I give the Amurkan people a 19% approval rating.

[leftofthedial]

The bush cabal agenda that they so strongly disapprove of now is exactly the same shit the little turd has been doing ever since daddy's buddies appointed him prezdunt. 71% of the people who gave him 90% approval back in 2001-2002 were just too damned stupid and gullible to see it then.

[SteppingRazor]

1. While I was a proud member of the 19 percent, I can't blame people for supporting Bush...

in the direct aftermath of 9/11. It's understandable.

[leftofthedial]

3. beg to differ

it was negligence at best, probably much, much worse than negligence, then and now

[SteppingRazor]

6. Oh, now's a different story. That solid 25-percent support base are a bunch of freaks.

But as I said, I don't blame people for coalescing around the country's leader -- regardless of who that leader is -- after the country has been attacked. It's not something I did, and I wish people would exhibit a bit more critical thinking, but I totally understand it, and I don't blame people for acting the way they did. The fact that they've since repudiated their faith in Bush's leadership, as exhibited by his current approval ratings, speaks volumes. As Churchill said, "Americans can always be counted on to do the right thing ... after they have exhausted all other possibilities."

Quick wit though he was, in a sense, I think Churchill was right. America is at heart a good, decent nation filled with mostly good, decent people. I don't believe we're a bad country, I don't believe we're a bad people, and even if it takes them awhile -- even if it takes struggling for decades -- eventually, America has always been made a better place, and will continue to be so, even though there will always be those that must be dragged kicking and screaming into the future.

In other words, I give us a much higher approval rating than 19 percent. :patriot:

[MedleyMisty]

7. Not to me

I can't understand it. I remember it very well - I was arguing on the My Little Pony collector's board I was posting on at the time with the people who were all like, "Now is not the time to criticize the government." and trying my best to understand how anyone could respond with blind obedience, but I couldn't then and I still can't.

From what I've read in a couple of psychology articles, it has something to do with how it made them scared of death? I don't really want to stop being me either but that doesn't make me think that evil people are cool.

I don't get humans.

[Warpy]

2. That 71% was terrified and feeling vulnerable after 9/11

dropped into that little shit's lap. We said at the time his support was an inch deep and a mile wide and we were absolutely right.

If the Schiavo case and the Katrina disaster had happened in 2004, he'd never have had a chance at a second term, no matter how many Democrats were caged off voting lists and how crooked those machines were. It took this country a couple of real wakeup calls to get through the fear they had after 9/11. They got them and they woke up.

I can't fault people who woke up. I can only fault the ones who remain blinkered and pig ignorant at this late stage of the game. I am pleased to see their numbers continue to dwindle.

[leftofthedial]

4. I think they are collectively a soup of willfully ignorant little piggies

and the next bush is just right around the corner.

[Subdivisions]

5. You give the American people 19% more than I do. We are

all criminally complicit in the crimes and misdeeds of the Bush administration.

[SteppingRazor]

8. That, I strongly disagree with.

Some of us did everything we could within the law to prevent this war before it started, and have spoken out against this administration time and time again since its inception. I don't hold any blame or culpability for Bush's misdeeds. Bush does. The people that voted for him and voted for him again in 2004 do. The people that continue to support him today do. The people who believe that equal rights are fine until they've got theirs, and then everyone can piss off, do. The people who preach intolerance from the pulpit do. The people who believe that bankrupting our nation with a bloated military budget while people go to bed hungry in this nation do.

But me? I sleep fine at night.

[Subdivisions]

9. And you would be 100% correct were it not for this:

-snip-

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.

-snip-

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm">Source

The very essence of our stature as citizens of the United States of America is the duty that was bestowed upon us by the people who established our freedoms, and this country, to remove a dysfunctional government if it fails to represent US. Yet, here we are, typing rhetoric, hyperbole and, quite frankly, whining on the Internet rather than "to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government".

[SteppingRazor]

11. You say you want a revolution?

The Declaration's a great document, but the Constitution is the law of the land, and to quote Article Three, Section 3: "Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort."

Talk to me when Bush suspends the election in November and declares himself president for life. Until then, I'm not the one advocating overthrow of the government here. You are. So the question is not why haven't I tried to forcibly remove a dysfunctional government. The question is, why haven't you?

[Subdivisions]

14. I didn't say I want a revolution. To throw off a dysfunctional

government also includes the removal of dysfunctional leaders, in this case Bush and Cheney. That can be done by impeachment.

Edited for spelling and to add: Look, you're taking a negative tone and I didn't mean to start an argument. My point is there are other ways to exercise the "Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government".

[SteppingRazor]

15. The discussion here is what we -- you and I -- have been doing, and our culpability...

in this administration's deeds.

If I could impeach Bush and Cheney, I would have. Obviously, though, that's not within my power. I'm not Congress.

[Subdivisions]

16. You're being arguementative and it was not my intent to argue.

I was simply stating my personal observation that we, the People, aren't doing our duty which is to remove dysfunctional goverment when it does not serve us to our satifaction.

[SteppingRazor]

17. Forgive me if my tone sounds too argumentative, but it's frustrating when the goalposts get moved.

My point is that many average citizens of this country have done everything legally within their power against this administration, and in the case of those average citizens, I don't think they bear any culpability in this administration's misdeeds.

[Subdivisions]

19. My point is, if your community has expressed to your

representatives that you want these criminals impeached and they aren't doing anything then it is your responsibilty to do whatever you have to do to get that representatives recalled and put someone in there that manifests the will of the people.

And I haven't heard of a single recall anywhere in the country.

[ProfessorGAC]

10. I Thought The Exact Same Thing, S/R

I hold not culpability either. I didn't vote for him. I warned people he was an empty suit surrounded by thieves and charlatans. And, i did everything i could to get those who were fooled in 2000 to see the light in 2004, but many voted for him because they still were scared to death over a 1 in a 100 million chance of getting hurt by a terrorist.

The people who voted for him are culpable. Those of use who didn't are not.
The Professor

[Subdivisions]

18. But what of our responsibility to remove dysfunctional

government? What have WE (you, me) done to compell our representatives to represent us and remove Bush and Cheney?

Look, I thought you guys would "get it". I posted and never looked back and perhaps, now that I'm looking at it, my language was a bit strong. I was wrong. No big deal. Fact is, my remark was meant as an aside and I agree with the OP.

[bryant69]

12. How'd you settle at 19%?

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[leftofthedial]

13. king george's current approval rating

[EstimatedProphet]

20. What's bad is the people that still approve of him

they have to be living in a different reality. either that, or they really do approve of torture and murder. Delusional or scum, or maybe both - it doesn't speak highly of them...

[leftofthedial]

21. well, 2% of them are the stinking rich whom he has made

even more stinking rich

I think the other 17% must include an awful lot of mentally challenged people--ultra-fundies, legitimately stupid people . . .

remember half of all Americans are of below-average intelligence. The bottom 15% or so must be epically stupid.

[EstimatedProphet]

22. And bullies. Don't forget bullies.

I think that's been the biggest issue under Bush - he empowered people who get off on trouble, or starting fights, or pushing people around.

[leftofthedial]

24. big time.

that's the profile of many of the repuke bush lovers I know

[blues90]

23. americans are fools .

I happen to be one but I never bought into the mass fear after 9/11 . I felt it was a horrible thing but I did not feel it was somthing that would spread across the country .

The damn media along with it's mass crowd of couch sitting brain dead viewers are what raised the fear and stupidity .

They also brought the Iraq attack with their flag bearing rides .

They are also the ones who sit here today claiming they have now woken up . Could this be because many have finally been hit in the pocket one way or another by their glorious leader ?

I doubt it would take very much at all to swing the same bush supporters right back into the same state of fear and vote in another repub .

It is because of the insanity of the bush supporters that we are in this mess right now . They are to blame and now expect to shrug it off and say oh well we were scared .

I don't buy into this either , once a fool always a fool . People don't change in the way we are being pumped by the media tha they do , it's crap , complete and utter crap .

Now the media is once again leading the heards right into their next trap . Change !