# Bush the divider... **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 3, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-the-divider/272851 "2004-11-03T21:22:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-the-divider/272851/21 "2004-11-04T06:18:34Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > You certainly can’t argue that he’s a “uniter”. Of course they can. If only those of us who apparently don’t have the country’s best interests at heart would shut up and get in step, he’d be uniting us all! I have no idea why Bush-supporters would expect us to shut up now that the election’s over. He won. Fine. Kerry can concede, so can I. That doesn’t mean he’s the right man for the job, and it doesn’t mean that he’s good for America. It just means that he convinced more people to vote for him. Even given the highest reasonable respect and love for democracy, a majority vote doesn’t magically confer objective rightness on the winner. Bush is still bad for America. He’s still a bumbling incompetent liar. He just happens to be a bumbling incompetent liar who’s bad for America who happens to be the President of the United States for a second term. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-the-divider/272851/22 "2004-11-04T06:19:53Z")
If Bush wasn’t a uniter in his first four years, why should anyone reasonably expect him to act like one in the next four? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-the-divider/272851/23 "2004-11-04T06:24:46Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > If Bush wasn’t a uniter in his first four years, why should anyone reasonably expect him to act like one in the next four? Cognitive dissonance. It’s going around lately, I heard. ---
**Author:** ![velveeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/13edae/32.png) [@velveeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velveeta)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-the-divider/272851/24 "2004-11-04T15:17:57Z")
This Republican apparently thinks Bush should be a divider: [http://www.adamyoshida.com/2004/11/four-more-years-aka-take-that-you-sons.html](http://www.adamyoshida.com/2004/11/four-more-years-aka-take-that-you-sons.html) ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-the-divider/272851/25 "2004-11-04T15:35:35Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > For the first time in sixteen years, a candidate has gotten an absolute majority of the vote. Yet you call him a ‘divider’… > > Look, you need to recognize something - Kerry **lost**. The majority of the electorate did not want what Kerry said he would do. Thus, there is no particular reason why Bush should try to turn into Kerry - just the opposite, in fact. Yes, Kerry lost. That doesn’t mean that the Democratic Party has been vanquished. If Bush wants to be a uniter, he’s going to have to urge the Dems to work with him, and he’s going to have to muzzle, to some extent, the right-wing hacks in Congress who are more interested in political scorecounting than in running the country. For now, I’ll take those blantantly partisan, divisive statements, which imply that Democrats should just give up and not even attempt to represent the 48% of the country that voted for change, as a bit of well-earned gloating and a knee-jerk reaction to the gloom-and-doom from the left side of this board. I sure hope that Bush knows better than to think that “coming together” means Republicans staying exactly where they are and expecting the Dems to roll over and be patsies. I sure expect that you, **Shodan,** would not have have wanted the Republicans to roll over in that fashion in 1992, so common sense would mean that should shouldn’t expect Dems to do it in 2004. ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-the-divider/272851/26 "2004-11-04T15:53:59Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > I sure hope that Bush knows better than to think that “coming together” means Republicans staying exactly where they are and expecting the Dems to roll over and be patsies. I sure expect that you, **Shodan,** would not have have wanted the Republicans to roll over in that fashion in 1992, so common sense would mean that should shouldn’t expect Dems to do it in 2004. Well he is still waiting for Iraqis to roll over… the french to roll over… when “God” is on your side… others should prostrate before you. Don’t expect concessions… sad. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-the-divider/272851/27 "2004-11-04T17:42:18Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Horseshit…thats how you interpereted it, not what he said. Those are two different things, and I don’t think you understand the distinction. > > -XT I get sick of being right all the time. “Turning his attention to the new Congress, where Republicans gained seats in Tuesday’s elections, [Bush] said he wants legislation to fundamentally reorder Social Security and the tax system.” [http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Bush.html?hp&ex=1099630800&en=2ffa3e22506069ad&ei=5094&partner=homepage](http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Bush.html?hp&ex=1099630800&en=2ffa3e22506069ad&ei=5094&partner=homepage) ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-the-divider/272851/28 "2004-11-04T17:53:19Z")
> [@Brutus](#): > > So some of you don’t like Bush, ergo, he is a ‘divider’? Amazing how you guys just can’t seem to do any wrong; all faults conveniently fall at Dubya’s feet. :rolleyes: Bush has divided the country in several obvious ways, none of which has to do with him personally. I don’t know why I’d bother explaining this to one who has obviously not even scanned the headlines of a newspaper for about five years, but consider the following: 1. Bush uses bogus “amendment” to rally bigots against Gay rights, dividing the country on a sensitive issue. 2. Bush promises to privatize social security, putting our mandatory investments at risk so others can profit 3. Bush promises to “overhaul” taxes to further take the burden off of the wealthy and either transfer it to the poor and middle class, run the country into debt, or… 4. Slash the hell out social programs, although he’ll still have to find a way to pay for his goddamned 5. Wars, which are only beginning, apparently. 6. Bush clearly intends to stock the Supreme Court with righties who are bent on thrashing civil liberties. 7. Bush wants to pursue “faith-based” government. So there you have it. Seven rifts, none of which are about Bush. Of course none of the people against Bush matter, in his mandate. Fuck women, gays, liberals, pacificists, non-Christians, and everyone else. He’s a divider. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-the-divider/272851/29 "2004-11-04T17:57:48Z")
…and Scott McClelland just asked the left to reach a little harder, because Shrub’s reach “only goes so far.” A wise man once said, “There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.” I think I’ll take that advice. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-the-divider/272851/30 "2004-11-04T18:01:56Z")
In other words, as predicted, “uniting” involves his opponents rolling over and presenting their unprotected necks to the alpha wolf. Fuck him. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-the-divider/272851/31 "2004-11-04T18:02:35Z")
> [@cricetus](#): > > I get sick of being right all the time. > > “Turning his attention to the new Congress, where Republicans gained seats in Tuesday’s elections, [Bush] said he wants legislation to fundamentally reorder Social Security and the tax system.” > > [http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Bush.html?hp&ex=1099630800&en=2ffa3e22506069ad&ei=5094&partner=homepage](http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Bush.html?hp&ex=1099630800&en=2ffa3e22506069ad&ei=5094&partner=homepage) Wow, just like he called for while campaigning? Amazing. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-the-divider/272851/32 "2004-11-04T18:31:37Z")
> [@cricetus](#): > > I get sick of being right all the time. > > “Turning his attention to the new Congress, where Republicans gained seats in Tuesday’s elections, [Bush] said he wants legislation to fundamentally reorder Social Security and the tax system.” If you get sick whenever you are right, you must be one of the healthiest people in existance. 😃 How this quote ‘proves’ you were ‘right’ I fail to see. Would you care to take a shot at explaining? This is pretty much what he said during the election he would do…he’s doing it. The only shock (to me) is that he didn’t just forget all about it with the election in the bag. Setting that aside, how does this prove he’s a divider in your mind? How does it prove that you are right about him destroying the middle class, blah blah blah? How does it prove anything you’ve asserted, in fact? > [@](#): > > 1. Bush uses bogus “amendment” to rally bigots against Gay rights, dividing the country on a sensitive issue. I really hate to break this to you, but the majority of US citizens don’t support Gay marrage at this time. Personally I think they are wrong about that, and I think it will change in the future…but you need to take a reality break here. Bush isn’t using ‘bogus amendments to rally bigots’…the majority of US citizens DO NOT SUPPORT GAY MARRAGE. Get it? > [@](#): > > 1. Bush promises to privatize social security, putting our mandatory investments at risk so others can profit Horseshit. Bush is talking about options for making social security work. The big plan that Bush talked about during the election came out of a BIPARTISAN COMMITTEE looking into ways to help out social security. IF it gets implimented (something I tend to doubt) it would only be for younger workers just getting into the system, not for folks either currently getting social security or who would be receiving it in the next decade. You don’t seem to have a clue as to what this would really be like…I suggest actually looking at the program (and who REALLY put it forth) before ranting on it again. > [@](#): > > 1. Bush promises to “overhaul” taxes to further take the burden off of the wealthy and either transfer it to the poor and middle class, run the country into debt, or… Again, you are ranting Democrat talking points. Its a debate whether or not giving tax cuts helps an economy or not. As to Bush taking from the poor and giving to the rich, this is just blather. The tax cuts were across the board…the rich just got BIGGER tax cuts than the poor. Guess what? The rich also PAY more taxes than the poor do. > [@](#): > > 1. Slash the hell out social programs, although he’ll still have to find a way to pay for his goddamned Right. Like that slashing of perscription drug benifits that is going to grant yet another entitlement and cost us over half a TRILLION dollars. :rolleyes: Get real. Only of my major beefs with Bush is that he’s NOT doing what you are accusing him of doing, but instead adding more social programs and entitlements to the system. Had Bush been a Democrat and gotten the shit he’s pushed through on the social side he’d be touted as one of the greatest Dem presidents of all time. > [@](#): > > 1. Wars, which are only beginning, apparently. Well, I tend to doubt that they are only just beginning, but I’ll agree with you that Iraq wasn’t the brightest thing he did. One of the major reasons (besides his drunken sailor spending on the social side) that I didn’t vote for the man in fact. > [@](#): > > 1. Bush clearly intends to stock the Supreme Court with righties who are bent on thrashing civil liberties. Again, time will tell here but I doubt it. I think he will stock the SC with strict constructionists. We’ll see though. > [@](#): > > 1. Bush wants to pursue “faith-based” government. Horseshit. You don’t have any idea what you are talking about here. Pretty much goes for your whole post. If you are going to attack Bush (and lord knows there is enough shit to attack him with out there) at least learn what the hell you are talking about first and attack him rationally. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-the-divider/272851/33 "2004-11-04T18:41:09Z")
> [@](#): > > So today I want to speak to every person who voted for my opponent: To make this nation stronger and better I will need your support, and I will work to earn it. I will do all I can do to deserve your trust. OK, I’m willing to give it a try. Right now, you do not have my support, nor do you have my trust. Wow me, Mr. Bush. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-the-divider/272851.md?page=1)