Help me understand why you support Bush...

Help me understand. I remember sitting and watching the election returns last time around, in 2000, with a sinking feeling in my stomach. This time around, the feeling was more overpowering. After four years of Bush, I really am having a difficult time understanding why he received the support he did. I'm asking the bush supporters here to help me understand what it is about this person that has resulting in such fervent support for him and his policies. This will not be a political snipe thread! Any such comments will be deleted. This is an honest effort to help this curmudgeony independent-minded politician-hating overlord to at least understand your motivations. Thanks.

Ok I have held back through this whole political mess we now call an election.

I can bite my tongue no more.

I voted for Bush in his first term.

I will admit now that in this election I voted for Kerry.

My thinking is that some of what we see in the form of support for Bush in this election is more of a rejection of fear or terrorism... Say what you will I beleive that last moment tape from Osama Bin Laden did more than you will ever believe to both scare and inrage the american voters... They RAN to Bush!

Sorry for my 2 cents

[edit on 3-11-2004 by UM_Gazz]

Aside from the fact that I live in Texas

Look at the area that Bush swept. The Bible belt. Bush's views on abortion, gay marriage, and his public expression of his faith make him a more likable candidate for us Christian wackos. This is one aspect that I don't see Europeans or North Eastern residents of the US understanding. A large portion of Americans vote with their conscience, and not with their wallet in mind. All the states that had gay marriage amendments really brought out the conservative voters. While they were there, they voted for Bush.

After serving 6 years in the USAF, I also tend to favor the candidate who shows a stronger interest in supporting the military. Kerry seemed weaker in this area. His voting record on military spending shows his views on the American military. Kerry seems to favor letting the U.N. make our decisions. While I think a lot of our European allies are great countries, I don't trust the U.N. as an organization.

Bush does what he believes is right despite the backlash. I feel that when he says something he really means it and believes it. This can be scary at times, but I find it more reassuring that he speaks his mind. Despite being a Senator and his long campaign, Kerry is an unknown to Southern and Midwest state residents.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord
Help me understand.

This will not be a political snipe thread! Any such comments will be deleted. This is an honest effort to help this curmudgeony independent-minded politician-hating overlord to at least understand your motivations.

Thanks SO! I wanted to start the same thread as I am in bewilderment concerning the outcome of this election, but did not want to deal with the bickering that was sure to follow. I hope the majorities support of bush can be explained to me.

your feelings towards bush are not unlike the same feelings many republicans had when clinton was reelected. many felt the country had just been duped by a smooth talker into voting in a scumbag. but you know what? i gave him a chance, how about you cut your doom and gloom crap and give bush a chance? and if you can't do that, then sit quietly on the sidelines and wait just 4 years. america has spoken, and considering the fact that we voted in a republican president, a majority republican senate, and a majority republican house, i'm pretty sure the message of who and what we want is clear. and if still that's not enough to end the bush-bashing and whining, then maybe you can just take the advice kerry offered. by the way, kerry's concession speech was absolutely top-notch. and, this is aimed at no on in particular, simply all those who it pertains to. enjoy the day.

[edit on 3-11-2004 by astroblade]

if you can't or don't understand why anyone would vote for Bush, then you will never will.
i understand why someone would vote for kerry. i just don't agree with them.

There are a few reasons the huge majority of Bush supporters used to maintain the effort.

1) Breeding, this kind of thing runs deep. Same goes for the super liberal or conspiracy theorists too, so it's really a neutral fact.

2) It seems obvious to some, that trying to pass of the most liberal (and to conservatives that means socialism) senator as a moderate, just wouldn't pass the test.

3) They are jingoists.

4) They do or do not realize that the Republican Party has gone adrift from it's platform, especially in the 2000-2004 cycle. The problem here, is that Kerry would be so detrimental to the country that they voted for Bush rather than a third party.

5) They voted against Kerry, the reasons should be obvious.

6) There is no way that Republicans want Universal Healthcare or Higher taxes.

7) We could overturn abortion in this country solidly (which is the hope of many).

8) For all the minority that think Iraq was an actual threat to America, they all voted for Bush.

9) Religion

I am so sad and disgusted by this election result, I actually feel a bit of despair.

This is just my opinion, but I believe that Bush won this election strictly on the morals of Christians who oppose gay marriage, stem cell research and a woman's right to choose. That is the only way I can comprehend how he won the election, because he is so weak on just about everything else.

Bush had his chance to prove me wrong during his first term, he didn't, I only hope he can prove me wrong this time round.

Originally posted by astroblade
how about you cut your doom and gloom crap and give bush a chance?

*bites tongue for the sake of this thread*

I gave him a chance for the past 4 years and the fruits of his labor (as I perceive it) speaks for itself. You have yet to explain your viewpoint on the topic of this thread. Please attempt to do so in a civilized manner.

You know SO I will be reading the responses on this thread I want to know and understand also, and taking in consideration that I am not a religious follower, its going to be very dificult to see it.

This morning the first thing my daughter ask me was " What I am going to do now" I said to her " what do you mean" she thinks that now with bush in the white house again he is going to make very dificult for her to find a job on the field she is majoring Microbiology. She knows bushes agenda when it comes to stem cell research and the scientific comunity.

Skeptic

Ok as debunked as my mind can sometimes be by some of my previous threads, I will let you in on why I chose GW Bush for President.
#1. I honestly know he did not crash our economy, that was the Internet. I lost my job when the Internet boom finally crashed.
#2. The president signed into effect an extension on my unemployment which for the time being helped support my family and my 3 month old at that time.
#3. I also have recieved some great tax cuts for now being a small business owner besides the tax credits in my state of NJ for being a homeowner.
#4. He may make mistakes but he seems to stick to his objectives.

and cause he probably has one of the biggest sets of nads on this planet and yes, that makes me safe to know our President dont take sh*t.

there you go..

Thank you, SO, for attempting to make a thread that would talk about the real reasons people voted for Bush. Too bad some can't keep it at that.

I voted for Bush even though I am pro gay marriage, and am not religious by any means, in fact I tend to distrust all organized religion.

I voted for Bush because I believe the war in Iraq is a just war. Saddam Hussein spent 12 years in violation of the agreement he signed at the end of the Gulf War, while the world just cried and whined and did nothing. We are a safer world with this man in a jail cell.

I voted for Bush because I believe I am more capable of spending my money than the Federal Government. I fully support the tax cuts and believe they are the driving force behind the economic recovery we are in. And yes, we are in a recovery.

I voted for Bush because I belive he is a man that says what he means and belives what he says. I think no one on earth was more surprised there were not WMDs in Iraq than George W. Bush. I don't agree that he lied to this nation. I think he believed what he said, and that is good enough for me.

And finally, I voted for Bush because I had no faith in his opponent. I felt that John Kerry's platform was nothing more than a poll driven fantasy. I saw no real workable plans, only words meant to inspire his base.

By the way, I voted for Bush senior in 1992. When Clinton was elected I was disappointed, but put aside my differences and supported him as President. Though I disagreed with many of his policies, I never attacked the man or the office for the eight years he was in power. I would hope the liberal members here at ATS can find it in themselves to do the same for the current President.

Originally posted by Justmytype
#2. The president signed into effect an extension on my unemployment which for the time being helped support my family and my 3 month old at that time.

#3. I also have recieved some great tax cuts for now being a small business owner besides the tax credits in my state of NJ for being a homeowner.

Thanks JMT! These are the type of personal answers that this thread needs and not just generalizations, knee-jerk answers or simply because of the political party he is part of.

1) Religion - Multi part
War of Religionsit's been posed as a Crusade, our actions globally. It came down, in some of their eyes, being a referendum on Jehovah vs Allah
.
Gay Marriage was forced to be a distraction first, then a hot topic. Just the meat they hungered for: every election, since the Dixiecrats became Republicans, has needed some moral strawman to hang it's hat on.

The Rapture point is speaking to the John Ashkroft faction.

2) Fear - name a terror alert that has lead to anything except crowd control & distraction from some other screw up? It's the "security Mom" demographic this year, remember?

3) Dogged stubborness - regardless of the administration officials who had a reason wake up call, Republicans refused to admit they were wrong.

The biggest factor overlooked by all? This president started his 2004 campaign cycle in Feb. 2001. We had record campaign dollars accumulated married to a record number of campaign appearences. He was never encumbered by actually doing the job he was elected to; and most importantly, he was never called on it.

The Bible belt. Bush's views on abortion, gay marriage, and his public expression of his faith make him a more likable candidate for us Christian wackos.

Well that just it. To me, he seems obviously disingenuous in his beliefs, using them as a tool rather than his honest stance. While I'm an atheist, I understand the Bible very well, and know the motivations of the evangelical. To me, Bush is play-acting.

your feelings towards bush are not unlike the same feelings many republicans had when clinton was reelected

I didn't like Clinton for a 2nd term either (and didn't vote for him then).

you cut your doom and gloom crap and give bush a chance? and if you can't do that, then sit quietly on the sidelines and wait just 4 years. america has spoken

Doom and gloom is why we're here. This site is not about political cheerleading (if you haven't noticed). And I hardly think "America Has Spoken" holds weight when 52% vote for Bush... that's not even close to a majority mandate... it's barely more than half.

I felt that John Kerry's platform was nothing more than a poll driven fantasy.

I want to keep this about Bush, but I 100% agree that the Dems lost this election, Bush did not win. They simply did not present a unifying strategy and worst of all, didn't demonstrate leadership.

biggest sets of nads on this planet and yes, that makes me safe to know our President dont take sh*t.

It doesn't make me safe. Leadership is about understanding when and how compromise should happen, not about full-steam-ahead bull-headed decisions regardless of outcome. And the strange thing about the most effective leaders is that when they get you to compromise, you don't realize it, you think you've won. Bush isn't that type of leader.

I voted for Bush because..........

Bush has handled this country very well considering the shape it was in after 9/11. He has prevented any further major terrorists attacks. I agree with his decision to go to Afghanistan and his decision to go to Iraq. He has proven he had the ability to create a coalition outside of the UN and had the strength to make the hard decisions and stick to them.

Last but not least, I trust him he comes across as an honest man and that I appreciate the most. Of course there are many more but these are the most important to me.

[edit on 3-11-2004 by BlackJackal]

I'll get two obvious reasons out of the way up front, I'm from Texas--and no matter what people say about Texans, we are fanatically loyal-- and I'm a soldier. The soldier reference should not need to be explained since dbates' reply did a good job. However, I feel the need to enhance it a tad.

It is the Soldier, Sailor, Airman, and Marine that goes into combat to project America's interest in the world. It is our blood that spills into the soil of foreign lands and it is our souls that get tarnished with awful memories. We do this so that others who choose not to, or may not be fit to, can live their lives as they see fit. I at least am happy that the majority of Americans never have to witness the indescribable horror of war. In return for this life we have chosen--to be servers--all we really ask of the one's who stay behind, is to support us in our endeavors, for we are not politicians and to provide us with the tools of our trade, that give us the best oppertunity to return to the loved one's we left behind. Sadly, the Democratic Party rarely provides the support to us that the Republican Party does.

Ok, that was a bit longer than I wanted, but I felt like I needed to say it. The other reasons I voted for George Bush, is because I want someone in charge who knows his own mind. I don't care if he's the smartest man/woman in the world, he only needs what all great leaders throughout time have had: confidence. Confidence that no matter how bad the road is, that we will get to the end of it, and I felt John Kerry did not have that. He tried to project it, but he didn't. George Bush is complete confidence. Americans have not always picked the best person to be the boss, and I'd prefer John McCain have been the candidate, but Bush had the one element that I saw was necessary to be the boss this time.

ESSAYONS

[edit on 3-11-2004 by USArmyEngineer]

bout time

What the hell does this have to do with what skeptic has asked of us????

I see no reason or sense of your post in this thread...

Thanks Jonna

Skeptic, Yes there are many ways to lead which I do agree with you. I do realise sometimes in life if you are feeling bullied you have to face them fears with a strong sense of pride which I feel GWB did with Saddam by entering Iraq. Iraq has been tormenting everyone for so long that the UN had no idea's on what to do with him so "Yes" in a sense we made this our problem, not because we had to but because it was right.

Also a great leader teaches others to advance and do as they do, they are not people who are insecure with what you know and how that will effect them.

In lamens terms.. A boss who teaches his employees his job is a great leader, because this shows his confidence in allowing others to be equal.

just my thoughts

[edit on 3-11-2004 by Justmytype]

The people voted, Bush won. The world as you know it isn't going to end.

Yes I voted for Bush.

Yes, I believe abortion is murder, in all cases. If a woman with child is murdered, its double homicide. There should no double standards.

Stem cell research isn't an issue with me, and I personally don'y know enough about it to comment on it.

Yes, I believe marriage is a sacred union between man and woman. I'm not a homophobe or ignorant, they can do whatever they like accept recieve tax breaks from the government that are meant for married couples with families.

I voted for Bush because he is someone I can believe in.

Osama doesn't scare me, no he didnt influence my vote, and Im sure not to many other people voted for him because of that tape.

No, I'm not from the Bible Belt, Im from Michigan.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord

The Bible belt. Bush's views on abortion, gay marriage, and his public expression of his faith make him a more likable candidate for us Christian wackos.

While I'm an atheist, I understand the Bible very well, and know the motivations of the evangelical. To me, Bush is play-acting.

Aww...I feel better knowing that good people run THIS board atleast...

Back in the 2K election I remember in my class election that I was so vain that I voted for Bush because I didnt like Gores smile. (it looked freaky to me)

This year, obviously I support Kerry, and wielded the same sinking feeling in my gut when I heard on the radio on teh way home from school that Bush had won because Kerry had conceded.

Iv asked this same question to many teachers at my school, "Why do you support Bush??" since they are all Christians (I go to a catholic school ) they almost always say Abortion and Gay Marriage. So I also wanna see some better answers.