USA people please help.....

[dutchfan]

For all the USA people.....what is the reason Bush is getting more and more popular and Kerry is losing in the polls? I really think I am missing some great things he is doing or has done for USA.

Love from Holland
Dutchfan

 

[A_Wanderer]

Because Bush has made his positions abundantly clear and has managed to appeal to his conservative base. Combine this with an very savy advertising campaign that has been able to smear his opponents Vietnam service and paint him as an indecisive flip-flopper.

Kerry himself has not really helped himself by only taking a stand on Iraq late in the campaign. Having a vague plan of dealing with the situation by attracting allies - all the while denigrating strong US allies like Australia. Numerous statements that attempt to fill every position and statements about fighting a more sensitive war on terror just do not appeal to the majority of voters.

The RaTHer memo debacle has no doubt hurt the Democrats campaign, they promised to play dirty in the final stretch but someone wound up using totally fabricated memo's.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

why is kerry losing? because we're just over a month from the election and no one can tell me what john kerry stands for. is he for the war or is he against the war? no one knows, because he changes his opinion every other week. while many americans in the middle may not agree with everything bush has done while in office, at least they know where he stands. the evil you know vs. the evil you don't know, so to speak.

 

[sharky]

It doesn't matter if he's for or against the war -- when he becomes president, he will have to deal with it no matter what. At least he has a strategy to get us out. Bush doesn't have that.

As for why he's popular -- Americans can be easily persuaded. most don't seem to be voting on the issues but rather "we're at war, vote for Bush." Kerry hasn't helped with his long-winded explanations about his Iraq vote. he also should have attacked the Swift Boat ads much sooner. I think this debate is going to change things.

while you're hear Dutch, how to outsiders view this election? I was told a story in a German newspaper said if Bush wins, many people will become anti-American because they don't understand why we could be so stupid to have this guy running our country and making international decisions that affect other countries.

 

[A_Wanderer]

Representation without taxation, the average worldview of the anti-American.

 

[Klaus]

I'm affraid Americans do not only live by fear but they are also voting by fear

 

[Liesje]

I'm affraid Americans do not only live by fear but they are also voting by fear

?

 

[vlasak]

I feel Bush is too "agressive" and Kerry is nowhere near enough "aggressive". I was for Bush until recently - until it dawned on me that he has his own agenda and can justify it more easily than my 10 year old can justify a new game boy! I am scared though. I wish there was another choice.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

At least he has a strategy to get us out.

Really? Care to share?

 

[nbcrusader]

Really? Care to share?

And then send it to Kerry

 

[verte76]

Kerry is running too much like a product. We're voting for a president, not next year's product from GM. We want a platform, not some sort of fancy package. His message is too muddled and imprecise and basically very confusing, not the way to get votes. Maybe he'll come clean in the debates and give more of a composite image of himself to the voters, but it's definitely not clear if he will do this. I just read where there are more new voters this year than there have been in the last twenty or so years. These voters are probably not getting polled as "likely voters". There is controversy over the various criteria for "likely voters", and that's who the pollsters poll.

 

[ThatGuy]

Is "Bush getting more and more popular and Kerry is losing in the polls?" Last time I checked it was a pretty close race.

 

[sharky]

Really? Care to share?

No problem. Read Kerry's speech.

First, the President has to get the promised international support so our men and women in uniform don’t have to go it alone. It is late; the President must respond by moving this week to gain and regain international support.

Second, the President must get serious about training Iraqi security forces.

Third, the President must carry out a reconstruction plan that finally brings tangible benefits to the Iraqi people.

Fourth, the President must take immediate, urgent, essential steps to guarantee the promised elections can be held next year.

 

[sharky]

I'm affraid Americans do not only live by fear but they are also voting by fear

I was watching this Ann Coulter crazy lady on Fox last night. Someone asked her "Cheney said a vote for Kerry is a vote for terrorists. Isn't that irresponsible to say?" She said "No, it's true." Really? You know how the terrorists want us to vote? If you're in such good contact with them, why don't you ask them where bin Laden is?

Fact remains, the Homeland Security Dept. continues to put out these crazy alerts that we could be attacked before the election. In fact, the first major alerts of this nature came out two days after Edwards was announced as Kerry's running mate in June. Madrid is bombed two days before an election and it takes our government THREE MONTHS to realize it could happen to us? Either they're dumb or cunning. I choose the latter.

The New York Stock Exchange has been a target since Sept. 11, NYC has been at an Orange Alert level since they started that stupid system. Nothing is new here, Bush just wants us to think things are getting worse and scare us into voting for him.

 

[Klaus]

?

While there didn't change much in the last years people in the US fear a lot, they are afraid of terror attacks (but not affraid of car accidents?) etc.

There was a nice Memo of a "Die Zeit" reporter last year which could be described as "The fear of a smoker of a Rattle-Snake bite".
And i guess that's somewhat true for us europeans but much more true for the US.
I also think that todays election campaigns try to get the average american citizen by his personal fear.

 

[Anirban]

both bush AND kerry have made thier positions/platform ABUNDANTLY clear. if you actually pay attention to what bush says, you know what he stands for. if you pay attention to what kerry says, you know what he stands for. both candidates have very detailed platforms which you can access on the internet ... and even have brief versions on their websites. anyone who says they don't know what EITHER candidate stands for is just watching cnn and soaking up soundbytes from commercials and speeches to party members. we are all grown adults. there's no excuse for anyone to not know what either candidate stands for.

 

[Anirban]

my statement was in response to people who say "i don't know what kerry stands for" or "bush has not layed out a plan for anything yet." they both have. everyone should know what both of them stand for. and if you don't, it's easy to find it out. people who complain about not knowing are trying to sway people's vote by an uneducated statement. you should research the two platforms and select the candidate that reflects your views...

 

[nbcrusader]

No problem. Read Kerry's speech.

First, the President has to get the promised international support so our men and women in uniform don’t have to go it alone. It is late; the President must respond by moving this week to gain and regain international support.

Second, the President must get serious about training Iraqi security forces.

Third, the President must carry out a reconstruction plan that finally brings tangible benefits to the Iraqi people.

Fourth, the President must take immediate, urgent, essential steps to guarantee the promised elections can be held next year.

So, how does Kerry plan on getting us out of Iraq???

All he is saying is to do things faster, better or with more help (the question of who would help is unanswered).

None of these elements are "new" in the sense that the current administration is taking no action on them.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

No problem. Read Kerry's speech.

First, the President has to get the promised international support so our men and women in uniform don’t have to go it alone. It is late; the President must respond by moving this week to gain and regain international support.

Second, the President must get serious about training Iraqi security forces.

Third, the President must carry out a reconstruction plan that finally brings tangible benefits to the Iraqi people.

Fourth, the President must take immediate, urgent, essential steps to guarantee the promised elections can be held next year.

swell... frankly i would happen to agree with all that. they're pretty good ideas...


however, that's all they are... ideas. bush has said many of the same things. a plan would involve actually explaining how in the blue hell he plans to accomplish these ideas.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

my statement was in response to people who say "i don't know what kerry stands for" or "bush has not layed out a plan for anything yet." they both have. everyone should know what both of them stand for. and if you don't, it's easy to find it out. people who complain about not knowing are trying to sway people's vote by an uneducated statement. you should research the two platforms and select the candidate that reflects your views...

i've read the DNC's platform, i've read any transcript of a kerry speach i can find, and frankly, yes... i know in my mind what the man stands for. his record in the senate states pretty clearly what he stands for. unfortunatly the man's public statements on issues now change from week to week depending on what the polls say. apparently he's not confident enough in his record to let it stand on it's own.

 

[odowdpa]

Thats why Kerry is not going to win. He has great ideas but he can't explain how in the world they are going to get done. I don't think he even knows.

The fact is Bush is just better at politics than Kerry. If Bush is so stupid, as many leftes like to think, why can't you beat him? And please don't say that the American public is stupid.

And if Germnay wants to be anti-American if Bush wins, I'm fine with that. They can be as close-minded as they want. Oooops, I think I just became the ugly-American for standing up for myself...

 

[Anirban]

to be fair ... bush does the same thing. on another poll (edit: i meant post) someone listed all of bush's "flip flops." i don't accept those to be flip-flops, but just changes in the way he states certain things. you have seen how people misconstrue their statements. when cheney said that terrorists would attack if kerry was elected, he didn't mean that terrorists are afraid of bush and would be excited if kerry got elected so they could attack with more ease. they hate america....no matter who is president. moreover, when kerry said he would vote to give the president the authority to strike without congressional approval (which was used in iraq) but still would vote against any extension of resources for the war .. it's isn't because he hasn't made up his mind. it's because the first vote was for a presidential power he believed in ... but disgreed with president's use of it. moreover, he is not against giving troops armor and equipment ... he was aginst bush's plan for the war because of ideological differences and voted as a protest. there are very few politicians that are "stupid men." accusing them of not making up their mind is insulting and an excuse not to find out what they stand for. i understand that a supporter for either candidiate would like to accuse the other one of not specifying his/her views ... but when explaining to someone what a candidate stands for (like this thread) i think we should all leave political sway out of it. "dutchfan" wanted to know bush's views and accomplishments ... not a political smear commercial about EITHER candidate.

 

[dutchfan]

Tnx for your replies I am going to do my very best in english, its not my native language.

Well in my surrounding people find GB scary and a real danger for worldpeace. Maybe other people in my country dont but I dont know all of them.

I heard that Kerry was very ahead in the poles an now GB makes a run and it is close....And thats why I asked the question.


GB does not seem to do a lot of things for the poor people and normal people is the opinion in my country. I see a lot of stuff on my tv about poverty and other things while GB is trowing millions in a `lost` war.( a war with al lot of deaths and no winners.....) A war on terror is not an issue here because we didnot get the dissaster ofcourse....we have no fear. But fear is a very bad advisor. USA (GB) makes a lot of noise....wants to rule the world. `if you arre not with us you are against us´he said...Well i like to make up my own opinion. and being against his policy doesnot make me the enemy.

1 out of 8 people in USA live uder poverty level, thats what is told here. A lot of childeren go to school without breakfast and lunch. A lot of single mums have to work two or more jobs to get by, is have seen that on tv here in a documentry.
And his brother in Florida gets an awful lot of money for the damagings in the hurricanes.......and other states less.

well thats what I heard. I dont know anymore, so that why i asked. And who is going to doe more about these things. Or doesnot anybody care and does all the attentions go to Irak and Afghanistan policy?????

 

[verte76]

The debates could change a few numbers, I don't know. It really depends on if Kerry can define his positions on issues so that voters understand what they are, and they like them. I think he has a strong domestic agenda, especially in the health care costs area. But he hasn't articulated it to the public in a coherent manner. People basically vote for ideas, not actually a person. That's why this "package" deal isn't working.

 

[sharky]

Tnx for your replies I am going to do my very best in english, its not my native language.

Well in my surrounding people find GB scary and a real danger for worldpeace. Maybe other people in my country dont but I dont know all of them.

I heard that Kerry was very ahead in the poles an now GB makes a run and it is close....And thats why I asked the question.


GB does not seem to do a lot of things for the poor people and normal people is the opinion in my country. I see a lot of stuff on my tv about poverty and other things while GB is trowing millions in a `lost` war.( a war with al lot of deaths and no winners.....) A war on terror is not an issue here because we didnot get the dissaster ofcourse....we have no fear. But fear is a very bad advisor. USA (GB) makes a lot of noise....wants to rule the world. `if you arre not with us you are against us´he said...Well i like to make up my own opinion. and being against his policy doesnot make me the enemy.

1 out of 8 people in USA live uder poverty level, thats what is told here. A lot of childeren go to school without breakfast and lunch. A lot of single mums have to work two or more jobs to get by, is have seen that on tv here in a documentry.
And his brother in Florida gets an awful lot of money for the damagings in the hurricanes.......and other states less.

well thats what I heard. I dont know anymore, so that why i asked. And who is going to doe more about these things. Or doesnot anybody care and does all the attentions go to Irak and Afghanistan policy?????

Thanks for the post Dutch. Very coherent for a non-native speaker. And this is what I've been looking for -- how to people outside of this country see Bush? it doesn't seem to be good and that should be a factor when you step in the voting box. Just because we are a super power doesn't mean we are the only power. We need allies and we have abandoned all of them. 85% of Canadians said they wouldn't vote for Bush. A story in Gernany said that if we vote Bush into office, many poeple Germans will go from being anti-Bush to anti-American, wondering how stupid we could be to elect this guy.

And you bring up an interesting point about the hurricanes. Does anyone have stats on how much aid NYC has received for 9/11 and how much florida has received for the hurricanes? I know Florida has gotten much more money per capita for anti-terror measures than NYC...wonder why.

 

[Anthony]

Well, it really seems to me, a staunch Anti-Bush European, that out of the two Bush really does appear to be the strongest.

Of course, I support Kerry and would love nothing better than to see him become president, but I can't help but feel that he did actually screw up in more ways than one, particularly before the actual campaign. He needed to have the courage to go out on a limb, as opposed to being the middle man.

When you have a population pumped up with fear and war, the last thing you want is to listen to a man who seems indecisive and, well, not that much opinionated.

Ant.

 

[indra]

Thanks for the post Dutch. Very coherent for a non-native speaker. And this is what I've been looking for -- how to people outside of this country see Bush? it doesn't seem to be good and that should be a factor when you step in the voting box. Just because we are a super power doesn't mean we are the only power. We need allies and we have abandoned all of them. 85% of Canadians said they wouldn't vote for Bush. A story in Gernany said that if we vote Bush into office, many poeple Germans will go from being anti-Bush to anti-American, wondering how stupid we could be to elect this guy.

Yes, I've had the same experience talking to friends in other countries...they absolutely cannot believe that this election is even close. And most have a very good understanding of the issues here, so it isn't some blind hatred of Dubya. One thing I think is strange is that I've heard people (in the US, locally and otherwise) that they are more likely to vote for Bush BECAUSE people in other nations dislike him...and for virtually no other reason. To me that is completely foolhardy. I fear for far too many US citizens hold the "We're a superpower, we are all right and everyone else is wrong" feeling. Ever hear that saying "Pride goeth before a fall?" I feel this nation is wallowing in overabundant pride.

 

[sharky]

We were not always a super power and we won't always be a super power. Look no further than the British Empire 100 years ago.

 

[indra]

We were not always a super power and we won't always be a super power. Look no further than the British Empire 100 years ago.

Yep. Many examples throughout history. Unfortunately, we aren't good at history in the US....

 

[odowdpa]

This was said before about the US:
"I fear for far too many US citizens hold the "We're a superpower, we are all right and everyone else is wrong" feeling. Ever hear that saying "Pride goeth before a fall?" I feel this nation is wallowing in overabundant pride."

That can not be any further from the truth. I have never, not once, heard or felt that opinion. I have felt that actually though in Europe. When I make trips to Ireland, I hear comments like you describe, but from the Euros. I asked my cousin what that was, she said a lot of Europeans "fancy themselves as cute when it comes to Americans" like they know how it really is and we are lsimilar to blind people.