NO MANDATE EXISTS

[wadestock]

A victory using relentless lying, distortion and systematic character assassination of the opponent is no victory. The Republican attack machine has fully defined itself as a corrupt, unscrupulous organization with specific intent to ensure victory regardless of the damage done to the people of the United States, or the political system it was founded on. Their acts are entirely irresponsible and must be brought to the full light of day. The republican party DESERVES NO MANDATE. They deserve to be exposed and dismantled.

A mandate would be possible if there were clear choices or issues which the voters voted on…some consensus of opinion in which an agenda could be put together and acted on. A simple, straightforward analysis of what is involved shows no such agenda can be formed:

a. Gay marriage – It was made into an issue that never existed in the first place. No constitutional amendment will be possible. This is gay bashing and anti-liberalism turned into phony political capital for the Republicans.

b. Guns – a non issue.

c. Abortion – Lots of talk to create an atmosphere of distrust, anger, and fuel anti-liberalism, but the reality is ….Roe v. Wade will not be overturned.

d. War in Iraq – a no win situation for which no practical mandate exists. In any event, each candidate vowed to maintain support for the troops.

e. Further tax breaks – The party did not champion how or why FURTHER tax breaks to the rich would be required or advantageous during the campaign. They simply called for making existing breaks “permanent”. Thus, the rationale for further tax breaks, especially during time of a financially draining war and record total debt was not made a central issue. Bottom line, there is no clear consensus of opinion which exists in the US regarding whether further tax breaks are prudent when all that results is further deepening of the debt. The party simply continues to talk the same old lie, the tax breaks to the rich result in more revenues. This is the great lie of the so called “Reagan Revolution”. NET DEFICITS HAVE ALWAYS resulted when the upper rate fell below 40%. Bottom line, no mandate exists in terms of further tax breaks.

f. Social Security – another cleverly contrived a/b choice to fool the public into thinking there is only one possibility for social security, ie, privatization. Bottom line, no mandate exists to reinvent social security.

g. Economy – The Republicans have no plan for improving the economy other than to support further tax breaks disproportionately aimed at the rich. This has historically resulted in some fueling of the economy, yet at the overwhelming expense of creating high debts. Quite simply, they have no economic plan which works.

h. War on Terror – Ironically, the most compelling issue on which a mandate could have been formed is a “no show” for the Republicans. The party proposed nothing relevant or realistic in terms of how to provide us more security at home. The notion of “it’s better to fight them over there than on our soil” is a meaningless sound bite that creates the convoluted notion that terrorists will find it very difficult to orchestrate another 911 because they are predisposed to fighting in Iraq instead!@#@?@!

i. Health Care – The Democrats issue. Obviously nothing positive will be done by the Republicans.

AMERICA – You were tricked again. Unfortunately, you still haven’t sufficiently figured out how or why.

[kentuck]

1. Very well said !

Thanks!

[elperromagico]

2. This president has the smallest margin of victory for an incumbent.. ever.

Since 1824, a sitting President has sought reelection 26
times. 17 won their bids for reelection, and nine lost.
Here’s how George W. Bush did compared to them, first based
on the margins of victory/loss, and then on the percentage of
the electoral vote. 

Popular Vote

Incumbents Who Won

Year		Incumbent		Margin
1924 		Calvin Coolidge		25.22%
1936		Franklin Roosevelt	24.25%	
1972		Richard Nixon		23.15%
1964		Lyndon Johnson		22.58%
1904		Theodore Roosevelt	18.83%
1984		Ronald Reagan		18.22%
1832		Andrew Jackson		16.81%
1956		Dwight Eisenhower	15.40%
1872		Ulysses Grant		11.80%
1864		Abraham Lincoln		10.06%
1940		Franklin Roosevelt	9.95%
1996		Bill Clinton		8.52%	
1944		Franklin Roosevelt	7.49%
1900		William McKinley	6.13%
1948		Harry Truman		4.48%
1916		Woodrow Wilson		3.12%
2004		George W. Bush		3.04% - DEAD LAST

Incumbents Who Lost

1888		Grover Cleveland (*)	0.80%
1976		Gerald Ford		-2.06%
1892		Benjamin Harrison	-3.01%
1992		George Bush		-5.56%
1840		Martin Van Buren	-6.07%
1980		Jimmy Carter		-9.74%
1828		John Q. Adams		-12.34%
1932		Herbert Hoover		-17.76%
1912		William Taft (+)	-18.67%

                       **********

Electoral Vote

Incumbents Who Won

Year            Name                    EV %
1936		Franklin Roosevelt	98.49%
1984		Ronald Reagan		97.58%
1972		Richard Nixon		96.65%
1864		Abraham Lincoln		90.60%
1964		Lyndon Johnson		90.33%
1956		Dwight Eisenhower	86.06%
1940		Franklin Roosevelt	84.56%
1944		Franklin Roosevelt	81.36%
1872		Ulysses Grant		78.14%
1832		Andrew Jackson		76.04%
1924		Calvin Coolidge		71.94%
1904		Theodore Roosevelt	70.59%
1996		Bill Clinton		70.45%
1900		William McKinley	65.32%
1948		Harry Truman		57.06%	
2004		George W. Bush		53.16% - SECOND TO LAST
1916		Woodrow Wilson		52.17%

Incumbents Who Lost

1976		Gerald Ford		44.61%
1888		Grover Cleveland (*)	41.90%
1892		Benjamin Harrison	32.66%
1828		John Q. Adams		31.80%
1992		George Bush		31.23%
1840		Martin Van Buren	20.41%
1932		Herbert Hoover		11.11%
1980		Jimmy Carter		9.11%
1912		William Taft (+)	1.51%	

(*) Won the popular vote, lost the electoral vote.
(+) The third party candidate, Theodore Roosevelt,
outperformed Taft in both the popular and electoral votes.

[Imalittleteapot]

3. Mandate = Wishful thinking.

I wonder what irresponsible issues they'll come up with in '08?

Your analysis is appreciated.

[aquart]

4. We weren't tricked. We voted for Kerry.

Stop believing CNN.

[rocktivity]

5. A three point margin of victory does not a mandate make

under any circumstances.

:headbang:
rocknation