# So who thinks GW Bush is actually doing a good job? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 24, 2001, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687 "2001-07-24T22:58:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2001, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687/41 "2001-07-26T17:46:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bashere \* > **Forget about all those complicated economic reasons involving difficult ideas like easy lending leading to over investment, faulty business plans, the historic business cycle, the whole bit about corporate profits not being able to expand faster than gdp, historically low oil prices fueling a boom, historically high consumer debt loads, rapidly changing world economy, ongoing recession in one of our biggest trading partners, historically strong dollar, etc, etc. The answer is “Its dubya’s fault!”. Saves a lot of thinking.** This isn’t a Great Debates thread, remember? There’s no heavy thinking allowed here. 🙂 But if you wish to get GD-level serious for a moment, I do believe that the uncertainty of the election outcome in November and Dubya’s continual bad-mouthing of the economy back at the start of the year _did_ contribute to the problem we have today. (Let’s not forget how Republicans loved to blame every bad thing in 1992-2000 on Bill Clinton, too. Why _not_ extend the same courtesy to George W.?) > [@](#): > > **Bush’s answer to the [energy] shortage is to increase supply while holding down demand. Clearly, he’s an idiot. If only he’d implemented price controls, perhaps Californians would have conserved electricity.** That’s working from the ill-founded assumption that Californians _weren’t_ already conserving power to begin with, and that the sudden drop in supply occurred because everyone decided to turn on their air conditioning at once. Yeah, right. I’d love to see a full-blown federal investigation into what _really_ happened, and whether or not the energy companies were responsible for artificial shortages and market manipulation, but I won’t hold my breath waiting for this administration to actually do something… ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2001, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687/42 "2001-07-26T18:57:33Z")
> [@](#): > > As I’ve mentioned several times in assorted threads, read Vincent Bugliosi’s The Betrayal of America to have all this nonsense refuted. I remain in awe at this slim book, which uses simple, common English (backed with a truckload of citations) to show how the US Supreme Court grossly overstepped its authority in halting the recounts and running down the clock. Don’t forget ignoring precedent, some made by the same judges who stopped the recount. **My view** Label me rabid partisan or whatever. I do not and will not support this fraud. EVER!!! Screw giving him a chance. And yes I will be cashing my rebate check, seems my energy and gas bills are a little high, besides that what he suggested I do with my so called tax cut anyway. His energy policy is a disaster in the making. His support for Missile defence an exercise in lunancy, in addition to being outright payola for the defense contractors. Oh sure, lets scrap the ABM treaty, great idea. His tax cut, a blatant bribe to the American populace. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2001, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687/43 "2001-07-26T19:09:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rjung \* > > (Let’s not forget how Republicans loved to blame every bad thing in 1992-2000 on Bill Clinton, too. Why _not_ extend the same courtesy to George W.?) Because 49,000 wrongs will eventually make a right, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2001, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687/44 "2001-07-26T19:26:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > **Because 49,000 wrongs will eventually make a right, eh?]** Hell, that was nothing. I remember Reagan’s first term; somehow he managed to blame every bad thing that happened on Carter. (Musing) I think that was when this odious modern political habit started…of course, it now happens on both sides of the political spectrum. ---
**Author:** ![bashere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bashere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bashere)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2001, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687/45 "2001-07-26T19:30:46Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by rjung_ > This isn’t a Great Debates thread, remember? There’s no heavy thinking allowed here I know. I feel I should apologize to the OP (and the mods). But I never get quoted in threads, and just felt so honored… > [@](#): > > _originally posted by rjung_ > I do believe that the uncertainty of the election outcome in November and Dubya’s continual bad-mouthing of the economy back at the start of the year did contribute to the problem we have today. I’ll cheerfully concede that there is more than a grain of truth to this. Without getting into my wild-eyed conspiracy theories, I’ll just say that I think our disagreement comes to the difference between “contributed” and “caused”. > [@](#): > > That’s working from the ill-founded assumption that Californians weren’t already conserving power to begin with, and that the sudden drop in supply occurred because everyone decided to turn on their air conditioning at once. Yeah, right. Hm. This is a thread in and of itself. Actually, it is several threads; unfortunately, I think **Anthracite** has threatened to hunt down and disembowel anyone who starts another thread on the california energy crisis. I want to point out that, thanks to both a cool summer and conservation efforts, power usage is down considerably for the year. Could you please go back to being rabid and calling Bush names? This game is a lot more fun for me if I don’t have to think. ---
**Author:** ![buddy1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@buddy1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddy1)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2001, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687/46 "2001-07-26T19:44:44Z")
…in trying to repair the damage caused by his evil, corrupt predecessor. You know, the man who caused the Clinton Recession of 20001-2002, who gave the nuclear secrets to China, who allowed North Koreanto export missiles to Iran. We will only know the extent of the harm that Clinton did in the years to come! meanwhile…I’m KEEPING MY $600.00-it is small recompense for the thousands that Clinton STOLE from me! ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2001, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687/47 "2001-07-26T23:44:13Z")
“A pox on both your houses!” -Mercutio, R&J I’m of the firm opinion that if we elect a democrat to the Presidency (Gee, wonder why the nation was split? Both choices sucked.) both sides exhibited in this thread will simply switch sides. The Democrats will start defending their messiah, and the Republicans will start bashing the democratic antichrist. The rest of us will sigh and wait for this inane bullshit to end. ---
**Author:** ![Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c67d28/32.png) [@Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weird_AL_Einstein)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687/48 "2001-07-27T02:58:47Z")
I think he is doing a solid job, good but not great. I give him a B. Going into the reasons why would be a Great Debate, several of them actually, so I will refrain, although it seems here I am closing the barn door after the horses have escaped to a pot of a different color…or something. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687/49 "2001-07-27T03:19:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Saint Zero \* > **I’m of the firm opinion that if we elect a democrat to the Presidency (Gee, wonder why the nation was split? Both choices sucked.) both sides exhibited in this thread will simply switch sides.** Probably, but that’s because Gore’s decisions would not be the same as Bush’s. Unless you _seriously_ think Al Gore would’ve named John Ashcroft as Attorney General… :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687/50 "2001-07-27T03:40:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lionors \* > \*\*BTW, did anyone else notice the news squib that the guy who wrote “Fortunate Son” supposedly committed suicide? Interesting, no? \*\* Oh, no, NOT John Fogerty! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687/51 "2001-07-27T13:18:30Z")
On that note, I find it fascinating there are always people who slavishly follow the news, looking for Presidential suicides they can chalk up to some Dark Conspiracy or other. One of my friends keeps a Clinton death tally. Last time I checked it was up to something really absurdly high, like 30 or so. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2001, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687/52 "2001-07-27T15:52:59Z")
Integrity? Who said that? Bush has integrity?! Didn’t know you could have integrity if you were owned by corporations. Thats really offensive to me, considering I voted for someone who Does have integrity. ---
**Author:** ![MysterEcks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MysterEcks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysterEcks)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2001, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687/53 "2001-07-28T02:07:53Z")
Bush has managed to please me and piss me off in about the ratio I thought he would. I’ll give him somewhere between a C+ and a B- so far. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2001, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687/54 "2001-07-28T02:55:55Z")
I’d rate him on par with Clinton. Hasn’t really made life wonderful, but he hasn’t f-d anything up either. Oh, but he is slightly right leaning, so I guess I’ll give him a half-step up on Clinton. ---
**Author:** ![kylen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@kylen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kylen)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2001, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687/55 "2001-07-28T03:13:51Z")
Well, from a Canadian perspective, we have Bush nixing an international agreement on the environment, an international agreement on ICBM’s (and other related issues, depending on your sources), trying to force through an agreement to im/export fresh water to more arid states, cutting funding to the energy departments (while energy shortage are still a problem) while refusing to look at alternative sources of energy or preach conservation, strengthening the link between church and state and opening up much of the US’s parkland to various industrial exploration. The economic “downturn” hasn’t slowed, many social programs are underfunded and defense spending is up over 10%. I hope that the average US citizen is reaping the rewards of Bush’s “clearly stated agenda”, because the rest of the world isn’t. In short, Bush is doing very well in the short term but has absolutely no long term vision. Mind you, when you are only going to be at the helm for 4 years (tick, tick), what does the long term matter? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2001, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687/56 "2001-07-28T03:44:40Z")
I think he’s doing ok. That’s pretty much what I expected when I voted for him. I voted for him as much for the fact that he wasn’t Gore as for his platform, though. Only time will tell if he’ll go down in the books as an ok, good, or bad president. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2001, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687/57 "2001-07-28T04:16:39Z")
I do _not_ think he has done a good job. I think he has embarrassed the U.S. in the eyes of the world. And no, the tax rebate I will be receiving change my mind - my opinion is not that easily bought. I will be donating my rebate to the local public school’s music program. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-thinks-gw-bush-is-actually-doing-a-good-job/73687.md?page=2)