# Potential Bush Voters: Where's Your **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 4, 2000, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677 "2000-04-04T16:14:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2000, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/1 "2000-04-04T16:14:00Z")
Got this e-mail and it cracked me up: > [@](#): > > The State of Texas, under the leadership of Governor George W. Bush, is > ranked: > > [ul][li]50th in spending for teachers[/li][li]49th in spending on the environment[/li][li]48th in per-capita funding for public health[/li][li]47th in delivery of social services[/li][li]42nd in child support collections[/li][li]41st in per-capita spending on public education[/li][li]5th in percentage of population living in poverty[/li][li]1st in air and water pollution[/li][li]1st in percentage of poor working parents without insurance[/li][li]1st in percentage of children without health insurance[/li][li]1st in executions(avg.1 every 2 weeks for Bush’s 5 years)[/ul][/li] > Just think what he could do for the country if he were the president. I have no claims to the accuracy of the list, but it sounds fairly close to the truth. Me? Gore/Rendell 2000! Esprix, a happy Philadelphian * * * [Ask the Gay Guy!](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001376.html) ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2000, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/2 "2000-04-04T16:16:00Z")
Oops! The title should have been “Where’s your Brain?” or somesuch. I hit post too fast. Esprix * * * [Ask the Gay Guy!](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001376.html) ---
**Author:** ![Freedomx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4af34b/32.png) [@Freedomx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freedomx)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2000, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/3 "2000-04-04T16:24:00Z")
Every good slam deserves another… I got this today in my email: > [@](#): > > One of the nation’s largest soup manufacturers announced today that they will be stocking America’s shelves this week with their newest Soup creation, “Clinton Soup,” which will honor the nation’s president. It consists primarily of a small weenie > in a lot of… hot water. > Chrysler Corporation is adding a new car to its line to honor Bill Clinton. The Dodge Drafter will begin production in Canada this year. When Clinton was asked what he thought about foreign affairs, he replied: “I don’t know, I never had one.” > If you came across Bill Clinton struggling in a raging river and you had a choice between rescuing him or getting a Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph, what shutter speed would you use? > Chelsea asked her dad, “Do all fairy tales begin with once upon a time?” Bill Clinton replied, “No, some begin with ‘After I’m elected.’” > > Clinton’s mother used to pray fervently that Bill would grow up and be president. So far, half of her prayer has been answered. > > American Indians have nicknamed Bill Clinton as “Walking Eagle” because he is so full of crap he can’t fly. Clinton only lacks three things to become one of America’s finest leaders: integrity, vision, and wisdom. > Clinton is doing the work of three men: Larry, Curly, and Moe. > > Revised Clinton judicial oath: “I solemnly swear to tell the truth as I know it, the whole truth as I believe it to be, and nothing but what I think you need to know.” > > Politicians and diapers have one thing in common. They should both be changed regularly, and for the same reason. I have no claims to the accuracy of the list, but it sounds fairly close to the truth. Anybody but Gore. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2000, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/4 "2000-04-04T16:42:00Z")
Anyone notice how certain knee-jerk Republican drones love to throw out unverifiable or incorrect (and easily refuted) statistics and “facts,” but when confronted with the same tactics they resort to name calling of the schoolyard “the President’s a poopyhead” style? I just thought that was interesting. Carry on. -andros- ---
**Author:** ![RonaldBarnhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bc79bd/32.png) [@RonaldBarnhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RonaldBarnhardt)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2000, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/5 "2000-04-05T05:48:00Z")
But andros, our gay friends stats are irrefutable and correct. > [@](#): > > Every good slam deserves another… Will this be coming any time soon? (waiting for my Republican friends to remind me how fucked up Tennessee is) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2000, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/6 "2000-04-04T19:06:00Z")
That list was probably close to the truth back when Ann Richards was governor, too. And I voted for her. ---
**Author:** ![danielnsmith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c89c15/32.png) [@danielnsmith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danielnsmith)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2000, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/7 "2000-04-04T20:30:00Z")
ARGH! I read a web site a couple of months ago about Texas governor G.W. Bush. It pointed out his lies as a governor (a written and signed promise not to support new taxes, like father, like son!), his ‘enlistment’ into the Texas Air National Guard ahead of hundreds of others during Viet Nam, his supprising discharge after Viet Nam, and of course his famous “freedoms should be limited” quote. Does anyone know the name of the web site, I can’t remember it. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2000, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/8 "2000-04-04T20:44:00Z")
Exprix > [@](#): > > 50th in spending for teachers > 49th in spending on the environment > 48th in per-capita funding for public health > 47th in delivery of social services > 42nd in child support collections > 41st in per-capita spending on public education So the measure of a politician’s effectiveness is how much of your money he spends? That’s absurd. Pollution? How is this being measured? And you have to keep in mind, no matter how clean the environment is, someone is still going to be the most polluted. Insurance? Again, how is this measured? I suspect illegal aliens are included in these numbers. Obviously, Texas is a huge state and just happens to border on Mexico. If these measures reflect total individuals only, of course Texas has more uninsured people than, say, Vermont. Let’s talk about the executions. Bush has held the governorship for about five years. How many of these inmates were sentenced while Bush was the Gov.? I’d be willing to wager none of them were. I suspect every single one of these convicted criminals was tried and sentenced prior to the elections of Dubya. How can any blame for this be laid at his doorstep? ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2000, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/9 "2000-04-04T20:52:00Z")
Hey, **UncleBeer** , I am not personally responsible for the list - I didn’t make it up, and I’m not making any claims to its accuracy. I just got it in e-mail and wanted to see people’s reactions (after all, if they can put up a Gore-bashing thread, I’m allowed my fun, too). I’m still voting for Gore, whether the above is true or not. I just think Dubya is an idiot. Esprix * * * [Ask the Gay Guy!](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001376.html) ---
**Author:** ![danielnsmith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c89c15/32.png) [@danielnsmith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danielnsmith)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2000, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/10 "2000-04-04T20:55:00Z")
Here are the web sites I was trying to find: [George W Bush](http://www.gwbush.com) [George W Bush, Jr - The Dark Side](http://www.realchange.org) It seems to me that the republicans are turning a blind eye to what Clinton did to the presidency so they can repeat it. As far as I’m concerned, neither Bush nor Gore is fit to hold the office of President of the United States. ---
**Author:** ![RonaldBarnhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bc79bd/32.png) [@RonaldBarnhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RonaldBarnhardt)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2000, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/11 "2000-04-04T22:27:00Z")
> [@](#): > > So the measure of a politician’s effectiveness is how much of your money he spends? That’s absurd. Is it absurd to measure his effectivness on the standard of living in the state that he is the chief executive of? ---
**Author:** ![Rousseau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Rousseau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rousseau)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2000, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/12 "2000-04-05T00:01:00Z")
> [@](#): > > 1st in executions(avg.1 every 2 weeks for Bush’s 5 years) Alright. Alls I hear about these days from the leftists is how many convicted criminals have been juiced in Texas since W has been the governor. This is a ridiculous attack on the man, and anyone can see that. It’s not like he instituted the goddamned death penalty in that state or anything. I don’t know exactly how long capital punishment has been on the books in Texas, but I’ll bet it’s been there longer than W. And it’s not exactly like Texas never put anybody to death before he was elected. I believe they’ve lead the nation in this category for any number of years (Florida is up there too I think). Yes, he does have the power of executive pardon. But to exercise that power for political reasons (if he opposed the death penalty) would be grossly undemocratic. I really don’t see the point in trying to tie Texas’ death penalty record to W. * * * “History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it.” -Winston Churchill ---
**Author:** ![Freedomx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4af34b/32.png) [@Freedomx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freedomx)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2000, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/13 "2000-04-05T00:44:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Anyone notice how certain knee-jerk Republican drones love to throw out unverifiable or incorrect (and easily refuted) statistics and “facts,” but when confronted with the same tactics they resort to name calling of the schoolyard “the President’s a poopyhead” style? I must have lost my Republican Drone Card. Is the RDC a pre-requisite before you can be part of the VRWC? To be truthful, there is probably more unslanted truth in my post than in Espix’s. ---
**Author:** ![SingleDad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@SingleDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SingleDad)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2000, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/14 "2000-04-05T03:14:00Z")
IIRC it was mentioned the other day on NPR that in Texas the governorship is very weak. I think most of the credit/blame from that list falls on the legislature and the people, not so much on the governor. I’m voting for Gore, but I do want to be fair. ---
**Author:** ![SingleDad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@SingleDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SingleDad)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2000, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/15 "2000-04-05T03:15:00Z")
**Freedom:** I think you have more class and intelligence to claim that a collection of jokes is the “unslanted truth”… OTOH, I could be wrong. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Kepi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kepi/32/7251_2.png) [@Kepi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kepi)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2000, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/16 "2000-04-05T03:22:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Rousseau said: > Yes, he does have the power of executive pardon. Actually, that’s not true. The governor of Texas can only commute a death sentence if 10 of 18 members of the Board of Pardons and Parole recommends it. If the board denies clemency, the governor cannot grant it. With that said, here is a good example of why I am hesitant to vote for Bush for president. On March 28, the fifth largest city in Texas was hit by a tornado that killed 5 people, destroyed and/or damaged hundreds of homes, and caused $450 million in property losses. Bush, however, couldn’t be bothered to return to his home state to provide even symbolic support for the victims of this disaster. Instead, he chose to stay in New Jersey to attend a fund-raiser for his campaign. Granted, his presence in Fort Worth would not have changed the outcome of this tragedy. But his absence speaks volumes about his priorities, i.e., money takes precedence over the people. Compassionate? Hardly. ---
**Author:** ![Per](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9f8e36/32.png) [@Per](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Per)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2000, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/17 "2000-04-05T04:21:00Z")
I wouldn’t criticize Dubya for the number of inmates put to death in Texas during his term as govenor, but IMHO, any person that could sign a death warrant without taking a personal interest in the facts of the case should also be willing to take the responsibility when an innocent is executed. And it will happen eventually… ---
**Author:** ![CalifBoomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CalifBoomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalifBoomer)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2000, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/18 "2000-04-05T05:05:00Z")
Kepi: > [@](#): > > With that said, here is a good example of why I am hesitant to vote for Bush for president. On March 28, the fifth largest city in Texas was hit by a tornado that killed 5 people, destroyed and/or damaged hundreds of homes, and caused $450 million in property losses. Bush, however, couldn’t be bothered to return to his home state to provide even symbolic support for the victims of this disaster. Instead, he chose to stay in New Jersey to attend a fund-raiser for his campaign. Granted, his presence in Fort Worth would not have changed the outcome of this tragedy. But his absence speaks volumes about his priorities, i.e., money takes precedence over the people. > > Compassionate? Hardly. But to a ‘feelgood’ liberal such an appearance accompanied by an emotive “I feel your pain” statement would have made him a hero? ## You leftists make me bilious. Doppler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly. ---
**Author:** ![Kepi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kepi/32/7251_2.png) [@Kepi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kepi)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2000, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/19 "2000-04-05T05:31:00Z")
CalifDumbass - What in my post indicates that I’m a leftist? Because I said I was hesitant to vote for Bush? That makes me a leftist? Ultra-conservative asswipes like you want it both ways, don’t you? You want to go on _ad nauseum_ about the lack of morals and decency of Clinton-Gore, but you don’t like for the mirror to be turned back on your own. Bush showing up in Fort Worth wouldn’t have made him a hero by any means. But it would have been a decent and compassionate thing for him to acknowledge that something major happened here. You know, maybe take a few minutes off from all the gladhanding and check on the “family” to make sure everyone was going to be OK, then go back to his fund-raising. Our congressional representatives, Kay Granger ® and Martin Frost (D) had no problem taking the time to come from Washington to check on the damage themselves and to meet with the people most affected. But our own governor couldn’t be bothered. Like I said, it’s apparent that his priority is money and special interests, not people. I guess conservative fuckwads like you have different definition of what it means to be “compassionate”. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2000, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677/20 "2000-04-05T06:43:00Z")
Freedom, while I’m a pinko-commie-leftist-liberal-democrat-socialist I just wanted to say I enjoyed your Clinton jokes. I was surprised though that Republicans are still circulating draft dodging jokes; I thought they had been dropped from the repertoire. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potential-bush-voters-wheres-your/5677.md?page=2)