How much worse would a second Bush term be if there is one?

[Kid_A]

I figure it will get about as bad as it can, especially if the GOP retains control of the House. With a complacent Congress and no need to be concerned with re-election, the Bush people will be able to do basically anything they want.

So what do you think is in Rove's agenda for the next four years?

[aden_nak]

1. Imagine if Bush didn't have to run enough PR to get re-elected.

[Kid_A]

2. That's my whole point.

Once he's no longer concerned with whether people like him or not, all bets are off.

[aden_nak]

8. Short of impeachment, there would be no hard limits.

He would do whatever the fuck he thought he could get away with, and probably the only body that could block him would be the Supreme Court. And even if the SC did act (which, in its defense, it has recently) those actions would come years later, just because of how the system works.

The Supreme Court, while an important and irreplacable part of our checks and balances system, is not a substitute for a functional Congress. And we do not have one of those. Not even close.

[calico1]

3. I agree totally.

But I think a lot of people think it *has* gotten as bad as it will get and that's why we hear people still claiming there is not much difference between Bush and Kerry. They don't realize that a second term means no need to worry about a second term.

[napi21]

4. Think about the 2 or 3 Supreme Court judges he would appoint.

I think it's going to be hard for him to get a lot of really bad stuff through Congress. But the Pres does have the opportunity to appoint any SC vacaincies, and thee are 3 really OLD judges.

Stuipd shit he gets passes while in office is fixable. Judges to the SC are a really long term problem that could affect everyone's life for decades!

[Vickers]

22. This is the big thing!

Nobody has retired becuase it would look bad, I mean after the SC was nice enough to select him and everything.

Georgie's influence would reach DECADES into the future, and if that doesn't make you shit your pants, something is wrong with you.

[Jo March]

5. Depends

If you like going to war with every single country that looks at us wrong, then it might be nice for you.

I'm thinking that he'll invade Iran and then Syria. Then he'll stack the SC with ultra right-wingers. Then he'll push the Patriot Acts II, III and IV through. Then he'll appoint himself President for Life because of the terra-rists.

[lagniappe]

6. GOP agenda: Finish 'Bush Wing' of Arlington National Cemetery.

Since the repugs love to name monuments after their idols, I think it would be fitting tribute to the idiot.

[aden_nak]

9. Name the cemetary after the President who put the bodies there? FUCKED!

[Bridget Burke]

15. Isn't Arlington almost full?

Wasn't that land appropriated by the US because it had belonged to the Lee family & it was considered a fitting location for Civil War dead?

How many graves could be dug on that old pig farm near Crawford?

[lagniappe]

16. I think you are right about Arlington.

I sure his property in Kennebunkport would also have room. Plus it's a lot nicer than Crawford. He should be forced to look upon those graves every day for the rest of his life.

[tom_paine]

7. From simply awful to Nazi/Soviet bad and EVERYTHING in between

Anything, literally ANYTHING would be possible, including our darkest nightmares about Totalitarianism.

[Zorra]

18. Yep. And the "good Americans" will say

"but we didn't know!".

August 10, 2004
Police State USA
by Rep. Ron Paul
snip------
Freedom is not defined by safety. Freedom is defined by the ability of citizens to live without government interference. Government cannot create a world without risks, nor would we really wish to live in such a fictional place. Only a totalitarian society would even claim absolute safety as a worthy ideal, because it would require total state control over its citizens' lives. This doesn't stop governments, including our own, from seeking more control over and intrusion into our lives.

http://www.antiwar.com/paul/

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

10. Since the conservative's wish-list has already been granted

now we get into their fondest dreams (and our darkest nightmares):

1. reinstate the draft for anyone who doesn't have rich parents
2. total elimination of even the illusion of what remains of the clean air and water acts, endangered species act, Head Start, public schools, unions, overtime pay, international treaties
3. de facto elimination of the First Amendment, the writ of habeus corpus, Miranda rights, desegration, etc.
4. Secretary of Faith
5. elimination of life time appointment for Federal judges, who will serve at the pleasure of the president
6. de facto elimination of the Legislative Branch, which will be left in place for appearance sake
7. de facto elimination of the right to vote (Scalia has already said "There is no right to vote in the Constitution")
8. elimination of stem cell research
9. flag burning amendment
10. gay marriage amendment
11. effective take over of U.N., which will be used to give the appearance of legitimacy to U.S. wars of aggression
12. no regulations on any industry
13. no worker compensation
14. no rights to civil trial to redress wrongs (except for corporations)
15. unbelievable national debt
16. elimination of taxes on the rich, including the estate tax and capital gains tax
17. elimination of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
18. development of tactical nuclear weapons and the first use of a nuclear warhead as a weapon of aggression
19. militarization of space, including nuclear missiles in orbit
20. complete deployment of the Star Wars system
21. elimination of NASA, which will be merged into USAF's Space Command
22. appointment of a neo-con as Secretary of State

etc., etc.

One of the first things * did was to ask what he could do without going through Congress. He was told he had the power of Executive Order and re-organization of all departments under his control, and that's what he has been doing. And because it's "just" administrative processes, no one pays any attention.

Oh, yeah, one last thing: there will no longer be any press conferences. Any. Ever.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

11. 23. all forms of abortion outlawed

They might even crazy enough to

24. outlaw all forms of hormonal contraception and IUD's because they believe these cause abortions also.

[in_cog_ni_to]

13. and the death penalty for anyone

who has an abortion, is homosexual, effeminate and non-christian. Here's what their agenda is. Parts have been implemented already. Have a read. It's scary as hell. :scared:

http://www.yuricareport.com/Dominionism/TheDespoilingOfAmerica.htm

[NewJeffCT]

12. a good, scary list... a few more

1) The start of the elimination of Medicare & Social Security through "privatization"

2) more media consolidation under the Fox banner with Fox becoming the one main network controlling all the news media.

[democrat_patriot]

14. Think Middle-Earth and Sauron gets the ring.

[democratreformed]

17. That thought should bring out a TRUE terror alert.

I can't even begin to imagine what he might do in his arrogance if he did not have to worry about re-election. I think that's the only think keeping him in a small semblance of check right now. A second term would mean that he could do whatever his arrogant little head desired without have to worry about an upcoming election. His party might be able to tone him down a tiny little bit by pounding it into his head that he would be hurting the chances of the party's new nominee, but I doubt it would be much.

[catmandu57]

19. Forget it

it's all over. No more America, at least none in the sense of what we've known, especially since the new deal. It's gone and the house of bush becomes the first kingdom, until some one richer and greedier steals it from them.

[Tims]

20. They would close the borders

to prevent the exodus out of the country.

Chaos, plain and simple. I learned long ago the moment you believe things can't get any worse, they do.

[CrispyQ]

24. I believe it was Lilly Tomlin who said . . .

"It's gonna get a lot worse before it gets worse."

[rastignac5]

21. A President is always less powerful in his second term than in his first

He's essentially a lame duck and finds it harder to bully Congress around.

[blindpig]

23. eviscerate the ESA

sell off the last of the old growth, privatize the National Parks and generally piss down the throat of Mother Earth.