Is George W. Bush an Idiot?

[Elphie 0]

No & No

[KarenCee 3]

Of course he's an idiot! That's like asking if chocolate tastes like chocolate. And I'm from Georgia...the Deep South....the Bible Belt.

[Caladan 19]

I think that the word "idiot" is the wrong word, since an idiot is a person with an IQ below 40 and if Bush would be such a person he would be incapable of reading among other things - which he clearly isn't. Furthermore he has gone to an IVY league school and in general IVY league schools don't allow idiots to enter, no matter how much money they would own. I would rather say that Bush is an extraordinary wicked man even when compared to other politicians (who are all, almost wihout exceptions, wicked).

He took his gentleman's C and got in on his parents' name. So did Kerry. Yale is better about it these days but being a legacy admit makes up for a lot.

Bush was meant to prove a nice face to the old Republican guard. A figurehead good at looking good with his sleeves rolled up, the sorta guy you could have a beer with, right? And he sold that image very well in 2000.

Otherwise they wouldn't have nominated a one-term failed governor.

[Cantankerous 0]

The economy is doing well and has grown for the past 5 consecutive years, unemployment is at a rate lower than the average for the last 40 years, the stock market is up, the poverty level is down, etc., yup... he's an idiot alright...

State of the Economy

Of course, this link is more fun to read if you'd rather just bash him...

Bush Accomplishments

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I don't think he necessarily unintelligent - but I do think he's inarticulate, seems to have little or no grasp on the issues when he appears in debates or in specifically unscripted situations; and seems (to me) completely unqualified to hold the office of the President.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Otherwise they wouldn't have nominated a one-term failed governor.

One-term, failed governor? The bias is strong with you, young Jedi...

One-term, failed governors do not win landslide re-elections to second terms. In Texas, he was the first incumbent Governor to be re-elected to a second term in a quarter-century.

From CNN:

Texas Gov. George W. Bush wins in landslide

(AllPolitics, November 3) -- George W. Bush ran away with the Texas governor's race Tuesday to defeat his Democrat rival, Garry Mauro, marking the first time an incumbent has retained the seat in nearly 25 years.

Bush made strong inroads within typically reliable Democratic groups, including 21 percent of the vote among African-Americans.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The economy is doing well and has grown for the past 5 consecutive years, unemployment is at a rate lower than the average for the last 40 years, the stock market is up, the poverty level is down, etc., yup... he's an idiot alright...

Personally, I'm as loathe to give President Bush credit for the Goldilocks economy we've enjoyed in recent years as I was to give President Clinton credit for the dot-com boom. Both events were the result (IMO) of private sector activity that they had nothing to do with, in addition to some smart fiscal policy by the apolitical Fed.

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

no and no.

seems to be a lot of this around here.

link

[Cantankerous 0]

Personally, I'm as loathe to give President Bush credit for the Goldilocks economy we've enjoyed in recent years as I was to give President Clinton credit for the dot-com boom. Both events were the result (IMO) of private sector activity that they had nothing to do with, in addition to some smart fiscal policy by the apolitical Fed.

I think the 2001 and 2003 Tax Relief did benefit the economy.

[Stabu 0]

I think the 2001 and 2003 Tax Relief did benefit the economy.

Yes they did as tax cuts always do (they also benefit the poor and the middle class and damage the wealthy, the privilidged and the politicians). Still, VJ Troll is right. The reason for the economy of being in such a good shape is because the US is having a large financial bubble. This is also one of Bush's making. If you cut taxes and increase government spending it will contribute towards a bubble (it's not the ultimate cause for a bubble though, fractional reserve central banking with fiat money is). It's also worthwhile to remember that the economy grows exponentially in the long run. Thus it's expected that during the last eight years the economy has grown more than it did during the eight years prior to that.

[Emancipation 2]

I'm not sure how you call someone you don't know personally an idiot.. but maybe that's just me..

We see/hear what the media want us to see/hear. Hubby tells met that all the time.. He reminds me there is loads of good coming out of Iraq that the media never choose to show.. and that bit is true.. we see certain sides of GWB that the media allow us to see.. not a clear picture to judge someone by IMO.

Do I think GW was a bad choice? Sure do! Do I think someone else if given the same circumstances could have done a better job? I'm not 100% on that one.. it was a time in US history that was volatile, uncharted and very complex. Hard to say how someone else would have handled it....

I think the man is one of the WORST communicators in the world, but not an idiot.. He should have fired his speech writers and handlers for a better team a LONG time ago.. that's his biggest mistake.. and if you think no other world leader has them.. you are living in a dream world..

I do think he's made a tonne of mistakes, said (and not said) a lot of really grating things.. but I think calling him an idiot goes a little far.. America will recover from his mistakes and has learned and grown as a country.. there is life after GWB.

Edited September 5, 2007 by Emancipation

[cajunasian 0]

NO/NO I guess if Bush is an Idiot, Blair must be a fool!!!

[Jason-Sasha 1]

I said earlier that I answered no & no. But this picture was funny when I found it just a while ago. thought this would be the place to put it. At least he's not the one on his knees....

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I'm not sure how you call someone you don't know personally an idiot.. but maybe that's just me..

We see/hear what the media want us to see/hear. Hubby tells met that all the time.. He reminds me there is loads of good coming out of Iraq that the media never choose to show.. and that bit is true.. we see certain sides of GWB that the media allow us to see.. not a clear picture to judge someone by IMO.

Do I think GW was a bad choice? Sure do! Do I think someone else if given the same circumstances could have done a better job? I'm not 100% on that one.. it was a time in US history that was volatile, uncharted and very complex. Hard to say how someone else would have handled it....

I think the man is one of the WORST communicators in the world, but not an idiot.. He should have fired his speech writers and handlers for a better team a LONG time ago.. that's his biggest mistake.. and if you think no other world leader has them.. you are living in a dream world..

I do think he's made a tonne of mistakes, said (and not said) a lot of really grating things.. but I think calling him an idiot goes a little far.. America will recover from his mistakes and has learned and grown as a country.. there is life after GWB.

I don't think it has much to do with the speech-writers. He could have the best that money could buy and still mangle it up with his inarticulate use of language. More than that - he fumbled horrifically during the televised debates against Kerry - stammering "but... he can't lead" and looking generally bewildered. Guy just doesn't seem very clued up about things that his position really requires of him. That and the volumes of Bushisms that have been released - to see the number of plainly ridiculous things the man has said. Anywhere else this would be scandalous - but Bush does it so much, and over such a period of time that I think he really has lowered the standard of people's expectations. And lets face it - given that US election campaigns are so incredibly stage-managed I'd say those expectations weren't all that high to begin with...

Edited September 5, 2007 by Number 6

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

You decide