While George W. Bush is being sworn in...
January 17, 2001 8:59 AM Subscribe
And I presume you're also going to spend the next four years with your fingers in your ears, alternately singing loudly off-key and chanting "I'm not listening!"
posted by harmful at 9:12 AM on January 17, 2001
posted by harmful at 9:12 AM on January 17, 2001
Methinks Rush Limbaugh's going to be out of a job, unless he starts catering to the newly-disenfranchised liberal community.
posted by waxpancake at 9:18 AM on January 17, 2001
posted by waxpancake at 9:18 AM on January 17, 2001
to Harmful: hardly. first, I have perfect pitch and have sung professionally. Second, I read up on politics and will make judgement as things develop. My comment was merely upon the election process. ?
posted by Postroad at 9:27 AM on January 17, 2001
posted by Postroad at 9:27 AM on January 17, 2001
The sooner we stop acting like small children, the sooner we can start taking meaningful steps to protect the country from GWB.
While you're chanting "Moron", I'll be participating in one of these events:
Counter-Inauguration Calendar
posted by y6y6y6 at 9:28 AM on January 17, 2001
While you're chanting "Moron", I'll be participating in one of these events:
Counter-Inauguration Calendar
posted by y6y6y6 at 9:28 AM on January 17, 2001
Personally I'll more interested in what the rest of the world thinks of America after the inauguration. I.e. I think that by having well organised protests about your new president the phrase 'Only in America' will once again be in common (and derogatory) use.
You'd had a good stretch over here, where the number of 'Aren`t Americans weird' stories had dropped quite low, but then you went and had that election...
People have won the popular vote, but lost the election in other countries, I wonder how far they took their protests? Though I suppose the Florida issue just exacerbated it all.
posted by iain at 9:46 AM on January 17, 2001
You'd had a good stretch over here, where the number of 'Aren`t Americans weird' stories had dropped quite low, but then you went and had that election...
People have won the popular vote, but lost the election in other countries, I wonder how far they took their protests? Though I suppose the Florida issue just exacerbated it all.
posted by iain at 9:46 AM on January 17, 2001
Yes. This is a plan of action that will undoubtedly result in many beneficial changes in our government.
posted by sonofsamiam at 9:55 AM on January 17, 2001
posted by sonofsamiam at 9:55 AM on January 17, 2001
Btw, ignu, whatever happened to your "The President Elect Can't Read!" protest thing you were planning? I think you should stick to one thing, otherwise the audience won't remember. It's like microsoft changing their slogan every 5 minutes and people still remember something from 98. Just some pr advice and such.
posted by tiaka at 9:55 AM on January 17, 2001
posted by tiaka at 9:55 AM on January 17, 2001
He might be good enough for Al Gore, but he's not my president. Give 'em hell, brothers and sisters!
posted by snakey at 10:02 AM on January 17, 2001
posted by snakey at 10:02 AM on January 17, 2001
He will be soon, unless you're from another country, or?
posted by tiaka at 10:05 AM on January 17, 2001
posted by tiaka at 10:05 AM on January 17, 2001
"he's not my president" -yawn. So wtf are you gonna do about it? Calling him moron won't do anything. Thoughtful, critical satire and propaganda might. An assassination attempt might.
Sweet, smug nothings is all this are.
posted by sonofsamiam at 10:07 AM on January 17, 2001
Sweet, smug nothings is all this are.
posted by sonofsamiam at 10:07 AM on January 17, 2001
Our generation has never faced a real challenge (on par with a world war or recession) I wonder if that has anything to do with the inability to grow-up?
These protest change no one's mind. Those who agree with you will still agree, those who steadfastly disagree will still disagree and the average person, I'm assuming, (s)he's getting sick of it.
Here's a thought, have a point, something besides 'W's dumb.'
posted by Mick at 10:59 AM on January 17, 2001
These protest change no one's mind. Those who agree with you will still agree, those who steadfastly disagree will still disagree and the average person, I'm assuming, (s)he's getting sick of it.
Here's a thought, have a point, something besides 'W's dumb.'
posted by Mick at 10:59 AM on January 17, 2001
I wonder if that has anything to do with the inability to grow-up?
If growing up means losing the ability to goof around, appreciate humour, and make fun of people who deserve it, I'm glad to stay a child forever.
-Mars
posted by Mars Saxman at 11:13 AM on January 17, 2001
If growing up means losing the ability to goof around, appreciate humour, and make fun of people who deserve it, I'm glad to stay a child forever.
-Mars
posted by Mars Saxman at 11:13 AM on January 17, 2001
Sounds like someone needs attention :)
posted by barenakedAvenger at 11:43 AM on January 17, 2001
posted by barenakedAvenger at 11:43 AM on January 17, 2001
Mars,
You can goof around, but please refrain from doing so about Republicans. It's very childish, and besides, it makes W cry.
posted by Doug at 1:46 PM on January 17, 2001
You can goof around, but please refrain from doing so about Republicans. It's very childish, and besides, it makes W cry.
posted by Doug at 1:46 PM on January 17, 2001
yeah, it's considered bad form to make fun of the "special" children
posted by tj at 1:52 PM on January 17, 2001
posted by tj at 1:52 PM on January 17, 2001
The more hard-core liberals protest and bewail George Bush, the stronger he grows with the center of the electorate which cares a little bit about politics but really hates those who keep complaining about the ump's calls long after the game ended.
And this business of calling him stupid. Please, give me more. What more politically self-destructive tactic could there be than for the coastal liberal elite to call Bush -- who after all, has a Harvard and a Yale degree -- stupid? Every single swing voter in fly-over and every middle-class person family mother or father knows that if you think Bush is stupid, you have total contempt for them.
Prediction: the left will scream bloody murder on whatever ground they find, and Bush will show at every step of the way a consistent and unwavering respect for hardworking, taxpaying families and the American tradition of allowing them to govern themselves according to their own values. Guess who wins. (Hint: see Ronald Reagan.)
posted by MattD at 2:18 PM on January 17, 2001
And this business of calling him stupid. Please, give me more. What more politically self-destructive tactic could there be than for the coastal liberal elite to call Bush -- who after all, has a Harvard and a Yale degree -- stupid? Every single swing voter in fly-over and every middle-class person family mother or father knows that if you think Bush is stupid, you have total contempt for them.
Prediction: the left will scream bloody murder on whatever ground they find, and Bush will show at every step of the way a consistent and unwavering respect for hardworking, taxpaying families and the American tradition of allowing them to govern themselves according to their own values. Guess who wins. (Hint: see Ronald Reagan.)
posted by MattD at 2:18 PM on January 17, 2001
MattD... I may lean to the left... but I'll take a cheap shot at anyone, especially if they have a track record like Junior's
posted by tj at 2:42 PM on January 17, 2001
posted by tj at 2:42 PM on January 17, 2001
Please, give me more. What more politically self-destructive tactic could there be than for the coastal liberal elite to call Bush -- who after all, has a Harvard and a Yale degree -- stupid?
If making people think you are stupid is a winning political strategy, why isn't Dan Quayle president?
posted by rcade at 3:24 PM on January 17, 2001
If making people think you are stupid is a winning political strategy, why isn't Dan Quayle president?
posted by rcade at 3:24 PM on January 17, 2001
What more politically self-destructive tactic could there be. . .
Well, the dems could continue to capitulate to dubya and the fundamentalist right-wingers. That'll break off even more votes for the greens next time. It will be interesting to know which democratic legislators cave to the GOP agenda -- I want to see how they do when they're up for re-election.
posted by snakey at 3:25 PM on January 17, 2001
Well, the dems could continue to capitulate to dubya and the fundamentalist right-wingers. That'll break off even more votes for the greens next time. It will be interesting to know which democratic legislators cave to the GOP agenda -- I want to see how they do when they're up for re-election.
posted by snakey at 3:25 PM on January 17, 2001
I'd guess I'd argue that there are two "dumb" memes: the Reagan-is-dumb meme, which lost him not a single vote and probably gained him millions and the Quayle-is-dumb meme, which may have lost Bush a few votes in 92 or 96, and which (among other things) lead to Quayle's 2000 bid being dead in the water.
The difference (from the standpoint of what for the sake of argument I'll call Middle America) is that Reagan was a winner and a leader and someone utterly unafraid of calling a space a spade. Quayle was a powerless plucked-from-nowhere cipher.
Bush, I would argue, actually has more Reagan-like characteristics (winner, leader) than he has Quayle-like characterisics, and, therefore, the "Bush-is-stupid" meme is likely to redound to his benefit.
Bush's willingness to play hardball with his nominees -- appointing some folks so conservative as to be discomfitting even to a lot of Republicans (including me) to insist that he's the boss, goes a long way towards builidng up his Reagan-ness and ditching any Quaylishness in his public persona.
posted by MattD at 3:44 PM on January 17, 2001
The difference (from the standpoint of what for the sake of argument I'll call Middle America) is that Reagan was a winner and a leader and someone utterly unafraid of calling a space a spade. Quayle was a powerless plucked-from-nowhere cipher.
Bush, I would argue, actually has more Reagan-like characteristics (winner, leader) than he has Quayle-like characterisics, and, therefore, the "Bush-is-stupid" meme is likely to redound to his benefit.
Bush's willingness to play hardball with his nominees -- appointing some folks so conservative as to be discomfitting even to a lot of Republicans (including me) to insist that he's the boss, goes a long way towards builidng up his Reagan-ness and ditching any Quaylishness in his public persona.
posted by MattD at 3:44 PM on January 17, 2001
One thing about Reagan, from my view as a teenager in the 80's, he was a perfect counterpoint to the weird Soviet rhetoric, and he looked great on punk-rock shirts and such things...We all thought we would eventually get nuked anyways, so what did it matter?
and,
Every single swing voter in fly-over and every middle-class person family mother or father knows that if you think Bush is stupid, you have total contempt for them
Yep. Sums it up nicely. i do.
posted by th3ph17 at 5:34 PM on January 17, 2001
and,
Every single swing voter in fly-over and every middle-class person family mother or father knows that if you think Bush is stupid, you have total contempt for them
Yep. Sums it up nicely. i do.
posted by th3ph17 at 5:34 PM on January 17, 2001
What ever else you can say about the guy, he sure has nice thumbs.
posted by Neb at 7:41 PM on January 17, 2001
posted by Neb at 7:41 PM on January 17, 2001
MattD: I think you're romanticizing Bush's accomplishments if you see things in him that weren't present in Quayle. Both of them were lightweights of little achievement when they first became prominent as national politicians; Quayle had a thin resume in the Senate, Bush had a thin resume in Texas. Both have a propensity for verbal gaffes that are easily ridiculed, and neither of them can deliver a speech that gives you any confidence in their ability to lead by persuasion.
The only reason you see Bush as a winner is because he won something. Maybe that's enough to make the guy Reaganesque in your eyes, but I can't imagine Bush ever reaching a point where he can give a speech that someone would pay to see. His 12-minute-tops inauguration speech is just one of many signs that the guy is an extremely limited politician.
posted by rcade at 9:24 PM on January 17, 2001
The only reason you see Bush as a winner is because he won something. Maybe that's enough to make the guy Reaganesque in your eyes, but I can't imagine Bush ever reaching a point where he can give a speech that someone would pay to see. His 12-minute-tops inauguration speech is just one of many signs that the guy is an extremely limited politician.
posted by rcade at 9:24 PM on January 17, 2001
bush is definitely stupid y'all. take a deep breath and think about it a sec. look at his body language, read the look on his face and listen to what he says. and please, there are many dumb shit bluebloods that go to yale and harvard. tons actually.
posted by alfredogarcia at 10:14 PM on January 17, 2001
posted by alfredogarcia at 10:14 PM on January 17, 2001
Well, I can proudly say that he's not my president--oh wait. My president just robbed the country of most of its money and got away with it. Never mind. I'm seriously thinking about moving soon, maybe finding a remote island somewhere.
posted by Mllebleu at 7:24 AM on January 18, 2001
posted by Mllebleu at 7:24 AM on January 18, 2001
Guess who wins.
That's easy - the tiny fraction of the planet's population that controls most of its resources. The rest of us get to deal with the environmental degradation that goes along with that good ol' American tradition of big companies governing themselves according to their own values, and the rest of us going along because we can't afford to argue with them.
-Mars
posted by Mars Saxman at 12:01 PM on January 18, 2001
That's easy - the tiny fraction of the planet's population that controls most of its resources. The rest of us get to deal with the environmental degradation that goes along with that good ol' American tradition of big companies governing themselves according to their own values, and the rest of us going along because we can't afford to argue with them.
-Mars
posted by Mars Saxman at 12:01 PM on January 18, 2001
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posted by Postroad at 9:01 AM on January 17, 2001