# Did you vote for Bush? If so, why? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 3, 2004, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765 "2004-11-03T15:30:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/41 "2004-11-05T13:10:48Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > I’ll take the bait. Here’s why I voted for Bush: > > 1. I agree with his neo-con vision of what it will take to make terrorism an unpalatable option for the young Muslim. This Arab anger at the West and at the US in specific which led to 9/11 is fed by a sense of hopelessness which the U.S. had nothing to do with. By deposing the Taliban and Saddam Hussein and planting democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan, we stand some chance of seeing Muslims realize that when they are politically empowered, they can improve their lives and the USA doesn’t stand in the way of that. Certainly, it’s a risk, but _not_ doing it certainly didn’t win us friends, did it? > > 2. Connected to 1), I believe we are winning the war on terror. while it is true that Osama Bin Laden is still alive, I think it is clear from his latest tape that he is greatly weakened, and that he is having a harder time convincing people to rally to his jihad flag. That’s the only reason I can see for him expressing a sudden interest in the Palestinian cause…when you can’t appeal to Muslims in any other way, you resort to Palestinian nationalism and anti-Zionism. Saddam Hussein tried the same thing during Gulf War I. > > 3. The economy is turning around. I don’t know that I can credit him for this, but it removes from him (in my eyes) any blame for the prior bad economy. As a programmer, and one who used to work in downtown Manhattan, I know plenty of people whose loss of job occurred during the tech bust before Bush even took office (including myself, _twice_), and at least one who lost his job due to 9/11. The downward trend started before Bush, but under Bush it has reversed and begun trending upward. > > 4. Kerry’s insistence on the importance of the UN. I’m very afraid that if he considers that body’s approval of US actions to be important, then US support for Israel will be sacrificed to appease them. > > 5. The way Kerry and Edwards pandered was SHAMELESS. While I was already pre-disposed toward Bush (for the reasons listed above), I didn’t actually _dislike_ the Democrat candidates until Edwards pretty much implied that Bush’s stance on stem-cell research was what kept the late Christopher Reeve from walking, and that electing Kerry would bring about cures for spinal cord injuries like his. That repulsed me - it’s one thing for a candidate to make monetary promises he can’t keep in order to get elected, it’s quite another to promise _that_. You must be asleep… I don’t where to begin, but I’ll say this: You say the UN is unimportant? Then, why doesn’t Bush just pull the US out of the UN? Why even have a UN? What the good have they done for world peace anyhow, right? This is exactly why Bush is a tyrant. And the eceonomy is turning around? Yeah? That’s called “spinning its wheels”. Bush’s henchman Snow has the nerve to deny Bush’s Administration is the first to lose jobs since Hoover? And you are asking the working class to swallow this? How can people trust a President who can’t even begin to understand their plight? You’ll recall in the last question of the second debate, Bush was flat-out asked to name three mistakes he’s made, and he couldn’t name one! He must be more popular than Jesus, I guess, huh? I guess Bush is simply perfect! Wow. - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/42 "2004-11-05T13:38:18Z")
Jinx, Please go read Cardinal’s comments in post 32. There are any number of threads in the Pit or GD for you to go to town in. Please don’t derail this thread. KSO ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/43 "2004-11-05T13:55:14Z")
> [@Roadwalker](#): > > I am a conservative Christain. I am opposed to abortion and I am in fovor of family values. Could you explain more about the “family values”? Is there more to it than the gay marriage issue? ---
**Author:** ![smartini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@smartini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smartini)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/44 "2004-11-05T14:08:59Z")
> [@KSO](#): > > Jinx, > > Please go read Cardinal’s comments in post 32. There are any number of threads in the Pit or GD for you to go to town in. Please don’t derail this thread. > > KSO I second that. Please take the fight and debate to other threads. I am not posting here because I did not vote for Bush, but I am reading the posts and appreciate the sincerity and calmness with which these views are being given. Please don’t hijack this thread. It appears to be an important one to keep on track. I hope many others who voted for Bush will post here but it won’t happen if we turn it into a “challenge” thread. Thanks for the great thread **griffen2.** ~smartini ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Biggles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@Mr.Biggles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Biggles)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/45 "2004-11-05T21:54:39Z")
> [@griffen2](#): > > As a non-US liberal who simply cannot understand why so many people voted for George Bush, I’m very keen to find out why those who voted for him did so. We don’t tend to hear many good things about Mr Bush or his policies (I’ll refrain from calling him President just yet 😉 ) and so I’d be very interested in hearing your reasons for voting for him. You don’t have to justify your reasons and you don’t have to defend them (that’s why I put this thread in IMHO, so there would be less chance of people trying to debate you). I’m just very keen on hearing your perspective. > > Thanks in advance. I think a follow up should be added here. And if all those who have replied can answer the follow-up along with any further answers it might add more interest to the original question. That follow-up being, did you ever think of not voting for Bush at anytime during the election process and if so, why? ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/46 "2004-11-05T22:15:45Z")
> [@Mr. Biggles](#): > > That follow-up being, did you ever think of not voting for Bush at anytime during the election process and if so, why? There were/are a couple of things that might have been show stoppers for me. Most importantly the massive spending. I realize that we are in a war and that as a percentage of GDP the deficit is not out of hand but, damn. Secondly, illegal immigration/immigrants. The more people that fill out the paperwork and come here legally, the better. This crap of pandering to illegals and not securing the border infuriates me. Kick them all out and make them stand in line, just like everybody else. Problem being, I didn’t see Mr. Kerry being much of a solution to either of those himself. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/47 "2004-11-06T02:27:55Z")
I’m not a U.S. citizen, but I would have voted for Bush, for many of the reasons that have already been given. And yes, it didn’t help that I frequently heard liberals denounce conservatives as being uneducated dullards or words to that effect. I was also soured by many of the attacks against Bush, which I felt were grossly unwarranted. Bush chose to remain in the classroom after the twin towers were attacked? A mountain out of a molehill, I say. Michael Moore sure didn’t help, either. The worst part was when F9/11 showed Bush saying “I call you the haves and the have-mores. Some call you the elite; I call you my base.” When I learned that this scene was actually taken from a fundraiser that both Bush and Gore attended, and that the speakers traditionally poked fun at themselves, I was livid! That didn’t endear the anti-Bush crowd to me, I admit. Or when the Internet chatter accused Bush of saying that he couldn’t think of a single thing he did wrong, I got pretty upset as well. I didn’t think that Bush did a great job at these debates, but I did recall him answering that he made some wrong decisions in choosing his political appointees. Again, while I wasn’t a strident Bush supporter, that kind of chatter did make me more sympathetic toward him. In brief, I wasn’t a huge Bush fan, but I did feel that the criticisms levelled against him were mostly blown out of proportion. When coupled with my distrust of Kerry and my soured attitude toward the Bush critics, I resolved that I would have voted for Bush if I had the requisite voting rights. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/48 "2004-11-06T02:52:08Z")
> [@Mr. Biggles](#): > > did you ever think of not voting for Bush at anytime during the election process and if so, why? Yes, very briefly, when he increased spending on the National Endowment of the Arts. I am against federal funding for the arts. Art should stand on its own and earn its own share of the marketplace, like any other product. You don’t see a National Endowment of Automobiles, or a Fund to Prop Up Lousy Hair Stylists. I feel the same way about art. Again, when he talked about an amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman. I realize that won’t fly at all, but as our dear **Liberal** said once, if marriage is so all-fire sacred that you have to protect it with an amendment, then outlaw divorce. Very succint and savvy, IMO. Then, when he talked about making it easier for illegal aliens to get citizenship, I scowled again. I don’t think that made it very far either. It all came down to this…none of the above stuff will matter one bit if the terrorists succeed in attacking us again. Sept 11 put a lot of things in perspective for me. We have to defeat the terrorists once and for all. The rest can come later. Basically, I disagreed less with Bush than Kerry. That didn’t mean I agreed with everything Bush suggests. But I think he’s leading us in the right direction (I hope the Fair Tax and allowing younger workers to privately invest some of our Social Security comes through.) You have no idea how relieved I am to know he won, fair, square, and quite handily. I truly hope all this nasty bipartisanship can be put aside and we can work together as Americans. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/49 "2004-11-06T03:12:39Z")
Michael Moore, [moveon.org](http://moveon.org), George Soros, Hollywood activist, and the shrillness of the non-stop attacks on Bush did more for the solidarity of the conservative vote than anything Bush or the GOP could have done on their own. Thanks! Hope you try even harder in 2008 to insult the intelligence of middle America. ---
**Author:** ![fruitbat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@fruitbat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fruitbat)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/50 "2004-11-06T04:19:43Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Yes, very briefly, when he increased spending on the National Endowment of the Arts. I am against federal funding for the arts. Art should stand on its own and earn its own share of the marketplace, like any other product. You don’t see a National Endowment of Automobiles, or a Fund to Prop Up Lousy Hair Stylists. I feel the same way about art. Damn straight! I feel the same way about the NEA, if I may though let me add the gnashing of teeth over farm subsidies. Where are the corner bodega store owner subsidies? The plight of the poor family farmer is the one issue where both parties feel free to wax philosophical. After all we are talking about ‘their way of life being threatened’, whatever the hell that means. My apologies, and now back to our regularly scheduled thread. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/51 "2004-11-06T06:51:22Z")
What most everyone else said. I disagree with alot of what Bush has said and done. But I disagreed MORE with what Kerry, based on his statements and what I saw in the news, had said and done. Especially the part where he said he would work to keep ANWR closed forever (paraphrased). I feel badly for those working to legalize SSM, but I think that they believed that Kerry would somehow sprinkle magic pixie dust over this nation and instantly grant their wishes insofar as everyone suddenly believing the way they do. I don’t believe that Kerry was any more in support of SSM than was Bush. Nor do I believe that even if he were, that he could do anything to change the voting of those states that voted it down. For me it was strictly a case of voting for what I felt was the lesser of two evils. I was thoroughly disgusted with the campaign on both sides, we REALLY, REALLY need to revamp the way presidential candidates are chosen, and campaign in this country. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Zamboni)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/52 "2004-11-06T07:32:38Z")
It wasn’t an easy decision to push that button next to Bush’s name, but I never intended to vote for Kerry. Bush has screwed up Iraq, but Hussein needed removed. Even though there were no WMDs -it feels as if the wool was pulled over my eyes for that one- it’s not only about WMDs. I think that a war to end terrorism that involves Iraq is good. I’m actually pretty pissed that Bush could be mistaken on WMDs. He didn’t lie about them, but seemed to ignore them. I know that 1,100 troops, grunts, or whatever their prefered nickname is, have been killed, and I know I will sound cold when I say this, but that’s not a lot in the Big Scheme of Things and War. I have heard that 100,000 Iraqi civilians have died, but that large number seems very suspicious, and I wonder how many were actually civilians and how many were fighting against our military. The overall international war on terrorism does seem to be going okay. Even though Bin Laden is still alive, he has been marginalized. I know that terrorist attacks have increased worldwide, but they seem to have lost their effectiveness on public perception, except in Spain. I have noticed that the more recent attacks from Muslim Fundimentalists have not strayed far from the Middle East, Chechnya, and Fundy pockets throughout Asia. Something must be going right for them to not go far from home. This is not professional knowledge, but an observation. Another Iraq issue, and this one involves the UN, is the Oil for Food Program. It proves that many UN officials were willing to do nefarious things for a few dollars, euros, pounds, or whatever they gained. It also proves once again that Saddam Hussein is scum. I really didn’t like it that Kerry said we would have to pass a “global test” to fight a defensive war. Yes, Iraq deserved more scrutiny, and was not defensive, but other wars may be defensive, and there may be no time for a global test. I doubt that another nation would attack America, but terrorists have done so. I have no problem with the UN, or at least its ideals -The UN as an organization has many problems. Using it to work through problems is exactly what should happen, but when an unforseen attack happens, I don’t want defense of my country in control of a beauracracy. In domestic policy, I don’t like it that Bush has increased entitlement spending and cut taxes. That really doesn’t help the deficit. I like tax cuts, but I’m willing to take them lower or not at all for the sake of this. I guess, overall, I voted for national security reasons, not for domestic reasons. I can take care of myself in that regard, but I can’t protect myself against an attack from terrorists and others that hate this country. I simply did not and do not believe that Kerry had the will and the guts to fight the way Bush has. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/53 "2004-11-06T11:49:11Z")
> [@Bruce\_Daddy](#): > > Secondly, illegal immigration/immigrants. The more people that fill out the paperwork and come here legally, the better. This crap of pandering to illegals and not securing the border infuriates me. Kick them all out and make them stand in line, just like everybody else. > > Problem being, I didn’t see Mr. Kerry being much of a solution to either of those himself. :mad: YES. Bush has somehow been drawn into the vortex of pandering to people who broke the law to even be here, but Kerry would be representing people who are willing to do almost anything as long as it’s “nice” and “kind”. There is a portion of the Democratic party who simply doesn’t care about logic and is willing to do almost anything to make itself feel warm and fuzzy. Mind you, I’ve said the same thing in reverse abou the RNC, too. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/54 "2004-11-06T12:11:19Z")
I didn’t vote for Bush; I voted for Peroutka. But I would have voted for Bozo the Clown before voting for that Kerry creature. That guy is a frick’n _ **Marxist** _ :mad: . Why _anyone_ would want a Marxist to be President is beyond me… 😕 ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/55 "2004-11-06T13:13:49Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I didn’t vote for Bush; I voted for Peroutka. But I would have voted for Bozo the Clown before voting for that Kerry creature. That guy is a frick’n _ **Marxist** _ :mad: . Why _anyone_ would want a Marxist to be President is beyond me… 😕 You can disagree with Kerry’s politics all you like, but to call him a Marxist suggests that you have no idea what a Marxist is. Hint: Marxists believe in the abolition of private property; Kerry’s married to a billionaire. Heck, he’s barely a liberal, let alone a _Marxist_, forsooth. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/56 "2004-11-06T15:26:33Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > You can disagree with Kerry’s politics all you like, but to call him a Marxist suggests that you have no idea what a Marxist is. Hint: Marxists believe in the abolition of private property; Kerry’s married to a billionaire. Heck, he’s barely a liberal, let alone a _Marxist_, forsooth. A hypocritical Marxist? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/57 "2004-11-06T22:58:40Z")
> [@fruitbat](#): > > Damn straight! I feel the same way about the NEA, if I may though let me add the gnashing of teeth over farm subsidies. Where are the corner bodega store owner subsidies? The plight of the poor family farmer is the one issue where both parties feel free to wax philosophical. After all we are talking about ‘their way of life being threatened’, whatever the hell that means. See, this also falls in line for me with the “out-sourcing” of jobs. We are producing more food on less land through efficiencies and advancements in agricultural technology. If you can’t make it on your own, find something else to do. Why should my pay be cut through higher taxes because you want to continue to do something that is obsolete? “Out-sourcing” of jobs will continue as long as it is cheaper to make things overseas. People may screech about losing a job to a worker in India, but as long as Americans demand to pay less for a widget, that’s not going to change. I would imagine this sounds harsh, but I am of the firm belief that each of us is where we are today due to the culmination of choices and decisions we have made. I chose to study hard, not party in college, and show up on time at work. Now we’re at a point where we are not living paycheck to paycheck. America is a wonderful country where you can be whatever you want to be, as long as you are willing to work for it. Look at Oprah Winfrey. She was born into poverty, possibly sexually abused as a child, and now she’s the richest woman in show business, if not the country. If she can do it, anyone can. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/58 "2004-11-06T23:00:23Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I didn’t vote for Bush; I voted for Peroutka. I know Badnarik and Nader, but I don’t know Peroutka. Do you have a link? ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/59 "2004-11-07T01:17:09Z")
> [@](#): > > You must be asleep… I don’t where to begin, but I’ll say this: You say the UN is unimportant? Then, why doesn’t Bush just pull the US out of the UN? Why even have a UN? What the good have they done for world peace anyhow, right? This is exactly why Bush is a tyrant. I’ll give brief answers, mostly for the sake of giving you a feeling of where I (and maybe a few other people) come from. If you want debate, feel free to go open one. I feel that the UN is very good at hosting and controlling negotiations between two reasonable parties, but if one party decides to be unreasonable, the UN’s use fails. I find it utterly ridiculous and disgusting that the US was kicked off of the UN’s Human Right’s council, whereas countries that still engage in mass slaughters and widespread slavery are allowed to keep their seat. I feel that the UN is prohibitively unwilling to use force to achieve their goals, preferring instead to just let the matter drop or drag out indefinitely. I feel this leaves unreasonable leaders - as I consider Saddam to have been - far too much wriggle room, especially for a dictator that has already crossed the UN’s paths again. I feel that the UN was far too patient with Saddam regarding his constant attempts to push the bounds of the sanctions imposed against him - such as the hundreds of times he had his forces fire AA missiles at US and UK jets patrolling the No-Fly zones. In my opinion, we should’ve glassed his regime the second that happened. I hope that gives some view of why some people don’t trust the UN, and why we don’t think Bush is a tyrant for choosing to ignore the UN in this case. ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765/60 "2004-11-07T02:56:39Z")
I didn’t vote for Bush .The only reason I’m posting is that I’m amazed at some of the “reasoning.” Its amazing to me that Bush supporters haven’t heard that it has been proven that Irac did not have weapons of mass destruction at the time of our invasion. Simply put we invaded that country with no provacation. That means that we are the bad guys. France Germany and Russia were right to not to be part of this war. This president made a grave mistake.Nevermind what we thought.The weapons wern’t there. ``` Why would you vote for someone who started an illegal war??? ``` I am quite fearful that this cowboy will decide that the Phillipines will be the next place we will invade. There is an Al quida presence there and he does think he has a mandate.And then where??? His views on Social security are really scary to us that have no other retirement income.Especially us who are unemployed and middle aged. The stock answer for unemployed citizens is “go to school”. Kinda nonsencical when you are 58 years old. I hope Mr Bush won’t mind me living in a tent on his ranch in Crawford Texas because that is the only retirement home I can imagine right now. Its also amazing to hear anyone say that Kerry would ask permission from the UN before attacking in defense of the US. What he said was he would get help before taking on a war.There is a difference. Remember Irac was not an immenent threat.Yeah maybe the world is a better place without Sadam in power but we had no right invading and the thought of it being preemptive is ridiculas. It seems to me that it is the intention of Mr Bush that the US become the worlds police force. Thats a role that I cannot remember a single politician ever endorcing . Its also funny that Kerrys’ choice of another lawyer for vice president would be scrutinized since 2 oilmen got us into a war with a mideastern oil producing country which had no chance of whipping us. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-for-bush-if-so-why/272765.md?page=4)