# What can we expect of Bush's second term? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 3, 2004, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807 "2004-11-03T18:21:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/1 "2004-11-03T18:21:26Z")
Looking back, Bush ran mostly on his record, and his campaign rhetoric was kind of light on talk of any new policy initiatives. What can we expect? Four years of more-of-the-same? Or will he change course in any important way? Or unveil some new plans he didn’t dare try out until his second term? Will there be changes in the Cabinet? Will Cheney resign for health reasons? Will there be any more wars? Iran? Syria? North Korea? Cuba? ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/2 "2004-11-03T18:34:37Z")
Bush didn’t run on his record. He ran on 9/11 (if you can call that a record), attack ads, and scare tactics. My expectations of the next four years could probably be described as “more of the same” where Bush does whatever he wants regardless of the consequences. Now he doesn’t even need to worry about re-election. It will also give him more time to be deified by conservatives. Tort reform, and a tax code change. I guess that will be kind of good, changing to a flat tax, or national sales tax; I’ve always wondered what it would be like to live in a aristocratic society. He will be able to further his assault on science, as well as striking a blow in the culture war against reproductive rights and civil liberties. With Rehnquist’s cancer, he is guaranteed to get one SC justice, and could wind up naming as many as three. I had the same fears four years ago, and then it looked like the country might dodge that bullet, but now it is almost certain that he will get at least a pair of judges through. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/3 "2004-11-03T18:40:38Z")
Some of you Dopers may know that, while I believe in God, I do not & cannot accept any organized religion. At this moment, however, I truly do fear that God is going to punish us, as a nation, for embracing Bush’s terrible crimes. I have a sick feeling of fear, deep in my heart. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/4 "2004-11-03T18:50:54Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > I have a sick feeling of fear, deep in my heart. ☹ Just saw _Dawn of the Dead_ too, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/5 "2004-11-03T18:54:29Z")
I read somewhere that in 2000 bush ran as a centrist and then operated as a radical, and that this time round he ran as a radical and is going to operate as a centrist. I am not sure why this would be the case. Can someone explain? Personally I hate the tactic of making people think they are in danger from Terrorism when in fact the vast majority are totally safe. People talk as if they and their family are in immediate danger of horrible nuclear death. From outside America this attitude is amazing to see! WAKE UP PEOPLE! ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/6 "2004-11-03T18:59:04Z")
P.S. I have fear. Not from your God, not from terrorism. I fear the religious fundamentalists that just won another term in the office of the only remaining Superpower. ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/7 "2004-11-03T19:10:39Z")
Well it all depends on a even more Republican controlled Congress. - Are they gonna play along once more ? - Will they have balls and challenge Bush’s spendthrift manners ? - Will Bush see this election as a blank check ? (I think so) ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/8 "2004-11-03T19:20:34Z")
> [@Brutus](#): > > Just saw _Dawn of the Dead_ too, eh? On the DVD there’s a special feature where you can watch the news segments of the reporters covering the growing zombie epideminc. Gradually, by the hour, the country gets covered more in more of zones of red to symbolize the infested areas. I got the same feeling of dread from watching the election returns last night and the sea of Red Republican States keep growing. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/9 "2004-11-03T19:24:02Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > On the DVD there’s a special feature where you can watch the news segments of the reporters covering the growing zombie epideminc. Gradually, by the hour, the country gets covered more in more of zones of red to symbolize the infested areas. I got the same feeling of dread from watching the election returns last night and the sea of Red Republican States keep growing. Hahahaa! Me and some buddies were just joking about that! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/10 "2004-11-03T19:31:59Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > Gradually, by the hour, the country gets covered more in more of zones of red to symbolize the infested areas. I got the same feeling of dread from watching the election returns last night and the sea of Red Republican States keep growing. I remember that… I thought the same thing… still the non-fictional Dawn of the Brain Dead is much more scary. ---
**Author:** ![Keweenaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Keweenaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keweenaw)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/11 "2004-11-03T19:32:36Z")
“With a bigger majority, we can do even more exciting things,” said House Majority leader Tom DeLay, R Texas. 11/3/04 I had really hoped that Kerry would win, but the Republicans would retain slim control the house and Senate. This would recreate a similar situation to 2002 with the Clinton leadership combined with actual fiscal responsibility the Republicans are supposed to be known for. With carte blance party control, the Bush administration is likely not to be restrained and be held fiscally responsible for the current deficits. ---
**Author:** ![Mirasawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mirasawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirasawa)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/12 "2004-11-03T19:42:12Z")
I can only guess that he will be free to do things which make sense, regardless of whether it will be called conservative or liberal. I’m basing that on Clinton, who along with the Republican Congress did the Paygo, and engaged the Kosovo war in his second term. In his first term he tried socialized medicine and gays in the military… we know how well that went. ☹ \_ ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/13 "2004-11-03T19:42:50Z")
What can we expect? More of the same, only worse. On the plus side, when things get worse, hopefully George W. Bush will _finally_ be held accountable for his own screwups, instead of fostering the blame on someone else. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/14 "2004-11-03T19:53:41Z")
First term - Please the people. Second term - please yourself. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/15 "2004-11-03T20:02:41Z")
Probably too soon for a reasoned discussion, but what the hell: > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Will there be changes in the Cabinet? Of course. Powell is gone; so is Rumsfeld. I expect Guliani to take over Defense. Rice will stay, as will Cheney (unless there really are health issues); he counts on them too much, and they seem to have no ambitions of their own. > [@](#): > > Will there be any more wars? Iran? Syria? North Korea? Cuba? No. Bush was the peace candidate. Despite what some Dems think, we didn’t elect a king yesterday, and the democratic party is not finished, nor is the UN. Even if Bush wanted to go into, say, Iran, he’d have a near-impossible time selling the idea. OTOH, if Kerry had gotten the same idea, politically, no-one could have stopped him. –Expect Bush to vigorously pursue the guest worker program. Expect it to get done. – Expect him to address Social Security, but get nothing significant done. – Expect relations with Europe to improve slightly, but only slightly. – Expect to be a big showy attempt at some bipartisan thing in 2005; expect it to fail. – Finally, expect an offensive in Iraq, starting within a week. ---
**Author:** ![TonyF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@TonyF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonyF)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/16 "2004-11-03T20:40:09Z")
I expect some good skits from SNL and the Daily Show, and maybe some more Bush-isms, thrown in for further entertainment. Oh - you mean politically and such? Expect Iraq to run off to wherever Afghanistan went. Expect ObL’s death, incidentally. (I think that’s the least we can expect of our septembertheeleventhPresident.) Expect, domestically, more of the same - an increasing conservatism in the social and tax areas, but not in spending. Expect a slightly better economy, but expect to tuck away your degree and retrain. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/17 "2004-11-03T20:52:10Z")
Here’s a WAG prediction I can think of. Cheney resigns due to health reasons. A new VP is picked to complete the term. This gives someone new exposure and experience to run for pres in '08. Possible candidate: Mitt Romney, the Governor of MA. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/18 "2004-11-03T20:54:16Z")
War with Iran. But avoiding that might have been beyond either Bush or Kerry’s powers. I predict that Israel will tire of waiting and bomb Bushehr and related facilities, and Iran will retaliate against both Israel and US forces in Iraq and elsewhere in the Gulf, sucking us in. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/19 "2004-11-03T21:02:40Z")
War with Iran inside of six months. ---
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807/20 "2004-11-03T21:19:47Z")
> [@furt](#): > > I expect Guliani to take over Defense. Well, I suppose it would be hard for him to be _worse_ than Rumsfeld. > [@](#): > > No. Bush was the peace candidate. > > Despite what some Dems think, we didn’t elect a king yesterday, and the democratic party is not finished, nor is the UN. Even if Bush wanted to go into, say, Iran, he’d have a near-impossible time selling the idea. > > OTOH, if Kerry had gotten the same idea, politically, no-one could have stopped him. If I had been drinking something, here is where I would have done a spit-take. “Politically, no-one could have stopped” Kerry? You mean, besides a Republican-controlled Congress and the simple logistical fact that the U.S. military is already stretched to damn near its limit? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-we-expect-of-bushs-second-term/272807.md?page=2)