Bush's strategy: Confuse the middle and feed the base

[54anickel]

Good read by Krugman

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/commentary/story/0,4386,231116,00.html

ACCORDING to advance reports, United States President George W. Bush will use the upcoming State-of-the-Union Address to portray himself as a visionary leader who stands above the political fray. But that act is losing its effectiveness.

His relentless partisanship has depleted much of the immense goodwill he enjoyed after the Sept 11 terrorist attacks. He is still adored by his base, but he is deeply distrusted by much of the nation.

Mr Bush may not understand this; indeed, he still seems to think he is another Lincoln or Roosevelt. 'No president has done more for human rights than I have,' he told The New Yorker magazine's Ken Auletta.

But his political handlers seem to have decided on a go-for-broke strategy: Confuse the middle one last time, energise the base and grab enough power that the consequences don't matter.

much more....

[cprise]

1. Intersting view...

bump

[opihimoimoi]

2. It has the earmarks of a Bush Plan.

Mr Murphy is standing by

[mhr]

3. And O'Toole After Him!

eom

[Just Me]

4. I think I would use the word "divert" and/or "divide",...

,...which seems to effectively "confuse" the majority and grab the minority.

They (the "closet" corporate ones now in control *at least to mainstream peoples*) have developed a damned good network that infiltrates hot spots with either diversive or divisive tactics in the religious, media and political circles. Honestly, it is as close to a fine art as any could be. They inject themselves very strategically.

As much as I freakin' hate their corruption, I cannot help but admire their brilliance. What a waste of human potential!!! While they have the capacity to actually build a better world, they are as awful as any common criminal; and, tragically, so much more destructive. What a waste.

<edited for mistakes made by a self-proclaimed "sh*t at proofreading my own work">

[louis-t]

5. "What a waste of human potential"

You know, that is a VERY good point. It reminds me of the old 'Get Smart' line: "If only they had used their power for goodness and niceness, instead of evil."

[54anickel]

6. Confuse = repeatedly flat out LIE. Now he's cooking up lies on $$$

for Iraq.

http://www.defensenews.com/channel.php?C=thisweek

Despite nagging concerns about rising deficits, protracted wars and costly weapons, budget and political analysts predict U.S. President George W. Bush will ask Congress for about $470 billion in defense spending for 2005. And Congress seems poised to approve.

The request won’t come all at once: The first installment will be delivered to Congress Feb. 2 in the form of a $420 billion defense budget request, and the second — a $50 billion supplemental bill to pay for Iraq war costs — won’t come until after the Nov. 2 presidential election, said Steven Kosiak, the director of budget studies at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.


I got the above link from
http://www.misleader.org/daily_mislead/Read.asp?fn=df01202004.html

[Pax Argent]

7. I was talking to a right-wing friend of mine today

who was upset about all of the new social spending proposed by Bush. I told him not to worry about it, that it was just a lie to confuse the middle and that these promises would be ditched right after the election. He seemed comforted by this.

So much for honesty and integrity in the White House.

[JoFerret]

8. Very close to the great Paul Krugman

column in Tuesday's NYTimes.

[Moderator]

9. Not LBN... locking

Please continue this discussion in the existing thread, which can be found in the Editorials & Other Articles Forum:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=30741

Thanks!

DU Moderator