Where did all of Bush's political capital go?

[emad]

April 30, 2005

BY TERENCE HUNT

WASHINGTON -- One hundred days into his second term, President Bush has lost much of the political muscle he boasted about after winning re-election. Gas prices are rising, his approval ratings are sagging and Americans are unhappy with his handling of the economy and Iraq.

Now he's trying to sell a Social Security plan that would cut future benefits for all but low- income retirees -- giving opponents fresh ammunition. Even before Bush unveiled his new proposal -- and despite a 60-day sales campaign -- most Americans thought he had mishandled Social Security, too.

Along with other troubles, Bush has had to prop up two endangered Republicans: House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, accused of ethical lapses, and John Bolton, the president's choice for U.N. ambassador, criticized for his judgment and treatment of subordinates.

It wasn't supposed to be this hard. Not for a re-elected Republican president with a GOP-ruled House and Senate.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/elect/cst-nws-rocky30.html

[kentuck]

1. This is no act of courage by Bush..

As Eleanor Clift noted, it is an act of cowardice. He doesn't have to run again. The only people that are gambling are incumbent Republicans. They are putting their careers on the line for a guy that will not have to run again. They are stupid.

[Wright Patman]

2. You trust the elections more than I

I don't think any incumbent Republicans risk anything anywhere anymore. The voting machines are rigged and owned by companies sympathetic to them.

[kentuck]

3. If I believed that to the extent that it didn't matter what we did...

I would not be posting on DU.

[sendero]

5. As I've said many times here..

... that will only work to a point. They can steal 2-3% of the vote, they CANNOT steal 15%. Exit polls are not perfect but the first time we have a 10% mismatch it will not be possible to ignore it.

Of course, I totally believe that a paper trail verifiable vote is essential, it's just that we're not going to get one with a Rep controlled congress, so we'll have to wait. Hopefully when we get congress back, this will be a priority issue.

[asjr]

6. There you have it! Unless something is done

about the rigged machines we will forever have a Republican majority.

[gademocrat7]

4. As Forrest Gump would say

"Stupid is as stupid does."

[SharonAnn]

19. He's always spending what he doesn't have.

In his business life he spent other people's money then the businesses went bankrupt.

As governor and president he spends taxpayer money plue their Social Security investment plus acquire debt.

To do this "social Security" destruction he tries to spend political capital that he didn't have.

[radfringe]

7. he blew it

just like he's blown the surplus

[emad]

8. Right here from day 1:

[MockSwede]

18. Ditto

Same place the condom that GHWB was wearing while * was conceived went after humping Mrs. B.

[emad]

9. Bush fights back: FT

Bush fights back
Published: April 30 2005 03:00 | Last updated: April 30 2005 03:00

George Bush's televised press conference - the first of his second term and only the fourth of his presidency - marks an attempt to regain the initiative after a worrying loss of momentum. The first hundred days of his term started brightly enough, with elections in Iraq, a rapprochement with Europe and the passing of class-action and bankruptcy legislation. But since then, the president and his agenda have lost traction.

High gasoline prices, continued violence in Iraq, partisan battles in Congress and the tepid response to Mr Bush's nationwide tour to promote social security reform, have taken their toll. One recent poll showed that Mr Bush was the most unpopular president at this stage of his second term since Richard Nixon in 1973.

Weak polls sap the president's authority. But it is too soon to count Mr Bush out. Determined to the point of stubbornness, he is no quitter. His latest Social Security reform proposal is a sign he still believes bold action can turn the tables in his favour.

Mr Bush is only in this position because he set himself so ambitious an agenda for the second term: reform of Social Security, the nation's most cherished social programme, a new national energy policy, tort reform and fundamental tax reform, not to mention trade agreements, education reform and much more.
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/d7d6260e-b915-11d9-bfeb-00000e2511c8.html

[Jacobin]

10. People figured out what he was REALLY trying to accomplish

All those fuzzy nice sounding words he spewed pre-election....now we all know he wants to destroy social security, end abortion, put the government at everyone's death bed, continue wars unabated with no end in site, let gasoline prices go through the roof.....and all those 'terra terra terra' scares...the security moms are figuring it out that it was a ploy to scare them into voting for him.

[reality based]

11. The same place that the emperor's new clothes went

He never really had much political capital, in the traditional sense. The Cristo-Fascists alone cannot carry the day for him. His political strength is based primarily on whatever legitimacy and power the monolithic corporate media give him. What did Bill Clinton say? The media run the country, they just haven't decided what they want to do with it yet. They did decide that the ex-governor of Texas would be compatible with their interests four years ago. They are beginning to have some doubts about where the Republican extremists are taking the country, however. The Schiavo case drove a wedge into the MSM group-think that is allowing the doubt to expand. That he is a corrupt, inept, sanctimonious, misanthropic fraud has yet to penetrate the collective national consciousness, however. A more effective (and courageous) opposition party could help overcome the MSM's own corruption. We can only hope that the growing popular disaffection will not be sufficiently diluted by electoral hijinks in 2006.

[patricia92243]

12. Buyers' remorse n/t

[valis]

13. He needs a new 9/11, obviously....

[leftofthedial]

14. he had no political capital

he had what he liked to call political capital

the media believes their own distortions

[Stinky The Clown]

16. That's the *real* answer .......

He lied, cheated, and stole his way to a very close election - even if it were honest. Add in the cheating and, in fact, he never had a fucking dollop of capital.

[Hubert Flottz]

15. The same place the WMD went!

Somewhere under Iraq?

[ClassWarrior]

17. He spent it - and in his family, things you spend...

...aren't supposed to run out.

NGU.