Bush will win the debates.

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W

WHITE DEVIL

Sicc OG
#1
Dec 25, 2003
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Welcome to the twilight zone.

I, using my extreme psychic powers, have figured out that Bush will win the debates. This should go against logic. Kerry is clearly the better speaker and smarter person, right?

Right. However, in a post 9/11 environment, none of that really matters. What is going to win out in the mind of the American public, intellectual arguments, or two word catch phrases? What the public today really wants is Fox News-like intellectual McDonalds.

On their face, the Bush motives and arguments seem to make the most simplistic sense. If your view and your world are bourne out of simplicity and stupidity, the way to fight terror is to invade the Middle East...the rationale for anything can be easily reduced to "protecting the American people".

"Mr Bush, you flip-flopped on your promises to limit carbon monoxide, and you pulled us out of the Kyoto treaty, causing international outrage."

"I did it to protect American businesses."

"Mr. Bush, your invasion of Iraq has de-stabilized the Middle East, and possibly made the terrorism situation worse."

"I did it to protect the American people"

"Mr. Bush, your tax cuts have exacerbated a huge deficit, and contributed to the economic problems we now face."

"I did it to put money back in the hands of the American people."

"Mr. Bush, you allowed the assault weapons ban to expire, placing AK-47s and Mac-10s in the hands of anyone who can skirt the system."

"We need our arms to protect the American people."

Hysteria and fear dominate our time. Logic does not. Americans very much like sexy European accents, but they don't really like high-fangled European logic, or a worldview that involves other countries.

The stupidity we now face is monumental. Never in the history of the world has a world superpower been so oblivious to everything going on around it. Jingoism and chauvinism reign supreme.

Kerry's "flip-flops" are nothing new to politics...they aren't even anything new to the Bush administration, however justifying and explaining them requires a complex understanding of the nature of our legislative process, and we cannot rely on Americans for a complex understanding of anything.

It reminds me of Mclean's new sig, "George W 2004, Shouldn't all decisions be this black and white?" That statement is very telling. 9/11 and the Iraq War got more Americans interested in politics and what is happening in the world than ever before. This forcing of Americans into deciphering of issues and problems has, like 9/11, caused much fear and confusion.

The right wing has played into this very well. Any argument may now be scuttled when one side claims to "protect the American people". And while Republican/conservative politicians often accomplish the exact opposite of their stated goal with policy, they can still hide behind patriotism and protectionism.

Other famous "patriots" who "protected their people" from "those who threatened them": Stalin, Mussolini, Hitler, Deng Xiopang. Patriotism is historically the refuge of a scoundrel. In the American people, we have the requisite conditions to elect a "patriot": fear and distrust of the rest of the world. Long live patriot defenders. I will not be the least bit surprised when we elect Bush in 2004.
 
P

phil

Sicc OG
#2
Apr 25, 2002
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the only argument i have with that is that tax cuts arent the problem. its the over spending that has been a trademark of this so called fiscally conservative small government administration.
 
I AM

I AM

Some Random Asshole
#3
Apr 25, 2002
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shit, if bush gets elected, say that....this country has been goin in the wrong direction for hella long now anyway, might as well let bush completely fuck everything over! as a side note, i'm voting for kerry.
 
M

Mcleanhatch

Sicc OG
#5
May 8, 2002
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phil said:
its the over spending that has been a trademark of this so called fiscally conservative small government administration.
Click to expand...
agreed

its a little stamp and it sais "VETO", to bad they never used it even once to the best of my knowledge. thats the one thing that the administration has had me upset about.

oh ya and them trying to open the borders pissed me off too.
 
I AM

I AM

Some Random Asshole
#6
Apr 25, 2002
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#6
My homey is taking Economics 201 and the book is written by one of Bush's economic advisors or some shit like that.....lol....
 
W

WHITE DEVIL

Sicc OG
#8
Dec 25, 2003
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Nah...I just got to college, though, and I'm thinking about possibly a Journalism major. Also, this idea has been milling around in my head for awhile.

The basic premise is this: "Compassionate Conservatism" is a basic ideology of self-centricity, or the path of least resistance. To understand a Kerry argument, or an environmentalist argument, or the musings of an intellectual requires conceptualization. It requires one to frame the world in a global perspective, as opposed to living in a defensive, self-contained bubble.

Basic "truths" like:
1. Invading Iraq will strike a blow against terrorism
2. Immigrants are all out to get us
3. Guns make people safer

make the most sense to the paranoid, the afraid, and the paroquial. Framing "us" versus "them", USA v. The Middle East, USA v. the world, works to someone who feels the identity and the core essence of the USA is being "lost" to terrorism, liberalism, and multiculturalism.

Bill Moyers quoted someone else, I forget who, as saying that the difference between Republicans and Democrats is which generation they viewed in higher regard: the 50's or the 60's.

The 50s were safe...but aggressive and paranoid. People knew and understoof their roles. Blacks still drank from "coloured" water fountains, and housewives were given instuctional talks on how to act "best" when their husband got home from work. The 60s were unsafe and uncentered, with mass radical changes occuring in society. Women's lib, minority rights, etc. saw huge victories in the 60s. Also on the rise was rebellion, drug use, violence, etc.

In short, 9/11 places America on the verge of rewinding to the 50's. Bush's new ideas of "restoring God to government", his constant stressing of fear and terrorism, (much like the Red Threat) and his attempt to restrict changes in marriage and rolling back of minority grants and rights, the Patriot Act, etc. very much mirror McCarthyism and fear tactics.

9/11 had the same effect on people. Americans ignorant of the world outside their borders feel apprehension and fear now more than ever. Those inclined to aggressive reactionism and violence hold larger sway than ever. George Bush's 1950s-era "solution" works better for them than the broad, unspecific, diplomatic Kerry approach...a 1960's world policy. The last thing they want is more confusion and fear, and they will suffer their freedoms for that small bit of mental appeasement.
 
Raphas

Raphas

Sicc OG
#9
Oct 10, 2002
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#9
I agree with most of the stuff you said. It seems pretty easy to hide behind patriotism.
I still believe (or I want to convince myself) more people are gonna make the effort to vote this time and eventually take Bush out of the White House.
 
T

TOKZTLI

Sicc OG
#10
Jan 9, 2004
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WD, most mainstream newspaper editors crush journalists that hold similar beliefs to your own. Just something you should take into consideration when deciding on a career path. Although you write better than most, imo.
 
W

WHITE DEVIL

Sicc OG
#12
Dec 25, 2003
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thx TOKZ...my first goal is to become an English teacher (English minor), and possibly write on the side
My dilemna in choosing a major was the fact that I am verbal over every other skill, perhaps to a fault. Humanities, liberal arts, etc. have about as much of a chance of getting you a job as a degree in African American or Asian American studies.

There is a bit more guaranteed work in teaching. Writing is an art, and like most arts is not a staple way to pay the bills. I have yet to take even a beginning college english or composition class, but even after college and probably years of writing I doubt I will try for any sort of career in that field.

With the advent of the Internet and blogs, editorials and opinion pieces are a penny a dozen. Journalism degrees are the IT degrees of 2004.
 
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