic issues because foreign policy is more important right now, and that Bush's has done such a marvelous job in foreign policy (his opinion, not mine).
So, Bush isn't responsible for domestic policy? He isn't responsible for the economy? Really. That's news to me.
Bush may not be the one to blame, but he is the one responsible.
Anyone remember a president from our past named Harry S. Truman?
On his desk, "Give 'Em Hell Harry" had a plaque that read:
The Buck Stops Here.
If Bush doesn't want full responsibility to fix the problems on the domestic side as well at the foreign policy side, no doubt some other man/woman will come along who is willing to take on that responsibility.
Oh yea. The Bush supporters will blame congress if things are not handled properly, and the domestic issues don't improve. He can always say, "If they had done what I wanted, everything would be great."
Seems to me, if I recall correctly, that Bush claimed to be one who was able to create coalitions during his run for the presidency, that it was his particular strength to bring opposing parties together, as he was not an insider in D.C., and he promised the people that he had the ability to reach compromises.
Well, unless we have another war or terrorist threat to distract the attention of the electorate, we can begin to focus on many of his campaign promises between now and the next election.
Now that the election rhetoric is going to heat up (didn't the whole aircraft carrier landing seem like just a photo op and the beginning of the run for the presidency in 2004) we will see who he blames, and what he takes responsibility for.
Oh, and now that the war is over, can it be patriotic once again to participate in the political process of America, and criticize Bush and Company?
