that is an impressively stupid statement. policy is good or bad independent of whether a politician can convince a party to get onboard.
While I agree that many people are clueless about the issues, opinion polls play a major role in policymaking in this country. Just look back to last year with the social security issue. The dems did a great job of getting public opinion on their side, so the republicans didn't even bother to push this issue through Congress. Same goes for wars ... see Vietnam.
That's an extremely naive statement for someone of your intelligence. Politicians live and die by public support. Very few go against that support.
like i just said, what is supported and popular is rarely good for anyone. by and large, nobody has any clue what is good for them. are you saying that is a good thing? right, so the people we should blame are the losers who want the government to provide every service in the world for them. need insurance for getting old? big government! live in an obviously flawed city below sea level without proper precautions, waiting for the inevitable disaster? call the government. any problem of any kind? government provides. it is easy for the democrats to get people on their side when it comes to entitlements and pretending to care about needy people. that is basically their whole political strategy. convincing people you are right doesnt mean you are right. i value merit, not opinion.
Of course not, but it is the reality of today's politicians and it's not going to change anytime soon. Why do you think every President and politcian has pollsters on their staff? When was the last time you seen a republican President spending money like a democrat and pushing a huge social program like prescription drugs? Why is that? Because he can get those programs through Congress with the support of the american people. It sucks, but true... Agree, but we aren't politicians...
Don't try to tell me what I know. Tell what you think. If you want to debate an issue, you have to present some examples and explain yourself, not just accuse someone of fraud. Bush hasn't said so and we're talking about Bush here. He just said last night that we we going to keep on going in Iraq until we win the war. If we've already won, why are we still there? Scooter Libby. Not yet, the matter is still being investigated by Congress. Trying to divert the issue, eh? Clinton and Carter have nothing to do with this. I challenge you to show that Clinton and Carter engaged in domestic spying. What members? Bush went around Congress on this one. Did you even read the news? I don't know any such thing and neither does the public or the congress. There is a very big debate going on about this issue, Haven't you heard? Show me where in the Constitution where it says that the President can ignore a law passed by Congress just because he says he has the right? Show me. There is a system of checks and balances in our government and Bush has clearly overstepped one. Nonsense. It was a George Bush plan and it failed. It did not gain popular public support. I haven't made up a damn thing and you haven't disproved one comment I've made. I don't think you even read the news.
on of the best things about bush (especially regarding war policy) is that this is his last term, and cheney has no aspirations, so they can actually make decisions based on what is best, not what makes him popular. if his party doesnt follow along, then i blame them for not seeing the light. social security reform was a very small step in the right direction, i cant hold bush responsible for it failing, he wasnt the one who shot it down. i dont know anything about the drug plan, for all i know bush is really wrong-headed and stupid on that issue.
Polls can't indicate how well a person understands the issues, but they damn well indicate how a person thinks and votes. To you, sure. To the political world they are extremely important indicators of public opinion of presidential importance. Whether or not you value public opinion is not the point. Politicians care very deeply about public opinion for obvious reasons. People vote. There may be 25 dumbass votes for every informed martin vote, but they all count the same in an election.
right, so what do we care how people vote when the issue is bush, who cant run again? i know, the point is that they shouldnt matter to anyone, and they indicate nothing about actuakl performance. a bad approval rating is not something to hold against a politician. all of which might matter if bush had to run again, which he cannot.
There is a huge difference between foreign and domestic policies. Presidents have much more control over foreign policies and can act without always seeking the approval of Congress. However, the President needs Congress to pass bills on the domestic issues. If the President can't get Congress onboard, then they aren't going to pass much of his legislation. Considering Congress is controlled by republicans, there is no excuse not to get his agenda approved ... but it hasn't worked out that way. You can blame whomever you want, but it's up to the President to lead Congress on domestic issues. It's nothing more than another medicare entitlement program that will cost us billions of dollars ... anywhere from $400 - $700 billion over 10 years, depending on who you believe.
