# Is Bush screwing up? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 19, 2001, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-screwing-up/58565 "2001-03-19T08:00:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-screwing-up/58565/21 "2001-03-20T09:18:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NiceGuyJack \* > > I agree Clinton may have ignored his presidential duties during the last year. Still the stock market tanked after two months of Bush. Not really. The market was falling way back in December. The most drastic falls have happened only recently. > [@](#): > > So Bush got the panic started. Cleared the stock market of speculators. Perhaps he could have handled this a bit better. He is supposed to be the leader of the greatest economy in the world. Shouldn’t he have selected his words better? What do you mean “Bush got the panic started?” First of all, it’s not a panic. People paniced in 1929. They’re not panicing now, they’re nervous. But I don’t see how the blame here lies in Bush, other than him simply having the misfortune of being in office when it happened. The seeds of this downfall were planted long before he was sworn in. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-screwing-up/58565/22 "2001-03-20T14:11:39Z")
> [@](#): > > Calling the president “stupid” or “moronic” is a personal attack. It’s also a waste of time, which is why I didn’t do it. There is a difference between calling Bush an idiot and expressing the opinion that his statements are failing to inspire confidence in the president’s ability to handle the economy. Inspiring confidence in the electorate is an important part of the job, and if Bush fails to do this he is screwing up as suggested by the OP. > [@](#): > > As to the electricity problem in California… > It’s not Mr. Bush’s responsibility to bail us out of our own incompetence. Perhaps not, but he does have a responsibility to ensure that California’s problems don’t worsen to the point that they drag down the economies of other states. The country does not need a new rust belt, yet Bush has given no indication that he’s inclined to prevent the formation of one in CA. > [@](#): > > Did you divine that from your cards, or by reading some tea leaves? Goat entrails work the best for political things ! ---
**Author:** ![NghtCrwlr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d78d45/32.png) [@NghtCrwlr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NghtCrwlr)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-screwing-up/58565/23 "2001-03-20T15:10:19Z")
I voted for Nixon. ---
**Author:** ![Needs2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5e925/32.png) [@Needs2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Needs2know)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-screwing-up/58565/24 "2001-03-20T17:52:19Z")
Gee where would anyone come up with the idea that the conservative ideology lacks compassion or the desire for equal justice under the law? Haven’t they heard of “compassionate conservatisim” yet? This one is cracking me up. Needs2know ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-screwing-up/58565/25 "2001-03-20T19:04:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by friedo \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by NiceGuyJack \* > > Still the stock market tanked after two months of Bush. > > Not really. The market was falling way back in December.\*\* …right after Dubya was selected by his shills on the US Supreme Court. I don’t think the investors on Wall Street needed to wait for George to actually _move into_ the White House before they start having ulcers about him – like a lot of Americans, they saved time and got a head start. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-screwing-up/58565/26 "2001-03-20T21:25:41Z")
A) The economy is a huge multivarible that no one does a great job of predicting. The President’s actions (and those of Greenspan) are only one variable. B) There is the theory that the wily GOP has planned a short couple quarter recession immediately after Bush took office that they can blame on Clinton. Get it over with quickly, and by the time the House starts running for re-election, the economy is rosy again. Don’t buy it myself - I don’t think they are stupid enough to think they can control it. C) The dot com bubble had to burst. You can only sell at a loss and make it up in volume for so long. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-screwing-up/58565/27 "2001-03-20T21:51:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Needs2know \* > \*\*Gee where would anyone come up with the idea that the conservative ideology lacks compassion or the desire for equal justice under the law? Haven’t they heard of “compassionate conservatisim” yet? This one is cracking me up. > > Needs2know \*\* Um, this is a thread about the economy tanking. Why would Republicans being bastards make the stock market tank? I would think it would inflate the stock market. Besides, I thought “all you liberals” were UPSET by the stock market making rich people richer…you should be HAPPY it’s tanking… ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-screwing-up/58565/28 "2001-03-20T22:06:21Z")
**Lemur** I believe **Needs2Know** posted the exact same reply in another thread where it fit better. I suspect that they accidentally posted it here. (aside to **Needs** - hope I’m correct and that you don’t mind me suggesting the reason) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bush-screwing-up/58565.md?page=1)