So who's part of the 29%? (1 Viewer)

[St. Widge]

I think he's gotten the message across just fine. I think it mostly has to do with the war and the whole botched post-Katrina response. It's the people he's surrounded himself with who have the bad ideas and who have been incompetent.

I agree Reb and maybe "dumb" is not the correct word for Bush. But, it seems that he is one that, to steal a Colbert phrase, uses his "gut" or "faith" to make decisions rather than good solid evidence, advice or logic. I'm not sure if calling that "dumb" is the right word, but whatever you call it, it's not desirable in a President.

 

[philipkw]

I don't know what's more disturbing, incompetence at the highest levels of government or RebSaint's avatar. Gawd!

 

[Taurus]

IMO, he earned respect by being elected to the Office of the Presidency. Twice. You and I may have not voted for him but a majority of Americans did and he is the leader of our country. Just because you beleive in something other than him, we are all entitled to our own opinions, you can be respectful about it.

IMO, he's earned every ounce of disrespect he gets.

 

[kevinh]

I think he's gotten the message across just fine. I think it mostly has to do with the war and the whole botched post-Katrina response. It's the people he's surrounded himself with who have the bad ideas and who have been incompetent.

If he picked the people he's surrounded with, and they've been incompetent, then who's fault is that?

 

[RebSaint]

If he picked the people he's surrounded with, and they've been incompetent, then who's fault is that?

Oho, I completely agree with you.

 

[Saint Anthony]

IMO, he's earned every ounce of disrespect he gets.

children learn how to be disrespectful from their parents

 

[UncleTrvlingJim]

It might work, but of course the problem is that it would violate the First Amendment. Political speech is particularly protected for obvious reasons.

I don't agree that campaign contributions is protected speech, and I don't think giving perks to politicians from lobbyists is protected either. I disagree that money = speech. People can voice their support all they want... just eliminate people giving money to politicians.

 

[champ76]

If he picked the people he's surrounded with, and they've been incompetent, then who's fault is that?

It's his and that is why he's where he is in the polls.

But don't get me wrong. I think his administration has done some things(maybe the most important things) right in the second term. There has not been a terror attack on US soil in six years. That is no accident. And the economy continues to hum along. But other aspects have not been so good, and that is why his numbers are low.

 

[UptownShark]

IMO, he earned respect by being elected to the Office of the Presidency. Twice. You and I may have not voted for him but a majority of Americans did and he is the leader of our country.

Let's get one thing straight. He did not receive the majority of the votes in 2000. He was given the majority of electoral votes. And that, of course, was thanks to the Supreme Court of the United States of America. Any respect he should have been given was there at the beginning of his first term. He subsequently found ways to lose that respect by disrespecting his countrymen with manipulation of truth, enriching corporations by weakening environmental regulations, crushing our constitutional freedoms and erasing the barriers that keep religion out of government. Once you turn your back on the people you've sworn to serve, you don't deserve ANY respect.

 

[RebSaint]

children learn how to be disrespectful from their parents

Well I guess it's all how one defines "respect." I respect the office, and if I ever by chance met the president, I would give him the respect he deserves. However, with respect comes trust, accountability, competence, etc. I frankly don't think this administration has exhibited much of any of those qualities. Like I said earlier, I don't think it's fair to exaggerate by claiming the "worst in history," or even the "worst in my lifetime"

If you mean "respect" in the context of not making jokes surrounding his incompetency and failures, I disagree. Every president has been lampooned, made fun of, mocked, etc. It's part of American political culture and it's really nothing new to the American political discourse. Even when presidents have been popular, there will always be pundits who poke fun, mock, and make jokes about what they think is a failure or weakness of the chief executive.

 

[Saint Anthony]

Let's get one thing straight. He did not receive the majority of the votes in 2000. He was given the majority of electoral votes. And that, of course, was thanks to the Supreme Court of the United States of America. Any respect he should have been given was there at the beginning of his first term. He subsequently found ways to lose that respect by disrespecting his countrymen with manipulation of truth, enriching corporations by weakening environmental regulations, crushing our constitutional freedoms and erasing the barriers that keep religion out of government. Once you turn your back on the people you've sworn to serve, you don't deserve ANY respect.

Was President Bush the only politician who voted to go to war? Do you hold members of Congress to your same standard of getting respect? Clinton voted for war, she has stock with Wal-Mart, Big Pharma, and oil companies. Her husband said they had weapons along with the intelligence community. Get that straight.

 

[Saint Anthony]

Well I guess it's all how one defines "respect." I respect the office, and if I ever by chance met the president, I would give him the respect he deserves. However, with respect comes trust, accountability, competence, etc. I frankly don't think this administration has exhibited much of any of those qualities. Like I said earlier, I don't think it's fair to exaggerate by claiming the "worst in history," or even the "worst in my lifetime"

If you mean "respect" in the context of not making jokes surrounding his incompetency and failures, I disagree. Every president has been lampooned, made fun of, mocked, etc. It's part of American political culture and it's really nothing new to the American political discourse. Even when presidents have been popular, there will always be pundits who poke fun, mock, and make jokes about what they think is a failure or weakness of the chief executive.

Good point. I think joking is fine, its not what I was talking about in terms of respect. I am talking about disagreeing vs disrespecting.

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Good point. I think joking is fine, its not what I was talking about in terms of respect. I am talking about disagreeing vs disrespecting.

- I'm sorry, but I have to agree with those who are saying that GWB does not deserve respect. He has made a mockery of the office of the Presidency in more ways than I can count- so IMO he has squandered any respect that one would normally give to the office itself...

 

[Taurus]

children learn how to be disrespectful from their parents

Yeah, my kids call him "Chimpy" too. Oddly enough, they respect those of their elders who deserve it. (Teachers, their mom and I, other parents, etc.)

Shrubby had his chances, the nation was divided by the way he entered office, but he could've worked to heal that rift. Instead, he deliberately widened it.