The fat Lady are just about to start singing...

[Nordic65]

The latest Gallup has * at 40 %, down four points and thus confirming a major downward trend shown in several other recent polls.

If your name is George Bush and you're the President of the United States, and if your cognitive intuition is still somewhat functioning, you know what your looking at tonight - The Abyss!

In effect, * has now lost the crucial political trust of the center and nothing short of a miracle can help him regain it. His administration is running extremely low on political capital, they have for all practical matter lost the initiative and are forced to play defense against some very nasty issues that are way way beyond their control.

Faced with nightmarish oil-prices, affecting an already shaky economy, causing a plummeting in consumer confidences, amid a growing public backlash against the war in Iraq, both he and his henchmen know there is nowhere to go but down.

To add insult to injury, there is a good chance that the CIA-leak investigation will set him back even more. Leading to a very interesting point of political insolvency.

And even with the few things that are still under their control, they are spending capital they don't even have. Such as sending Bolton to purposely wreck havoc at the UN (what a brilliant move) and possible the nomination of Judge Roberts (related to center).

It would take an extremely skilled politician to survive in such an environment, and George W. Bush is not one of those. Actually, the same extremely skilled politician would have to rely on an equally skilled and apt administration to even have a snowballs chance in hell to survive, and this one isn't.

You don't have to be clairvoyant to know that in situations like this, something will have to give. The only question is how ugly it will be, and who will be left standing. I wouldn't bet on *.

[liberaliraqvet26]

1. I think 35% is the bottom for him...

he will hit that over the next two months and should stay there for the remainder of his pResidency.

The fundies & rabid anti tax wackos will never break from him, but it should be enough to take back the house.

[Nordic65]

4. Probably, but can he govern from there?

The issues facing him cannot be left to a lame duck to solve. They are too serious

[liberaliraqvet26]

11. '06 is the key...

the rethugs will start breaking the closer we get to the midterms

[stanwyck]

12. I'm predicting 32%

that's my magic number.
We'll see.
The economy is Bush's Achille's heel. We think it's Iraq. And, of course, that dismal scenario will continue for years. But during the rest of Bush's term, gas prices, corporate layoffs, and the plummet of the housing market will dampen Americans' enthusiasm for our current leadership.
People wanted a "change" after Clinton. So, Bush squeaked in, losing the popular vote.
After 3 more years of Bush, people will really want a change.
I think a viable third party might find Americans ready to bolt the Republican party. The Repubs allegiance to the fundamentalists could cost them if they don't let their moderates dominate. Their "fiscal conservatives" will have no where else to go...a segment will vote for the Dems. But a large portion will either stay home or go independent.

[lonestarnot]

30. NOPE! I'm still certain it's at Turdy Tree and a Turd!

[Fridays Child]

2. Something really bad is going to happen, very soon.

Can anyone here think of some other way he can turn this around?

[ret5hd]

3. 9-11 v2.0

[MadisonProgressive]

5. He has only one option - terror attack

[Independent_Liberal]

15. For some reason, I don't think it would work a second time around...

I don't think anything can save him at this point.

[Fridays Child]

19. Martial law?

The illusion of freedom in America will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way, and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theatre.--Frank Zappa, 1977

[Eloriel]

20. Or possibly even Martial Law

:evilgrin: Sorry, couldn't help myself.

As Huey P. Long once said, "Sure we'll have fascism in America, but it'll come disguised as 100 percent Americanism."

“A really efficient totalitarian state would be one in which the all-powerful executive of political bosses and their army of managers control a population of slaves who do not have to be coerced, because they love their servitude.” -Aldus Huxley, Brave New World

[Fridays Child]

23. Oops. You're right. Will edit my post.

The thing about the evolving fascist state is that rank and file freepers are going to be just as badly hurt as anybody else. I try to find consolation in the fact that, at least, I know I'm getting flushed down the toilet. Freepers just think they're on a really fun boat ride. Boy, are they ever in for a surprise.

[wli]

31. good Zappa quote there n/t

[raysr]

24. He'd HAVE to

take the blame for 2.0!

[Independent_Liberal]

33. You're right...

He'd HAVE to.

:)

[SledDriver]

7. "Something bad" would only hurt him more IMHO

Especially since this would be #2 on his watch (though I still say MIHOP :tinfoilhat: )

Besides, we're fighting them over there so we don't have to fight them here... right?

[Fridays Child]

14. You're right. He did paint himself into a corner with those words.

In fact, he'd better hope nothing happens. But, the thing is, these people have lost their collective edge, recently. And that means more missteps and bad (for them) decisions are possible.

[TahitiNut]

8. It's too early for them to martyr him. Is there someone else?

I figure that's one of their two options. A distant 3rd would be another set of anthrax love letters.

[BlueJac]

10. By using 9-11 about 100 times

Well maybe we have heard that enough.....but some people are very lame, and love the hater. :kick:

[Beetwasher]

25. I Hope There Are Some Good Guys Who Are On The Ball

And that's all I'm saying.

[jaysunb]

6. I'd like to feel good about this, but....

1) this slippery SOB has never had to answer for anything he's ever done in his whole life.

2) given the gravity of the scorn to be heaped on him and his historical legacy, I simply can't rule out any extreme he and his crime partners may go to in order to retain power.

3) my Party (Dem) are spineless and just about corrupt as these folks are.

:evilfrown:

[Nordic65]

18. Even Houdini couldn't escape from this

The more I think about it, the more I'm certain that Bush has painted himself into a corner, but I cannot even begin to envision how this fuck-up will unravel. And I'm pretty sure it will, but not seeing how, is kind of scary.

[jaysunb]

26. Our last best hope is

MR FITZGERALD......
If he comes the way it looks he will, the "floor falls out."

The Generals will walk this fucker out the door.

[super simian]

9. Love this summary, thanks...

I don't even think another terrorist attack, no matter how spectacular, will bail this pack of criminals out. Their backs are against the wall with the "we're fighting them over there so they can't get us here" last resort to justify their illegal invasion of Iraq. So.... if suddenly there's an attack on American soil, their goose is cooked.

[jokerman93]

28. There will be

It's no secret the American occupation is inciting a wave of new fanatic terror enthusiasts all over the Arab world. The bombers have already arrived in Western Europe. We aren't immune.

I'm wondering how the American people will respond. What choice will we as a nation finally take when the crows come home to roost?

[malaise]

13. Should touch 30 when Katrina mashes up

a few oil rigs in the Gulf. I'm not holding a party until it's 25%.

[carpetbagger]

16. Like he really cares.

He won his re-election. He gets to fight his little war for four more years, and play daddy-giveaway to his oil buddies stateside.

[quinnox]

17. looking forward to headline: "worse approval than Nixon"

If and when Bush goes to the low to mid 30's, all the headlines will talk about a new lowpoint being set for us presidents and will trumpet how it is even worse than Nixon.

"Bush approval worse than Nixon"

word association; Bush-Nixon Bush-Nixon Bush-Nixon


cascade effect!

[Nordic65]

21. Could happen, but then what?

If there is a cascade effect, what will happen next?

Is it even possible for the worlds only superpower, or any other country for that matter, to be governed by a lame duck during a time of war?

[quinnox]

22. hopefully the Dems will retake one of the houses

in the 2006 election and effectively stop Bush and the right wingers from doing anything else until 2008. And as others have commented, the worse Bush dips the more republicans will be forced to drop their support for his insane policies or risk losing their cushy powerful jobs.

[Nordic65]

29. That is 14 long months out...

And short of evicting * from the WH, I cannot see how the GOP can avoid a total meltdown in the midterms.

They know very well that things are going to go from bad to worse, all over the place, but I still cannot see them wandering to far off the reservation. Because that would almost certainly hurt * even more, firmly establishing him as the lamest duck ever to reside at 1600 Pennsylvania avenue. No party would do that to a sitting President, and certainly not in a time of war.

For better or worse, not only *, but a shitload of other bad karma throughout the administration are weighing down on the GOP. In other words, they are trapped. Getting rid of Bush will be their only escape, and that won't happen either.

[nadinbrzezinski]

27. Impeachment

end of this nightmare... I know, I knwo I am still dreaming for politically it cannot happen, YET

[wli]

32. when this kind of unpopularity happens to Latin American dictators

A cadre of generals escort them out to be dealt with by firing squads.

It would be best if it didn't come to that here.