Republican's idolatry of Bush

[jmags]

This is something that confuses me more than anything. If any democratic President had resided over the statistics over the last four years (ie record surplus to record deficit, 1 Mil lost jobs, 40,000 losing health care, etc) not to mention the gigantic fuckup that is Iraq, I don't see how that President would have any chance of re-election.

Yet I was looking at a poll tonight, which showed that Republicans are 25% more likely to say they're enthusiastic about they're candidate than Democrats. This really concerns me. I know many will point out, correctly, that the media plays a part. But I firmly believe there is something in the mental composition of Republicans that most Dems fail to posess.

The recall of Governor Grey Davis in California is a perfect example. California, supposedly a liberal bastion, recalls their governor because of the percieved failure of his administration. Nevermind the fact that the energy crisis has later been shown to be concocted by companies like Enron and enhanced by Bush's refusal to instill price caps, Californians, many Dems included, perceived him to be a failure.

The result? His approval ratings plummeted. While the recall and everything around Ahnold's election was suspect, it does not take away from the fact that Davis's ratings were consistently in the low 30's by the end of his term.

Yet here we have a President who's record, both domestic and foreign, has been ten times as bad as what happened in California. Yet despite this, Bush is paraded like some kind of golden calf, whom criticism of is forbidden and scoffed at. It's a dangerous mindset, and one I will never understand.

Any thoughts?

[coloradodem2005]

1. I agree.

It is one of the reasons I am so mad. I think that Davis was intentionally screwed. Meaning that this was not his fault even though he was blamed for it.

[checks-n-balances]

2. I really do agree with you on that - it certainly isn't rational

Bushco's success depends largely upon keeping voters ignorant, uninformed, unthinking, manipulated, short-sighted, selfish, nationalistic, terr(or)ified, uncritical (of him) and compliant.

Those are all characteristics of worshiping idols/false gods. You're right, too, in mentioning the story of the Golden Calf. People had lost sight of their real priorities & purpose in life, distracted by an attraction to a gold object that they could make bigger and better.

How ironic is it that the very people who want the 10 Commandments to hang in halls of justice cannot see the parallel between the idolatry in that story and their own behavior?

They treat GWB, the GOP, and its ideology as above and beyond criticism, because they personally benefit from those policies (or so they have been led to think). In other words, they are treating them like gods who can give them what they want, so they give them unqualified allegiance.

Idolatry is an appropriate name for it.

[ComerPerro]

3. Has later been shown? Hell, we knew it was Enrons fault before the recall

Sorry to seem like I am jumping on you over this...

I agree completely.

I don't understand how they can be so sycophantic about anyone, especially someone as idiotic and uninspiring as Bush.

I really think some people are afraid to admit that Bush is a fuckup and a dangerous moron. If they admit to themselves that Bush is a failure and an idiot, then that means they have been supporting a failure and an idiot. So, they instead pretend that everything is great, that he is their savior and inspiration, and that everything wrong is someone, anyone, else's fault.

I used to wonder how Nazism and fascism spread through Germany like a wildfire, I wonderd how a nation could support such a terrible man with such enthusiasm and how they could stand by while crimes were committed in their names.
I don't wonder anymore.

Now I know, because I have lived through the Presidency of George W Bush.

[jmags]

11. Yes..."we" did, but most people did not know that.

[BurtWorm]

4. It's because 25% of them are thrilled to have an alleged

Christian in the WH. That's where all the enthusiasm is coming from.

[AndyTiedye]

5. It is ALL About the Media

The media adores Bush* and all other Republicans
and hates the Democrats. Their news coverage reflects
this, day after day.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

6. I share your confusion & frustration!

One of my best friends and I both share the same confusion and frustration about how Bush is more or less worshipped by the GOP and to an extent the rest of the American public and our media in spite of a damning record of failure and/or neglect that would've had the GOP foaming at the mouth if we had a Democrat in office right now not to mention that a majority of polls supposedly indicate that many people feel that our country is not heading in the right direction. So, the answer to taking the country in the right direction is to elect a President who helped take our country in this WRONG direction? It doesn't make good sense to me. If a majority of the public thinks that we are going in the wrong direction, why is Bush or the GOP for that matter so popular? My only explanation of the Bush "phenomena" is that they are clinging to Bush because they believe that he represnts their last best hope of maintaining power just as us Democrats are clinging to Kerry as our last best hope for recapturing the White House and possibly even regaining control of Congress. I have a feeling that many GOP feel that Bush is vulnerable and they are certainly pulling out all of the stops to make sure he gets another 4 years even though I'm not sure that anybody really knows exactly WHY they want Bush to be President. He really doesn't have any real record to run on. 9-11 happened on his watch (why 9-11 should work to HIS advantage at all is baffling!) at a loss of +/-3000 people, the economy has been rapidly shedding high-paying jobs and sending them overseas leaving people with less income and many without health insurance. The tax cuts have not seemed to make most taxpayers any richer in the long term and despite claims that the economy is recovering high-paying jobs still seem to be disappearing and more people still seem to be losing their health insurance coverage at an alarming rate (thanks again to the GOP for helping ruin the Clinton health plans. I'm not sure if anybody really knows much about what he plans on accomplishing during his next term other than likely getting us involved in more misguided and mismanaged military adventures abroad in the name of the so-called "war on terror," possibly even leading to the return of the draft. His domestic agenda, from what I've been able to divine, seems to be more of the same proposals to privatize Social Security and to try to encourage more Americans to own stocks even though most people I know can barely afford to pay their bills let alone buy stocks. Why the average person feels that Bush deserves another term, I dunno. I guess it's either because they are woefully misinformed about what is going on in the world (from listening to incessant right-wing talk radio of course) or they (somehow) sincerely believe that Bush is a good decent person that (seems to) share their values and isn't some pointy-headed "liberal" who (god forbid) takes the time to really think about important issues facing our country and how to address them instead of resorting to simplistic and dogmatic solutions and charging ahead on ill-conceived policies and refusing to change course even when it is clear that it needs to be done.

[gospelized]

7. part of conservativism

is insecurity. this is why they are more likely to hate gays, minorities, women, etc. anyone who makes them feel uncomfortable about themselves is automatically bad.

because of that insecurity, they need to have something to attach their ego to. hence where Bush comes in. that's why they will never admit wrong. they make excuses for his miserable failures, because they've attached themselves to him. so if he is wrong, they are wrong. and their insecurity would never allow them to admit that to anyone, especially to themselves.

but what do i know.

[Karenina]

8. Also described ih this thread...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2354682

[linazelle]

9. Those kinds of polls are used when the other ones aren't favorable

Yeah, 25% may be enthusiastic and may even vote for * but that leave 75% who aren't. Keep it in perspective. They ask biased questions to gain any perception of a lead.

[jmags]

10. Unfortunately, that wasn't exactly how the poll was set up

There was a question posed to both Democrats and Repubs how enthusiastic they were about their candidate. 80% of Repubs said they were 'very enthusiastic' while only 65% of Dems said that.

It's hard for me to project my mindset to that of a Bush supporter, but if I was a firm believer in conservative ideology, I think while I may vote for Bush, it certainly wouldn't be enthusiastic.

I'd agree that insecurity and cognitive dissonance plays a big part in it, but the level and rabid degree I've seen it exhibited to in the last four years (and especially the last few months) is a bit...frightening.

And while the media is an obvious culprit, whereas so many people you talk to are completely uninformed about the details of any of the positions they fervently back, in my experience, even when I show Bush-backers the correct details, they still scoff. One small example would be the Bush "My Pet Goat" video from 9.11. I just can't imagine too many democrats making excuses for that behavior were Gore in office. Perhaps some would say that the inaction didn't make a difference and Gore's later actions made up for his previous inaction. But Repubs can't even do that. We get these ridiculous and pathetic excuses like the "he didn't want to scare the children" line. Yet, we all know, had Gore ignored terrorism the same as Bush in the months preceeding 9.11, and had Gore acted in exactly the same way as Bush on 9.11, we would have never heard the end of it.

I wouldn't be surprised if another impeachment trial were attempted.

[Karenina]

12. And y'all DARE

diss the Germans in the 30's and their heirs ... :eyes: