George W. Bush now has a mandate and nothing to loose, What's going to happen.

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George W. Bush now has a mandate and nothing to loose, What’s going to happen.

OK I don’t care how you think W won, whether he stole the election or won it in spite of opposition fraud, or anywhere in-between. I also don’t care if you don’t think he has a mandate or not, get over it he does, with more popular votes then any other Pres. EVER, and holding on to both houses (and gaining a few seats and getting rid of Tom Dashel <sp>. Also lets assume W has nothing to loose as he can’t run for a 3rd term, so the gloves are coming off.

Lets put the cards on the table and have the courage to review your own views 4 years from now. To honestly review what you though and compare it to what really happened.

Lets post right here and now what you think a W 2nd term will bring.

For me:
The Draft is unthinkable and made up by the democratic to scare people to vote W out. Our military has evolved beyond the point where is it necessary to throw numbers at the enemy and a huge military is actually counterproductive to the war effort. A high tech, highly trained and highly motivated military is what is most effective.

The seeds of democracy have been planted in Islamic countries and will continue to sprout. I don’t expect big changes in 4 years but see this to be a continues problem for extremeist groups and will eventually cause the fall of our current wave of terrorist attacks.

We will continue to keep most terrorists attacks at bay by attacking them where they live instead of them attacking us here. Technology will play a big part in this.

WMD will be found as being in Iraq.

OBL killed or captured (if captured in US Custody).

Other countries will thank us either openly or covertly (Like Israel is thanked for destroying the Iraq Nuke plant in the 70’s) for the War on Islamic extremist terrorist.

Gay marrige will be a non-issue as an alternative union term is found.

PC speech will end and people will once again not be afraid of speaking their true mind, the end of PC group think.

Social Security will be preserved for those who paid into it and depend on it but the future generations will do much better with a privatized system.

Our eccomony will outstrip the deficit over time (4-8 years out)

On the bad side (hey it ain’t all roses ad sugar).

Our constitutional rights will continue to be eroded and we will be distracted by non-real constitutional issues like a crucifix in a jar of urine is protected as freedom of speech while campaim finance reform denies the very right that the 1st was meant to ensure, the 2nd is a shell (no pun intended) of it’s intention - if it’s needed today or not, lets do the right thing and amend it not ignore it, the right to abortion concerns the public while the true right of unreasonable search is ignored in the Patriot act. And people who gave aid and comfort to the enemy is considered as a presidential candidate material w/ out even a mention of the 14’th.

I could go on, but I suspect that the next 4 w/ W will mean a lessening of the Constitution over the years.

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My view is almost the opposite of yours on this:

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The seeds of hate have been planted in Islamic countries and will continue to fester. I don’t expect big acts of terror in 4 years but see this to be a continues problem for americans and will eventually cause the rise of our current wave of terrorist attacks.

WMD will never be found as being in Iraq.

OBL will never killed or captured.

Other countries will revile the USA either openly or covertly (Like Israel is thanked for destroying the Iraq Nuke plant in the 70’s) for the War on Islamic extremist terrorist.

Gay marrige will be a non-issue as an alternative union term is found.

Free speech will end and people will once again be afraid of speaking their true mind.

Social Security will be eroded for those who paid into it and depend on it and the future generations will do much worse with a privatized system.

The deficit will continue to outstrip the economy over time and perhaps go beyond the level where it can be repaired.
[/changed]

But I agree with the last statement:
[not changed]
Our constitutional rights will continue to be eroded and we will be distracted by non-real constitutional issues like a crucifix in a jar of urine is protected as freedom of speech while campaim finance reform denies the very right that the 1st was meant to ensure, the 2nd is a shell (no pun intended) of it’s intention - if it’s needed today or not, lets do the right thing and amend it not ignore it, the right to abortion concerns the public while the true right of unreasonable search is ignored in the Patriot act. And people who gave aid and comfort to the enemy is considered as a presidential candidate material w/ out even a mention of the 14’th.
[/not changed]

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I think your prediction thread is an interesting idea, and must apologise for a mild hijack.

Don’t you mean ‘the resentment of the US has been increased in Islamic countries and will continue to sprout’?
Or are you saying that democracy is healthy in Afghanistan, or that Iraq will have successful elections? Would the US permit Iraq to elect an anti-US Government?

What does the word ‘continue’ mean here? What terrorist attacks came from Iraq?

:smiley: (and Elvis will be found working in McDonalds)

Have a look at opinion polls of Bush in your closest ally (UK). :rolleyes:

Yes indeed.

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Thanks lexi but one more question, will you have the balls (or overies) to either stand behind your statment or admit you were wrong (if you were) 4 + years from now?

Just making sure.

Also what about the draft?

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Will you?

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“Gay marrige will be a non-issue as an alternative union term is found.”

You think this is just an issue of semantics? Did you not notice how many of the states banning gay marriage made good and sure to ban “civil unions” as well? People aren’t saying “do what ever you want, just don’t call it marriage,” they are saying “remember what class you are in–the second one.”

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OK Glee I’ll bite:

I think you misread me, I think democracy will override such minor squables over time. The Islamic people will fine their own way over time and will radically change the future gov’t of those nations.

Do I think the US will try to influnce the new Iraq Gov’t elections, I have no doubt, but that in inself is not a bad thing (recall OBL tryed to infulence our election), if we truly beleive in freedom of speach, shouldn’t we be able to hear from him as well?

2 questions lexi are you truly willing to stand by your statment 4 years from now? and will you be willing to admit you were totally wrong if time proves it to you? I am.

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Soapbox Monkey
This is why I started this thread, I is for all INCLUDING ME to make a stand behind their views and to let time judge it. Though I don’t claim to know the future I feel there are basic principals that will help man(kind) and some that will hurt man. I think W has more that will help man then hurt man and am totally willing to be called on it and willing to reevaluate my stand 4+ years from now.

How 'bout you?

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I have a reply to this, but it is not in the spirit of the OP, so I say to you put up or shut up. I have defined the rules, what does the 2nd term W w/ a mandate mean, AND only answer if you are willing to answer and reevaulate your answer 4 years from now.

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Remember the Taliban?

Imagine the same thing in the US, but with Christianity instead of Islam.

…Okay, I’m kidding… but only a little. :wink:

(And finding WMDs in Iraq? You are an eternal optimist, aren’t you?)

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This is beyond pitworth, you made a statement that in no way represents my statement.

OK lets just post your humble O, as this is what’s this thread is for.

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What I’m tired of is the fact that people automatically assume that I hate Bush because “I’m one of those uppity liberals.”

First of all, when the 2000 election was happening, I was 16. I didn’t much care for either candidate. When 9/11 happened, and Bush spoke…I was absolutely breathless. I didn’t think there would have been any way for Gore to handle the situation as well as I thought Bush did. I was behind him 100% when he decided to go after the people who attacked up.

But then…he just decided to give up on them. And he gave up on a lot of other things. And now I back him 0%. I don’t blindly hate the man. I was in the palm of his hand for a number of months. He dropped me, I didn’t jump. I desperately WANT the man to pick me back up. To discredit all of my hatred towards him.

I want to be wrong in four years. But I have the feeling that I won’t be.

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Saaaay!!! You look simply maaavalous, baby! It’s always better to look good than to feel good, I always say! :rolleyes: I know, you love your attitude problem as you sing “This Land is My Land, This Land Is My Land…” :wink:

Seriously, you know, I have the same problem with Rene Descartes’ logic, too! That “I think therefore I am” thinking is so egocentric, ya know? It’s like being judge and jury, and why not, right?. It’s like thinking how beautiful you are when you glance in the rear view mirror without regard for all the others around you! If you are all for yourself, what are you?

You act as is if The Almighty himself planted ole Georgy Boy in Office…and that kind of thinking IS exactly what the monarchy of England thought. Could there be a correlation? Scary! :eek: What color is the sky in your world? I think you need a dose of humanity, if you bare the sweet taste of liberty for all?

I have to agree with Lexi. And remember: Don’t get so cockey…the pendulum swings both ways! And, the pendulum’s wrecking ball is gonna swing straight through your door. Just remember the tortoise and the hare, only this time it’s the donkey and the elephant! :wink: The battle (and filibusters) will rage on…

Don’t be fooled by this euphoric “honeymoon phase”. It’s the calm before the storm. Afterall, might makes right, even if we have to fabricate an enemy! - Jinx

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Yes I will - I am taking an international viewpoint … most americans can’t see beyond the borders of their own country.

Unfourtunately many places have a very anti-american view point, not just the countries that are under a threat of US forces, but allies. I fear that the backlash will be worse than you and I could ever fear.

Read your history books about the imperialism in Africa and West Asia, and let me know if you think perhaps that the people of those countries may think the US is being imperialistic, or not…

See ya in four years.

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The ban in Mississippi as I read it was on marriage and said nothing about “civil unions”. I admit that many people who voted in favor also included “civil unions” in their minds, but believe me that not all of them did. Didn’t Kerry himself say he was against gay marriage, but for civil unions?

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My predictions?

Far from planting the seeds for future democracy in the Middle East, Bush has sown the seeds for future terrorism. More and more Iraqis will come to view the American forces as occupiers, not liberators, and many will sympathize, if not actively support, the resistance (whether in the form of the Sunni extremists or Moqtada al-Sadr). Iraqis and Arabs in general will harbor resentment toward the US due to civilian casualties in airstrikes (esp. in Fallujah), the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuses (we haven’t heard the end of that, or even the worst), and such routine but intrusive practices as house searches/raids.

The most embittered Iraqis (and/or other Arab sympathizers) will either join or contribute to terrorist causes against the US; this will result in terrorist attacks against US interests abroad (quite frequent, I fear) and some domestic attempts. While I don’t anticipate anything on the scale of the 9/11 attacks, I will not be surprised to see a spectacular attack or two on metropolitan centers, resulting in the deaths of a few hundred individuals–probably something along the lines of the Madrid train station bombing.

But we won’t find WMD in Iraq, because–as it’s perfectly clear by now–there haven’t been any there since Gulf War I. Bush will continue to gloss over this fact and insist that the Iraqis are happier now that Saddam is gone, even while thousands of them, and perhaps hundreds of Americans, continue to suffer and die as a direct result of the ongoing conflict.

OBL may or may not be found. I really don’t think Bush considers him a high priority anymore, since he (OBL) probably doesn’t have many direct links with active terrorist cells anymore. Unfortunately, Bush and the CIA will fail to uncover the new Bin Ladens who will have risen to take OBL’s place.

Domestically, Bush will promote legislation (which his Republican-dominated Congress will do its best to pass) that will curtail abortion rights. This will start with mandatory parental notification for minors (like the one recently passed in Florida), and bans or severe restrictions on “partial-birth abortions.” Ultimately, I think Bush would like to see Roe v. Wade overturned, and allow the states to decide the legality of abortion. I’m not sure how far he can get in this endeavor, but he will almost certainly stack the Supreme Court with justices who sympathize with his stance on abortion law. This will all depend on which current justices retire in the next 4 years–if a moderate or liberal justice retires, then we can expect a strongly conservative shift within the SCOTUS.

Similarly, Bush will continue to push for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriages, and he may get it passed. He seems to consider this a major mission of his.

Also, I expect to see further erosions in environmental protection–more lands opened to logging, as well as opening the Arctic Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. Conversely, Bush will continue to help out his corporate buddies as often as possible, both domestically and abroad.

And meanwhile, other countries will watch all of this going on, and wonder WTF has happened to America?

I honestly hope that in 4 years’ time, I can log onto here and discuss how wrong my predictions were. I really do.

But I’m afraid these next 4 years will be quite dire.

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Bush has a “mandate” ? You mean he’s one of “those guys” ? I thought he was against all that kind of stuff. Wow if Fred Phelps ever finds out !!!

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Soapbox Monkey, I don’t know what thread you have been reading, perhaps I should clarify just incase I was unclear:

I am not challenging your views here, nor is this the place to challenge mine. This thread is to state what you truly believe will happen during a 2nd W term, to state it outright AND to refer back as time goes on to see if your views were accurate or you have to reevaluate your thoughts on Gov’t and world politics.

I want people who love W, hate W, and anyone in-between to post. But not to criticize my views or anyone else’s here, time will be the only critic for those who care to listen.

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To paraphrase Jay Leno:

Seems like all the Republicans claim they got a mandate - well, except for Dick Cheny’s daughter.

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His challenger also got more popular votes than any other Presidential challenger EVER.

Gross numbers mean nothing.