What difference does it make if Bush's approval ratings dropped to zero?

[patricia92243]

He is not running in another election, and all other branches of government are already Republican.


So, why should we care?

[ClassWarrior]

1. Can we say Nixon?

Poster boy for the Republicon party and the Radical Right Wing?

NGU.

[Inland]

2. We don't. Bush doesn't. Congress does. State houses do.

They run again in two years, and it is no longer the coventional wisdom that following Bush is a good idea for election. That means less Bush agenda passing.

[gizmo1979]

6. very good exactly right!

The higher his popularity the more crap we have to eat.

[deadparrot]

3. It really doesn't make much of a difference, no.

Of course, it's always helpful for the 2006 elections, but we're sure that those are fixed, too.

So basically, it's fun to watch him squirm.

[NMDemDist2]

4. it takes away his "mandate" and his "political capitol" is nil n/t

[tsuki]

16. Speaking to hand picked audiences with a fawning press, how

would he know he has no "mandate" or "political capitol?"

[FreedomAngel82]

21. Yep

Sometimes I wonder if he really knows that his audience is pre-screened and everything and how the press is. I'm sure at the White House they just have faux on the tv's and that's all he watches. That's whythey had to get rid of Dan Rather so they could control CBS so dear leader doesn't hear any bad news. He said he told his staff to never tell him any bad news. Laura, or someone on his staff, probably picks out bad things in the newspaper he gets so he doesn't read anything bad. I've had at least one republican tell me that he doesn't care about polls and he doesn't need or care to be popular. He also probably doesn't even know about the "election" stuff. Sometimes I wonder though. Of course for all I know he could have us all fooled.

[lyonn]

22. He doesn't care

and we don't matter.

[tsuki]

24. I don't know. The Neocons seem to be addicted to headlines.

They want to shine. They want everyone to know they are in power. They want everyone to agree with them.

I cannot imagine one of them pulling a Dean and talking only to the local press and grassroots.

[NAO]

5. Coat-tail effect / concrete-shoes effect in 2006 elections

When a president is very popular, that tends to help all the other candidates in his party in the "coat-tail effect".

Ronald Raygun pulled many lousy repug candidates into office along with him in 1980 all they all helped him unleash his devastating programs that resulted in a time known as "Mourning in America". (We have never recovered from these terrible programs to this day.)

If the chimperor is very unpopular, very despised, and generally regarded as incompetent and responsible for screwing up the country, that will hurt ALL the repug candidates in 2006.

That is why it is very important to continue to expose the chimp and the destruction he is inflicting on our country and the world.

[imenja]

8. it has a tremendous influence on his ability to get legislation passed

When a president is low in the polls, he can't get anything done. His own party won't put their necks out for issues like social security piratization because they fear losing their jobs. They can't count on running on an unpopular president's coat tails.

[patricia92243]

10. Good point! Thanks.

[lyonn]

23. Reagan's coattail got Oklahoma

Don Nickels. How many other states turned Repub. at that time? It was devastating and has been haunting us ever since.

[radfringe]

25. bush coat tails strangling congress

as to bush*'s own numbers -- low approval puts him in dangerous IMPEACHMENT territory if a new or one of the many old scandals grows legs.

To jump into the Way-back machine with Mr. Peabody -- when Nixon was re-elected he won 49 out of 50 states -- this was a mandate. But even with this landslide of a win - the country was divided over Viet Nam... watergate hadn't really evolved into an issue at that time and though the economy wasn't all that great - it was doing so-so.

Over the next few months public opinion swayed to an anti-war sentiment and watergate became a big headline. Nixon's approval was down to 35-37% by the time impeachment geared up.

bush*'s 2004 mandate was a mere 51%. On the "table" we have Iraq approval dropping, Bin-laden/terror threats hanging over our heads, gas prices shooting through the ceiling, the economy sucks (except for big 'biddness' interests) and general disapproval of bush's social security scam and his butting into the Shaivo case. bush*'s numbers are now polling between 43-48% approval -- wouldn't take much to push them over the edge...

I'm hearing alot of "voter remorse" in my neck of the woods from bush voters.

I'm not looking to the Dems to do much of anything -- at the moment they are gelded-jellyfish (no balls and no spine). yeah, we hear from a few that are willing to stand up, but it goes nowhere fast.

Many senators/representatives are looking at 2006-midterms -- bush*'s numbers may hurt many of them -- which means if they are interested in hanging on to their jobs they will have to do some fancy flip-flopping on their spin.


===============

Congress - Job Approval Ratings
Poll Date Approve // Disapprove // Spread

RCP Average 3/7 - 3/22 Approve 37.3% Disapprove 51.7% Spread -14.3%

CBS News 3/21 - 3/22 Approve 34% Disapprove 49% Spread -15%

CNN/USA Today/Gallup 3/7 - 3/10 Approve 37% Disapprove 53% Spread -16%

AP/Ipsos-Public Affairs 3/7 - 3/9 Approve 41% Disapprove 53% Spread -12%

averages: approve 37.3% disapprove 51.6%

===============

I find these numbers more "critical" than the bush* numbers as we head into the 2006 mid-terms - especially since Congress is GOP-controlled and pretty much viewed as a rubber-stamp for the reich-winger neo-cons...

Unless GOPers figure out a way to repeal presidential term limits between now and 2008 -- bush is out the door (however - bush*'s low numbers will hurt some of his more vocal kook-aid drinkers who are running for re-selection)

Anyone have link/numbers to similar polls during Poppy Bush's regime?

[Contrary1]

7. I must admit

There is a new level of satisfaction/smugness I reach every time The Witless One's approval
rating goes down a point or two.

Reinforces what I've known all along...I supported and voted for the right man, they didn't.

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Contrary1]

12. Yeah, yeah, yeah

Keep your head buried up his ass, that way you won't see the truth.

Don't forget...

to stop by the souvenir shop on your way out. :hi:

[patricia92243]

13. Normally, we are supposed to say "Welcome to DU." But I'm not too sure

in this case.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Contrary1]

15. We need to let this one stay posted for a while...

for comic relief.

[tsuki]

17. Sorry, I've had all the Fundies for weeks on the TeeVee and in the

press that I can stand. There are places for that one.

[patricia92243]

18. Wow! I've never actually witnessed the mods removing someone's name and

message. I wonder if he/she is kicked out of DU permanently.

[leftofthedial]

9. as his popularity drops, so does the support

for his initiatives by those who DO have to stand for reelection.

It's a referendum on his policies

[MO_Dem]

19. It bankrupts his politcal capital

er, is it capitol?

[cosmicdot]

20. it might make us less safe

if there is a correlation between his getting angry ...

(hates it when he's seen for what he is ... together with his immature, spoiled, bully-type nature ... not getting his way, etc.)

... with his viciousness, and tendency to seek retaliation and retribution to compensate


these folks are psychos


it's bad enough that their policies are driving us over the cliff ... but, to be psychopaths, too ... they terrorize their own people ...

[OneTwentyoNine]

26. Spill a bucket of paint in a room full of people....

That paint gets on more people that just you....

[BlueManDude]

27. It will help sink his destruction of SS plan.