# Revisited 3.5 years later. Bush: Uniter or Divider **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 7, 2004, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revisited-3-5-years-later-bush-uniter-or-divider/254007 "2004-07-07T20:59:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revisited-3-5-years-later-bush-uniter-or-divider/254007/61 "2004-07-09T14:58:39Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I think most people would agree that progressive tax rates are a good thing but I don’t have any poll data to support it. I think this is correct. Not that you don’t have poll data, but that most people probably support a progressive tax rate. > [@](#): > > To say Bush created the two Americas might be a bit harsh, it’s more like he widened the chasm. To reduce government’s income so drastically and produce record deficits is folly enough, but to give the lion’s share of these tax reductions to those that need them the least is just plain nuts. From the same cite as before, While I started in on this thread responding to a post about Kerry/Edwards, I should state for the record that I don’t believe Bush has been effective in uniting the country. I can’t remember the exact date, but a few months ago the NYT Sunday Magazine did an interesting article about how our “divided country” is really not so divided after all. IIRC, the conclusion was that the division we see on 24-hr cable news is more an artifact of the conditions inside the beltway in DC than what one sees in the rest of America. ---
**Author:** ![spectrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@spectrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spectrum)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revisited-3-5-years-later-bush-uniter-or-divider/254007/62 "2004-07-09T17:51:14Z")
> [@Brutus](#): > > If Bush kept you folks happy, then the other half of the country would be pissed. It’s not like you are gonna make everyone all happy and united when it comes to gay marriage, taxes, gun control, foreign policy, etc. Legalize gay marriage? Piss off a lot of folks. Raise taxes? Piss off a lot of folks. Et cetera and so forth. I voted for Bush in 2000. Had he not invaded Iraq and not signed onto the gay bashing amendment, I’d likely hold my nose and vote for him in 2004. I’m not saying he had to support gay marriage, just not support the Constitutional amendment. He wasn’t a decent enough human to even do that. I never wanted to become a Democrat. Bush made me one. I didn’t leave the GOP. I was driven out. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revisited-3-5-years-later-bush-uniter-or-divider/254007/63 "2004-07-09T20:53:27Z")
> [@spectrum](#): > > I never wanted to become a Democrat. Bush made me one. I didn’t leave the GOP. I was driven out. This is why I think Bush will lose in November. I have heard this sentiment many times, but I have yet to hear anyone who voted for Gore in 2000 now say, “I will vote for Bush in 2004”. Bush can’t afford to lose _any_ votes, yet that is what his policies are doing; driving voters away. Combined this with a larger than expected Democratic turnout, and we will have more than enough votes to overcome whatever election fraud the Republicans have planned this time. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revisited-3-5-years-later-bush-uniter-or-divider/254007/64 "2004-07-09T22:35:05Z")
Does Birkenstock make dancing shoes? ---
**Author:** ![GLWasteful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f05b48/32.png) [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revisited-3-5-years-later-bush-uniter-or-divider/254007/65 "2004-07-09T22:50:56Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Does Birkenstock make dancing shoes? Ayup. So long as you don’t wanna go _en pointe_, that is. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revisited-3-5-years-later-bush-uniter-or-divider/254007.md?page=3)