October 07, 2003
Tide is Turning
Former pro-Bush journalist Robert Novak who has been noted for making the case that there is no stopping Bush’s reelection, is now asking how he can possibly win? Also, for the first time since the 2000 elections, both houses of Congress may be up for grabs. This is great news for the Green Party which has been making significant inroads at the state level in gaining ballot access through court rulings and grass roots activism. This is also great news for liberals, centrists, and Democrats. Continue reading for proof that you just can’t fool all of the people all of the time.
Robert Novak has read the writing on the wall and conceded that he can no longer spin the failed efforts of the Bush administration out of the quagmire it has placed itself in. Novak writes in a recent article entitled, George W. in Trouble:
"Replacing the old mantra that there is no way for Bush to lose, panicky Republicans studying the electoral map wonder whether there is any way that they can win. Dramatic deterioration in the outlook over the last two weeks is reflected in the experience by a Republican businessman in Milwaukee trying to sell $2,000 tickets for Bush's only appearance this year in Wisconsin Oct. 3. In contrast to money flowing easily into the Bush war chest everywhere until now, he encountered stiff resistance. Well-heeled conservative businessmen offered to write a check for $100 or $200, but not $2,000. They gave one reason: Iraq.…
Another domestic issue is continuing loss of industrial jobs, and that does not ease Republican anxiety. It causes hard analysis of electoral maps that poses difficult questions.... No wonder the arrogance quotient at the White House is diminishing. Reporters regularly on that beat say they have been getting their telephone calls returned the last two weeks."
The above is reported in an article in Mother Jones which goes on to state: “Boston Globe columnist Robert Kuttner noticed the same thing. Commenting on recent GOP Congressional votes, he seconded Novak’s analysis:
"Why this shift [in Republican congressional voting patterns]? Suddenly Bush's own reelection is seen as at risk, and Republican legislators are more worried about saving their own seats. They have walked the plank for Bush one time too many.
Until recently Republican control of Congress in the 2004 election was seen as a sure thing. Now, however, it looks as though both chambers are up for grabs, especially if Bush's own reelection is in jeopardy. Congressmen and senators are keen detectors of shifts in voter sentiment since their own survival depends on it. Bush's reversal of fortune is occurring on multiple fronts... Finally, the press has stopped giving Bush a free ride, and 9/11 no longer serves as a mantra to turn aside all challenges... Those days are simply gone. Nothing succeeds like success. And nothing fails like failure."
For more proof that Abraham Lincoln was right saying You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time, go to Mother Jones.
Posted by David R. Remer at October 7, 2003 04:08 AMGood article DR. What amazes me about this whole debacle (yes we can now safely call it a debacle) in Iraq, is the utter breakdown of leadership from the top. I remember well, when the critics decried Bush’s lack of intelligence “before” he was elected. We were told that as long as he had “good” people around him, things would be fine…NOT! We know now (if you are actually paying attention), that the President has to be able to think on his own, because at the end of the day, the decision to go to war was his and his alone!
Good mean cancel themselves out when they continually bicker about the right course of action to take, and as a result lead astray our “Mr. Magoo” President.
Let us hope that the American people now see Bush for the mediocre, average man he is, and revoke his invitation to the 2005 Presidential Inaugural Ball…
I hope that most of the greens who left the Democrats will look in their hearts and go back to support Howard Dean to get Bush out of the white house.
I know Nader said that there was no real difference between the two major parties but after three years of radical republican rule that can’t be seen as true.
I like the concept of third parties but if Nader did the responsible thing and bowed out in Florida those 4% of the vote would have stayed democrat and we would be talking about Al Gore’s Re-Election
Posted by: Jake of 8bitjoystick.com at October 7, 2003 01:38 PMJake: Not all Greens are former Democrats. I was a Republican before shifting to the GP about five years ago. An irrelevancy at the moment, but I just wanted to point that out.
I don’t have all that much to add at the moment, except to warn democrats that falling support for Bush will not neccessarily transfer into automatic victory for them. They will have to work to convince the public that they’re a better alternative than the incumbent. Currently, there’s too much “Bush is bad!” from the demos, and not enough “I’m better, and here’s why!” Dean’s (or Clark’s) in-party support means very little if they can’t convince the middle 20% that they’re a good alternative.
Posted by: Jason Lauborough at October 7, 2003 02:19 PMJake, you raise a very important point and hope. In response, I have to say, that it is a heck of a dilemma. I have to weigh acting on principal which dictates voting Green since the Party reflects my view that a two party system is insufficient to meet the needs of our country anymore. Or voting out of expedience to thwart one of the two major parties which I believe is harming the nation with the wrong philosophy, IMO.
Do I vote my principals or for the lesser harm? Having a 12 y.o. daughter dictates that I vote Democrat for her near future. Being true to my own beliefs and values and her long term future dictates I vote Green and for Kucinich, if he is up for the Presidency.
I still cannot honestly say how I would vote. A difficult decision if one had to be made today. However, the polls indicate there won’t be a viable Green Party Presidential candidate, so the whole debate may be moot for this Green Party voter. I suspect it will be very difficult in the absence of a Green Party candidate opposing Bush in November, to find a Green who would vote for Bush. But, I don’t know all Greens so I could be wrong.
Posted by: David R. Remer at October 7, 2003 03:02 PMYeah but say Dean, Clark or Kerry is going up against Bush in 04. Would you stay green and vote for Nader if he runs or will you Vote Democrat.
There is allways LaRouche and the Communists.
Posted by: Jake of 8bitjoystick.com at October 7, 2003 05:54 PM
