[thechat] US prez debates

[Martin Burns]

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On 1 Oct 2004, at 15:11, Scott Dexter wrote:

>> public's perspective. Really, I just can't fathom why so many
>> Americans
>> seem to like Bush so much.
>
> Because /he's just like them./ --Not very smart, defensive, quick to
> resolve conflict with agression.
>
> Not that it means anything, but I've always felt his imperfections
> --especially when it comes to the English language-- were either
> trumped up or on purpose to make him more "normal." 'Mericans like
> him because he's a tangible President, someone you could run across
> in Middle America and have a beer with.

Which is all very interesting and politically effective, masking the 
non-'someone
you could run across in Middle America' factors such as
1) Dad was head of CIA and Pres
2) Brother is governer of .fl.us
3) Went to Yale and Harvard (although UT Law rejected him)
4) Used father's oil business contacts to get set up with his own 
company

Mind you, an incumbent always stands on his/her record of election 
promises
delivered (which Blair made a pretty good defense of this week btw). 
Now, let's
see:

• Empty the Social Security trust fund by $507 billion to help offset 
fiscal irresponsibility and at the same time slash Social Security 
benefits.
• Cut Medicare by 17 percent and reduce veterans’ benefits and military 
pay.
• Eliminate overtime pay for millions of Americans and raise oil prices 
by 50 percent.
• Give tax cuts to businesses that sent American jobs overseas, and, in 
fact, by policy encourage their departure.
• Give away billions of tax dollars in government contracts without 
competitive bids.
• Involve the US in a highly questionable war, and
• Take a budget surplus and turn it into the worst deficit in the 
history of the United States, creating a debt in just four years that 
will take generations to repay.

Yep, all delivered. Oh wait... the actual 2000 themes and claims 
included:
* Compassionate Conservatism
* Inclusive, non-partisan government - specifically: President should 
be a role model and uniter
* US should humbly empower other countries, not dictate.
* Less intervention abroad
* Dedicating some of [the budget surplus] to Social Security, to 
prescription drug coverage, and for the environment.


Sources include:
http://www.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/09/27/campaign.wrap/
http://www.issues2000.org/George_W__Bush.htm#Campaign_Themes
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BDW/is_23_41/ai_62918994
http://news.iconoclast-texas.com/web/Columns/Editorial/editorial39.htm

Cheers
Martin

- --
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