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Who do you think is more responsible for today's current state of our economy ?
18% -Pres. Obama
58% - Pres. Bush
That's a whopping 40% margin. Considering that 39% of the respondent were registered republicans & was conducted by Fox News, that's glaring.
You have to give some republican voters credit. They have been able to differentiate between propaganda by Rush Limbaugh & some GOP politicians as compared to the Real World.
It will take years for the GOP to fully recover from the Bush years.
This poll by Fox just reinforces the views of most mainstream republicans like myself. We sadly acknowledge some major errors & mistakes by then Pres. Bush. America would not be in this mess today if not for blunders by Bush & the GOP led congress.
Its is the RIGHT WING fanatics in our party who blindly, without reason, blame a 9 month sitting President for today's mess. Don't worry, Obama will make very likely create his own mistakes.
But to tie this National historic Economic mess to Obama just destroys our party credibility. It also turns off even more independents.
This national deep recession has been felt in ALL 50 states. Some states in very traumatic terms like Michigan, california, Florida.
Name me one sitting Governor, GOP or DEM who is running for reelection who is not struggling to the finish line. This national federal economy will destroy many current Governors & Senators regardless of party. State voters need someone to blame.
McCain paid the ultimate price for Bush's screw-ups. The GOP led Senate & House paid the ultimate price in 2006 & again in 2008 in landslide fashion.
If we had a republican Governor for the past 4 years, you think he would have stopped this massive unemployment, budget problems, real estate crash in NJ ?
This is a national problem. The Wall street/banking collapse is in our backyard. Close to 1 million Jerseyans work in NY. Many at high paying jobs that were eliminated.
Rising unemployment, rising need for benefits, rapid declining state revenues- where would you suggest the NJ Gov't get money to keep the state & its people moving ???
Its questions like this that separates the "educated republican voter" vs. the Joe the Plumber Republican masses who spew nonesense.
If we had an incumbent Republican Governor today, that republican would be in BIG BIG trouble next week. The national depressed economy has really directly hit all states. Ask Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzeneger of California - he'll tell you.
Bush started the spending spree, but it was a bipartisan effort of lunatic lefty Democrats and impotent Republicans that spurred the mortgage mess by forcing banks to lend to unqualified people all in the name of "diversity" in home ownership. For his part, Bush was largely the anti-conservative fiscally and spending went through the roof.
Only problem is that Obama is doing pretty much the same thing Bush did - only worse. It's funny, as much as he talked about "change," Obama is pretty much continuing every Bush policy under the sun aside from healthcare and cap-and-trade, both of which will WORSEN the economy in terms of employment and innovation.
First, I believe the OP belongs in the national politics section since it concerns national polling.
Look as a republican leaning voter, i have never blamed prez Obama for this mess. How in the world can I blame someone who after just two weeks of being nominated as his party's nominee for prez- faced a Near, Total, historic Collapse of the entire US economy as we know it. He had not even won the general elections,yet, the entire stable of so called "financial experts" of all stripes- left & right, liberal & conservative ALL agreed that our nation's Economy was in the brink of ruin not seen in many many decades. All our country's best financial minds agreed that the Next President of the United States was Very Likely looking at 4 Long, Slow Years of a Painful, Sputtering, shocking experience of Economic hardship never seen since possible the 1930's. Regardless if the next prez was a GOP or a DEM, NOT A SINGLE CREDIBLE FINANCIAL GURU predicted a smooth or easy recovery.
Of course, since we are in the Ugly world of politics, you have some Republicans including many High paid $50 million dollar a year characters like Limbaugh, Hannity, Milken, Coulter, Savage doing their thing that made them rich & famous. They do what they do best. They whip up a storm, get millions of rank & file base "Joe Six Pack" republicans All Angry & Excited. All these so called " Shock Jock Millionaires align with the Conservative right wing politicians with ONE MESSAGE ONLY.
Let's blame Obama for this whole mess! Let's detroy this guy from the very beginning. Let's stop any plans he has. Let's pin the near collapse of the economic on this New democratic prez. Let's pin the close to $ 4 trillion deficit that Bush accumulated in his 8 years on Obama. Let's also blame Bush's failures on another democrat, Bill Clinton. Let's be the party of ANTI-DEFICIT & let the american people forget what bush did to our deficit. Crazy crazy stuff !
now for most educated voters, particularly educated republicans & educated independents- they understand 100% the task facing Obama, the things he is trying & has tried to do, and the plans he intends to do. Regardless if they agree with him on all issues, they see that he is trying to do what he thinks will solve our biggest immediate problems. Have you wondered why this guy Obama's Approval rating continues to be high enough despite of a Very bad financial situation?
Again, this guy Obama has a Very Clear Mandate! Our right wing republicans keep forgetting that. Our right wing brothers & sisters cannot seem to grasp that thought. Mr. Prez Obama won overwhelmingly & won with a strong mandate. Voters gave him the GREEN Light to do what he promised to do. Healthcare reform, massive spending to stimulate the economy, etc
Bush got us into TWO VERY COSTLY, DEADLY & UNPOPULAR WAR without ANY CLEAR voter mandate from the American people. In fact, Bush was the 1st American president to LOSE the POPULAR vote in 100 years ! ( only the 2nd person in history). And up to this day, you will still find millions of democrats & independents who have already concluded that Bush became Prez because of a GOP led Supreme Court.
Many of our Joe & Jane Six pack republicans forget all these facts. Bush NEVER GOT A MANDATE. Even his victory was questionable to many. Yet, he went on & did his thing vigorously. Decided to go to war against two countries. He did Massive Borrow & Spending that QUADRUPLED the national deficit. He supported Full Deregulation of our financial mortgage system
For the most part, Obama is doing what he promised he would do. That includes following the advice of many of the best financial minds in his adminstration. A stimulus package, a bailout when necessary, healthcare reform, and cutting of unnecessary waste.
For those who did not vote for him, what are you demanding a different agenda when he won & Mccain lost ? The last time I checked- The majority rules in this country.
Some republicans should stop being parrots. Many of the things you keep repeating & spewing make no sense. this is the divide facing educated republicans vs. the GOP uneducated masses.
great lauren! what's my advice to all you adults? Make sure your kids get a college education. Without an education, so called " leaders" can manipulate your mind. Joe the plumber was a tragic case of that. Education & Income will be the future barometer of Class & discrimination. Not race.
there's a reason 82 of the 100 most educated counties in america voted for Obama. While 88 of the least educated counties in america went for McCain. There is a clear education divide in this country. and the democrats are winning that battle.
yeah, i really wouldnt blame bush or obama for the current economic mess. i would say that both of them seem to be doing (or done) their best to screw things up even more.
i dont understand why people feel that by lying and pretending they are right-leaning that gives more credibility to their liberal bs.
listen lauren, it is the job of every republican and right leaning politicians and american to fight every single thing barack obama is trying to do. why? because he is trying to use leftist tactics (expansion of government, class warfare, higher taxes, socialism, etc.) to "save our economy" which will ultimately put us in a worse position. nothing he will do is good. so the notion of "giving him a chance" is absolutely silly if in fact you are right leaning. communism isnt the solution.
i dont understand why people feel that by lying and pretending they are right-leaning that gives more credibility to their liberal bs.
listen lauren, it is the job of every republican and right leaning politicians and american to fight every single thing barack obama is trying to do. why? because he is trying to use leftist tactics (expansion of government, class warfare, higher taxes, socialism, etc.) to "save our economy" which will ultimately put us in a worse position. nothing he will do is good. so the notion of "giving him a chance" is absolutely silly if in fact you are right leaning. communism isnt the solution.
Problem is "right leaning" in US terms defines Attila the Hun as a lefty liberal.
CaptainNJ- can you show me where in my posting did I say I was right leaning? Republican leaning yes. Registered Republican yes. Voted for Bush twice yes. Now let me ask you. Where did you learn that you have to be a right wing leaning nut in order to be a Republican? Who put in your head? Rush Limbaugh? Maybe the old Bob Grant ? or maybe the hot & sexy Ann Coulter?
CaptainNj- in the "real world", majority of americans are neither right leaning or left leaning. That's the real world. Not the world according to talk radio.
In the world on New Jersey towns like Mendham, Basking Ridge, Essex Fells, Upple Saddle River, Alpine, Bernardsville, Far Hills, Short Hills, Chester, Summit - there are thousands of Republicans who do not follow nor understand your " Joe Six Pack, Joe the Plumber" mentality.
The great Tom Kean was neither left or right. Christie Whitman was neither left or right.
If you cannot comprehend that, Join the plumber & move out of NJ. Its is right wing nuts like you who are ruining our party.
Republicans who say complimentary things about a Obama when he does something good does not make us less Republican than Joe the plumber.
You have this Rush Limbaugh mentality that either you attack democrats or you are not a real democrat. Please! And people wonder what has happened to the party of Tom Kean.
Do me a favor. Make sure your kids get a good education. Or this will be cycle of ignorance that never ends.
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