How Can People Still like George W. Bush?

Question

I want you to talk me into liking this president. Tell my why you still like him. I really want to know, really. I just don't get it. Please try to persuade me by using some of his factual accomplishments, not just your opinions.

p.s. I you can't stand him, tell me why, factually.

I didn;t ask about Kerry, I asked about W.

How can I not like him? Are you kidding me Pobept? You said
"a better question is: How Can You Not Like George Bush
he's a true American hero
a defender of our freedom
a leader in freeing developing nations from dictators and criminals!"

First, how is he a hero. He was barely in the military and he has alienated us from our allies. He sounds like a moron when he speaks and is an embarrassment publicly, in my opinion. I have a whole stack of “Bushisms” to evidence his inability to speak intelligently.

Second. He first went to war in Iraq because of 9/11. It didn’t make sense to me, but I was on board. Then, it was for WMD...but when there were none...he changed it to Operation Iraqi Freedom. How do you not find that to be fishy.

Third, you didn't answer my question. I want cold hard facts.

Lastly, lets be clear...because I don't support the war and want our troops home, I do support our troops!!!!!

To show, that I am truly interested in being persuaded, I must say that it is a good point that he hasn't backed down, where other presidents may have "flopped".

Answer 1

I hesitated to answer this question as to the idiotic responses that it would draw. Fact of the matter is that Bush did very little to protect America on 9/11, the 9/11 commission report can back up my claims. On top of that he recently cut National Defense Spending in New York and LA, saying that there were no national monuments in New York. Which got me to thinking maybe we don't put the same value on Liberty as we used to.

Answer 2

Leaders are willing to engage people and hear all sides of an issue, but President Bush doesn't - he doesn't read newspapers or hear what his opponents are saying.
However, leaders also stay the course and value a long-term strategy, and don't back off from it in the face of short-term troubles. President Bush has remained steadfast on Iraq and immigration when many others would have flopped.
President Bush is also a very blunt person. President Clinton was much more polished. Europe values subtlety, but Asia respects bluntness and force.
There are few true leaders in world politics. Reagan was one, as were Kennedy and both Roosevelts. That is four in one hundred years (in the US). Kerry wouldn't have been one. Just because our President isn't a great leader doesn't mean he's terrible. People have to understand that greatness is a very rare attribute, even in Presidents.
With that said, people these days value a politician not on his style or leadership, but on his positions. If you're a bleeding heart liberal, you'll never like the President - and you should be looking forward to November. But if you're a moderate, you can at least respect President Bush as an average president who doesn't change opinions based on poll numbers.

Answer 3

Well take a look at some facts instead of some media talking points;

1) Unemployment is 4.6 or 4.7% and the best BJ Clinton ever achieved was 5%.

2) Despite gasoline costs inflation is really low; on par with the previous 12 years.

3) Interest rates remain at record lows.

4) Growth is above 4% which is very unusual for the size of our gross domestic product.

Now you can get into the biggest issue and the war in Iraq and look at it differently then the far left....for they want to say Bush lied. Well if he did lie so did Hillary, Kerry, Teddy, and the presidents of France, Russia and China who all agreed that Saddam had WMD's. Then you can take a gander at the current facts that al queda was actually in Iraq before we we're and realize what kind of threat that posed (Saddam, WMD's and al queda all in the same place with one common enemy - us). We could have waited another 9 years but would that have made us any safer then we are today? I don't think so.

By the way America's war in Iraq is viewed as a failure due to progaganda by political opponets of GW, but look at the facts. We displaced his army in record time, we got an elected government in place in record time, and in record time we will train a security force capable of handling the insurgents. Sadly record time means nothing to Americans that want everything "NOW" and are easily moved by liberals who want to tout every failure and mistake as an opportunity to knock our President.

Answer 4

I’ll start by saying I don’t understand how people HATE him? I mean his policies are one thing, but why is it personal? I don’t get that! I want to debate issues logically & reasonablly, & I don't like that we're so entrenched against each other when we should be trying to come together on so many great problems we all face.

As for me, I don’t love the guy, but he’s working hard to accomplish highly complex things for the good of the country. People disagree with that & I understand, as I said these are highly complex forward looking issues that most of us don’t have time for.

Domestically, most republicans aren’t happy with his performance. That rightly belongs mostly on congress, but it has been highly non-conservative & amateurishly handled.

Internationally, I do support everything he’s done. Afghanistan was conducted in genius fashion. Iraq is more complicated but mostly misunderstood. Mainly we needed to plant democracy in the geographical heart of Islam with a progressive population that could eventually succeed with it as an example to reformers around the region. After we’ve gone, in another decade, the new Iraq we’ve helped to create will be the stake that kills the evil represented by Osama Bin Laden. A lot of people don’t see that, and can’t stomach the sacrifice we’re making now, but in time the world will be better for what we’ve done there. In truth, it’s the only way the war on terror can ever be won. If we go into Iran after this, that’ll be a very difficult assignment, but there is just no way the extremist Iranian theocracy with stated intentions & constant support to wipe Israel away can be trusted as a nuclear power. What we do there will merely be a delaying action, but hopefully the changes in Iraq will in time inspire the people of Iran to replace their tyrannical govt & vote for the reformers they already prefer.

Judicially, conservatives don’t advance an agenda. As originalists or constructionists, they merely prevent liberal justices from making law from the bench. If it were me I’d prefer to change many things that I don’t believe are in line with the principles of our constitution, but that’s not the way the conservative legal philosophy works. In fact I think in the courts are the only place where the word conservative rightly describes their philosophy. Politically, most republicans are much more libertarian in philosophy.

In the end, I have always supported the President because he stands strong & does the things now that others are too scared to do, things that cost a drop of blood now but would cost gallons if we ignore the threat till it explodes later.

Answer 5

i know you said you didnt want opinions but hey I'm a rebel ,i come from Scotland so I'm an outsider looking in ,i just think he got caught up with the whole Iraq issue and now cannot back down ,i can see he means well no one wants another 9/11 and it would be great if any one man or woman could bring world peace , but i dont think this will ever happen in our lifetime but can you really blame a man for trying to make the world a better place , i think if he had not invaded Iraq a lot more people would be dead

Answer 6

I'm not going to try to convince you of anything. I suspect your mind is already made up and you are just trolling with this question. All I will say is he is doing the best he can given the circumstances. He's made mistakes, he's done things I don't approve of, but through it all, he was only doing what he felt was the right thing to do. I personally admire him for not wavering in the face of some pretty harsh opposition. I wish more presidents would stick to their guns like he does.

Answer 7

I don't think you're going to get a lot of answers that are too factual. He's been a lame duck president for a while now and will continue to be one. His approval ratings are lower than any U.S. second term president, and his world opinion ratings are the lowest of any U.S. president. His cabinet and advisors have misplayed the American people emotionally and systematically and I think there's little he can do to make progress in anyone's mind now.

Answer 8

People are fools, honestly. What do we really know about the government or the activities of its Agencies. All the people know is what the Media provides us with and what the people in The White House tell us and we HAVE to believe it, since thats all that we can know. The rest, the truth, is TOP SECRET or CONFIDENTIAL. We don't know what the C.I.A OR THE NSA or the President is planning or are doing. So people who do not question merely follow. So they go with Bush.

Answer 9

netjr: according to the government you're very WRONG on your unemployment stat... it's your first one so I'm not even going to bother looking up the rest... I'll assume they are equally incorrect

http://data.bls.gov/PDQ/servlet/SurveyOutputServlet?data_tool=latest_numbers&series_id=LNU04000000&years_option=all_years&periods_option=specific_periods&periods=Annual+Data

WHEN YOU SAY FACTS... THEY ACTUALLY NEED TO BE TRUE...

If I remember correctly... Clinton had it at 3.9 in October before the 2000 election... far below Bush's 4.6

I see a lot of talk about "facts" on here... not a lot of cites... I can watch Michael Moores movie and get an equally bias anti-Bush opinion as these opinions are pro-bush...

Answer 10

a better question is: How Can You Not Like George Bush
he's a true American hero
a defender of our freedom
a leader in freeing developing nations from dictators and criminals!

Answer 11

Exempted food from unilateral trade sanctions and embargoes.
Provided $20 million to states to help people with disabilities work from home.
Created a fund to encourage technologies that help the disabled.
Increased the annual contribution limit on Education IRA's from $500 to $2,000 per child.
Made permanent the $5,000 adoption tax credit and provide $1 billion over five years to increase the credit to $10,000.
Granted a complete tax exemption for prepaid or college tuition savings plans.
Strengthened the National Health Service Corps to put more physicians in the neediest areas, and make its scholarship funds tax-free.
Doubled the research budget of the National Institutes of Health.Issued an EO implementing the Supreme Court's Olmstead ruling, which requires moving disabled people from institutions to community-based facilities when possible.
Increased funding for low-interest loan programs to help people with disabilities purchase devices to assist them.
Revised the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Section 8 rent subsidies to disabled people, permitting them to use up to a year's worth of vouchers to finance down payments on homes. HUD has started pilot programs in 11 states.
Committed US funds to purchase medicine for millions of men, women and children now suffering with AIDS in Africa.