Worthy Woes for President Bush, State of the Union

© copyright 2007 Betsy L. Angert

Please view the Bush – State of the Union 2006 – “The Enemies of Freedom” video. Assess for yourself.  According to a recently released Associated Press – America Online poll, Americans have.

An Associated Press – America Online poll reveals, sixty-six percent of Americans think the country is on the wrong track.  It is now infinitely clear Democrats and Independents are not alone.  Some Republicans object to the war in Iraq.  The findings of this newer study conclude wranglings within this country disturb those on the right, perhaps as much as they have those on the left and in the middle.  Health care, the economy, Iraq, and terrorism are the issues that cause Americans great concern. The situation in this country is grim.  As President Bush prepares to speak to the nation he, or the pollsters, realize  he has little support.

However, George W. Bush still has one thing in his favor.  Many of his fellow citizens think he, as a man is likable.

At the same time, Americans see the president as likable, decisive and strong — but also stubborn.

It appears that the personality that secured the vote for boy George in 2000 and 2004 is still strong.  Many think the man born with a silver spoon in his mouth would be a great guy.  Throughout his campaigns many proclaimed, ‘I like to have a beer with Bush.’  It seemed numerous individuals saw this strapping stud as one of the boys.

Perchance, being pleasant, amiable, and congenial is or was enough to get this President elected.  It seems sociability is often appealing to American voters.  After all, over the years many proclaimed they would like to have a beer with Bush.  Pundits often marveled at this message.  Would we, as a people vote for a man to serve as our President simply because we think he would be good company.  We want to sip a brew and chat with this chap.

Being a person that does not imbibe alcohol and never has, I always wondered about a man the could hold his liquor.  This President did it well until the age of forty.  Yet, he stopped drinking, cold turkey, and turned his life over to the Lord.  Possibly, these actions are admirable.  They might be endearing and engender great praise.  The public may appreciate a man that overcomes his demons and turns to G-d.

Still, the people do not necessarily trust this kinder and gentler, compassionately conservative leader.  They say he is a nice man, just a little bolshie [obstinate].

And only a minority think he is honest — 44 percent, down from 53 percent two years ago

As he sends young boys and girls to their death, people, some, a few think this chap is fine.  Actually, many approve of the newer Bush strategy to surge.

Support for sending more troops to Iraq grew slightly after Bush’s speech, although the idea is still unpopular.

Almost one-third of the public — 31 percent — favor the plan, an improvement from 26 percent in a survey done almost entirely before he spoke to the country January 10. Thirty-five percent now believe additional troops will help stabilize the situation in Iraq, also up from 25 percent.

Bush’s overall approval rating inched upward to 36 percent, from 32 percent early in the month.  Despite that low score, 53 percent of Americans say he is likable; 58 percent, decisive; and 58 percent, strong.

Perhaps the fact that he has struggled with what life has offered him, [wealth, the means to travel, an education at Andover, Yale, and Harvard,] somehow people feel they can relate to George W.  Many of us, no matter what our circumstances, us are challenged to accept our selves.  Affluence does not exclude a person from feeling personal pain.  I understand that.  I have had my own experiences, though my coming and goings differ from Mister Bush’s exploits.

There are those that party hearty to escape.  George admits to being one of these.  He became, as numerous Americans have addicted, or at least indulgent when in the presence of alcoholic substances.  Thankfully, President Bush found G-d.  Several Americans relate to this path.  Perchance this endears the Commander-In-Chief to the citizens of this nation.  Karl Rove realized that the Religious Right might be George Junior’s saving grace.  Those that shared his devotion too the Lord might cast their ballots for him.  They did so, in droves.

Possibly, a slight majority of our citizens saw the President’s conviction to Christ as a reason to support the man.  Maybe they elected George W. Bush for they admired his inner strength.  He stopped drinking without looking back.  Might people have thought these actions were worthy, so much so they decided   to make this man President of the United States?  Sadly, I think many did.

Somehow, I do not think a profound belief in the Lord or a change in habits qualifies a person for the Presidency.  Many believe or achieve as Mister Bush did.  Most do not have the power to put hundreds of thousands of individuals in harms way.  Few can mandate policies that threaten the health and welfare of a nation or the world.  

Consider tax cuts for the wealthy and what these did to devastate the economy.  Ponder bills that favor big business, hurt the consumer, and advance health care woes.  Look at laws that ignore the delicate balance of nature.  Then, contemplate the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Think of our troops and how their lives are permanently affected.  Remember those that live no more, civilians and soldiers, Americans, and innocents in lands abroad.

Americans may not have been thinking beyond the moment when they sent the reformed George W. Bush to the oval office.  No one could have expected the trials and tribulations that occurred.  Americans could not imagine a country mired in a protracted war.  Nor could they fathom how George W. Bush might react.

In the eyes of 83 percent of Americans, he [President Bush] also is stubborn.

“Mainly it’s his ‘stay the course’ attitude,” said Bill Basher, 21, a Republican from Angola, New York.

Even Republicans are now requesting a change in course.

That’s a stark reversal from mid-January 2002, when 68 percent said the country was on the right track and 29 percent said it was not. Then, the nation was still coming to grips with the terrorist strikes four months earlier on New York and Washington that killed nearly 3,000 people. And, U.S. troops Bush sent to Afghanistan had toppled the Taliban government that harbored the terrorists believed responsible.

After the U.S. led an invasion of Iraq in March 2003, public support for the mission there began to slide as the war continued, the U.S. death toll climbed and the violence raged on.

John Raab, 77, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, a conservative Republican, said the United States can change course “if people rally around the president and he can get this fiasco in Iraq under control.”

Others think we need more than further support for a stumbling President.

Kerry Moore-O’Leary, a 31-year-old Democrat from Boston, said it will take new leadership.

“I really think the only time we are going to see some real changes is when we elect a new president,” she said. “Even people who are moderate Republicans are going to say that we need someone who’s a breath of fresh air.”

The new Democratic Congress is making promises, pledging a change.  The first one hundred hours, in the House seem impressive to some.  Others thought the progress lukewarm.  Those responding to the Associate Press – American Online are disillusioned in general.

Lawmakers in both political parties have promised more bipartisanship and comity since the November elections, when voters took away the reins of Congress from Bush’s Republican Party.

But the public appears largely skeptical of those pledges.

Nearly two-thirds, 60 percent, have no confidence that the political institutions at either end of Pennsylvania Avenue can work together to solve the nation’s problems.  Overall, the public has grown less confident since the days after the election when nearly half, 47 percent, expressed confidence that Bush and Congress could work together.

Four in 10, or 42 percent, think the country will now be better off with Democrats controlling Congress, while 18 percent think it will be worse off.  Thirty-nine percent think it won’t make much difference.

Several have misgivings.  They are not so easily elated.  Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich had higher hopes.  Secretary Reich acknowledges aloud what many Americans truly believe.  There is little hope that true change is coming.  Professor Reich shares the reasons.

the Dems who took control of Congress know they (1) don’t have the votes to override a presidential veto, (2) still have lots of “blue-dog” conservative Democrats among them who don’t want change, (3) can’t do anything very dramatic without stirring up the business community – which has more lobbyists and more clout than ever before, and (4) want to show business they’re “responsible” in order to get corporate campaign contributions for 2008 and remain in power, and possibly even elect a Democrat president.

Ah, such is life in America.  The State of the Union is split.  On the eve of the annual speech, George W. Bush has a lower approval rating than any other President since Richard Milhous Nixon, post Watergate, in 1974.  This matters not for the White House maintains that it does not pay attention to polls.  Thus, we await the speech.  Our countrymen and women want to know; what is the Sate of the Union according to Bush, and are we expected to believe a man that ultimately we do not approve of?  Stay tuned America.

You may wish to ponder the poll or pour over the reporting . . .