Americans Remain Polarized Over Bush

[papau]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-poll19jan19.story
THE TIMES POLL
Americans Remain Polarized Over Bush
By Ronald Brownstein
Times Staff Writer

January 19, 2005

WASHINGTON — Americans remain deeply divided over President Bush's performance and priorities as he begins his second term, a new Los Angeles Times poll has found.

Bush arrives at his second inaugural Thursday buoyed by a public preference for smaller government, continued confidence in his efforts against terrorism and support for some of his top goals — such as simplifying the tax code, limiting medical malpractice claims and proceeding with Iraq's Jan. 30 election.

But the poll also found most Americans skeptical about his call to restructure Social Security, unhappy about his handling of the Iraq war and opposed to making his first-term tax cuts permanent if they would produce further federal budget deficits, as almost all projections show they would.

On the eve of their second inaugurations, Presidents Eisenhower, Reagan and Clinton received positive job performance marks of at least 59% in Gallup polls. <snip>

[papau]

1. Support for War in Iraq Hits New Low

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-iraqpoll19jan19.story
THE TIMES POLL
Support for War in Iraq Hits New Low
Most no longer back the administration's basis for invading, but a majority say U.S. troops should stay longer to assist with stabilization.
By Doyle McManus
Times Staff Writer

January 19, 2005

WASHINGTON — Support for the war in Iraq has continued to erode, but most Americans still are inclined to give the Bush administration some time to try to stabilize the country before it withdraws U.S. troops, the Los Angeles Times Poll has found.

The poll, conducted Saturday through Monday, found that the percentage of Americans who believed the situation in Iraq was "worth going to war over" had sunk to a new low of 39%. When the same question was asked in a similar poll in October, 44% said it had been worth going to war.

But when asked whether the United States should begin withdrawing troops after Iraq's election Jan. 30, 52% said the administration should wait to see what the new Iraqi government wanted. More than a third, 37%, said the United States should begin drawing down at least some of its troop strength.

Americans are almost evenly divided over how long U.S. forces should stay in Iraq, the poll found: 47% said they would like to see most of the troops out within a year, while 49% say they could support a longer deployment — including 37% who say the troops should remain "as long as it takes" to secure and stabilize the country.

The results suggest that while Americans have grown more pessimistic about the chances for success in Iraq, most are willing to give President Bush some time to try to turn the operation into a success.
<snip>

[lebkuchen]

21. and if Bush doesn't stabalize Iraq?

What are those Americans going to do, the ones who support him now? Cry? It's going to be a long four years, dipshits. Hope you don't have draft aged kids.

[w4rma]

2. Interesting: "shared by 45% of military families"

Fully 44% said they strongly disapproved of his handling of the war — a verdict shared by 45% of military families.

[cliss]

3. So why is he starting his 2nd term?

NONE of this makes any sense. I'm reading recently that many polls say that "Americans don't approve of Bush", "they don't approve of the war", etc etc.

....unless he cheated his way to victory,that is.

[pinerow]

4. People lie...that is it in a nutshell...some don't use the good sense

that god gave them...Why would any parent vote for a fellow who is sending their children off to fight a war of choice...especially when the war in question had nothing to do with 9/11, weapons of mass destruction and posed no threat to the U.S...this may sound cold, but you get what you pay for.

I have this to say to any parent whose child is becoming old enough to go to Iraq...there is no glory in death...the only thing death brings is more suffering to all.

[GOPFighter]

5. Or maybe Kerry wasn't a good campaingner...

...sorry, but that's my conclusion. He was good enough to win in most years, but Bush/Rove were meaner/sleazier.

[Pachamama]

12. Makes one wonder, eh?

:eyes:

As we all know - the statistics, all the poll results and ratings all indicate a man who has LESS support than ever and yet, we are all supposed to buy that when he is coronated that he in fact, won decisively and has a "mandate"?

Yeah, right....and I have a bridge in Brooklyn connecting you all the way to Asia to sell.....

Btw: Just got back from a trip to Canada...none of the people there believe that Bush "Won" re-election...Most believe the election was stolen or the alternative is that the American Cousins really are more stupid than they ever imagined....

[BR_Parkway]

27. um, maybe those same reThugs who didn't want to be exit polled also

didnt want to answer these questions. Now we really know that he got a ManDate, he's got "capital to spend", and anything else is just American hating, totally giving aid and comfort to those people who are different from us..um..not approved by Gawd..um..you know, the one's the talk about on FAUX and my radio, them terraists.

Nothing to see here, move along.

[Massachusetts]

6. Answer: 45% + Americans

Are illiterate, CORPORATE PIGS or MORONS.

[hyphenate]

24. ITA

WE know they stole it. They're the sleaziest of the sleaziest. I only wish we could have found a way to prove it. No matter. After this term, there isn't ANY doubt in my mind that the pukes will get another chance. Unless they declare martial law, I can't fathom a win in any shape or form in 2008. Of course, many of us will be either dead, arrested or homeless by the time 2008 comes. :\

[PROGRESSIVE1]

7. George Bush went into this election with a 44% approval rating....

with 51% disapproving. Any President under 50% come election day has ALWAYS lost. Why did Bush win this time? Fraud???

[The Donkey]

8. This poll isn't surprising . . . . .

I think there's nuggets of truth to what all of you are saying. If Kerry had run a more effective campaign and listened less to guys like Bob Shrum, any "fixing" would have had to be more prevalent to sway the results of the election. If the majority of the American public agrees with us on the issues, then our candidate should have been further ahead going into election day.

Having said that, I still think we won.

:hurts:

[bpilgrim]

9. D'uh! and he got way more ELECTRICAL VOTES, too! so, GET OVER IT!

right?

move along citizens... back to your lives, nutt'n to see here.

peace

[fooj]

11. Your tone is insulting and so is your attitude!

"Get over" yourself! There's plenty to see...some of us simply CHOOSE not to wear blinders!

[Solly Mack]

13. Uh, he was using sarcasm

bpilgrim (the name alone should have given it away), but bpilgrim has a nose for the sardonic and he was expressing that.

[bpilgrim]

14. D'oh!

forgot the </s> tag ;->

:hi:

peace

[fooj]

16. Insert foot...sorry about that! Having a crappy morning...

Apology accepted? PEACE!

[bpilgrim]

20. no worries

i can totally relate :toast:

peace

[fooj]

22. i'll try to maintain my sanity...

and refrain from irrational outbursts! it's all good...well, kinda.

[fooj]

15. Shit...I'm just having a crappy morning, I guess!

Apologies all around!

[Solly Mack]

17. Here's hoping your day gets better!!!!!!

:)

[fooj]

19. Thanks...

:hug:

[daleo]

26. Kurt Vonnegut character, I think?

Protaganist of Slaughterhouse Five, if I recall. Some people may not know that, or what it implies.

"Billy Pilgrim has become unstuck in time."

[KansDem]

25. "move along citizens... back to your lives, nutt'n to see here..."

Oh, and on your way home, drop your kids off at the induction center...there's still more oil in Iraq to be had!

[maxsolomon]

10. simply put: bush made america fear kerry

more than they thought he was an incompetent boob (he is, you know). this is why my parents voted for bush IN OHIO. utterly inconceivable that kerry could have done a WORSE job than president presenile dementia, but this is why bush won.

scary kerry. i still can't understand what they are afraid of, but fear is white america's middle name.

[Southsideirish]

18. I will always feel that the right candidate could have beaten him.

And that was Howard Dean - until the DNC, Kerry and all their pals in the media "monkey wrenched" his campaign and the Dem "sheeple" just followed blindly along believing that he was the "electable" one.

Oh God, I hope I never hear that word again!.

Kerry had zero charisma and you can't get elected without it.

[arikara]

28. I'm not saying that you're wrong

but I think that the problem with Kerry was that he didn't have a real message for anyone. People wanted someone to stop wars and fix things and he would only promise more of the same, albeit in a nicer way. He should have come out strongly against the invasion like he did over Vietnam, that's what people really wanted to hear.

It really is too bad that politician need charisma to get elected... most of the ones with all of the so-called charisma turn out to be the worst of morans, yet they keep winning over and over. Of course nowadays charisma isn't even necessary, only thing you need is control of the voting machines.

[genieroze]

23. Such as screwing the middle class? n/t