MrPresident
Anglo-Saxon Liberal
I am reluctant to start another George Bush thread but I have become interestingly intrigued by the approach of all sides of the political landscape (Left vs Right, America vs Europe and so on) to the man. Speaking just from my own experience there is a level of hatred towards Bush that I have never seen directed towards anyone else, and that is matched by the support from the other side. The purpose of this thread to investigate this emotional response. Now politics has always been the domain of emotion and probably always will be but at this current moment in time the level of emotion seems far higher than me than in living memory. People on both sides resort to emotion to form their views far more than they resort to rational thought. And even when they do resort to rational thought they led emotion guide their actions. A person now, especially where I am (a European university), do not oppose Bush because of his policies so much as the man himself. They do not just oppose the war in Iraq or his stance on the environment (to take just two examples) they also accuse him of underhand motives or downright insult the man as just being interesting in money and power. They cannot simply debate the issue giving the benefit of the doubt (and respect) to Mr Bush. They cannot possibly concieve that he just approaches the issue from another point of view, however wrong they consider that view. To take another example, tax cuts, they cannot think that he thinks tax cuts to the rich are the best way to simulate the American economy or that he thinks the previous tax levels for the rich were unfair. They accuse him of 'doing a favour' for his rich buddies and business associate who got him elected. It is this level of mistrust and disrespect that intrigues me. What is it about this President that generates such a reaction? Is it that his views are so far removed from those who oppose him? Is it his straight-talking approach that they find so diffferent? Is it his Texan or oil industry background that causes the mistrust? Is it something wrong with the people and nothing to do with the President? Has society changed and we now instantly distrust those in power rather than giving them the benefit of the doubt and that Bush happens to be the wrong guy in the wrong place at the wrong time? Is it that religious influence on Bush? Is it the stubborness of the President that has created this situation, hardening those who oppose him and vanishing any hopes of compromise? Is it the dramatic difference between media-friendly Clinton and straight-talking Bush? Why is it that Bush supporters are just as veherently against his opponents as the opponents are against Bush? Is that a reaction against the level of hatred shown by the opponents? Or are the supporters responsible themselves in a sort of pre-emptive kind of way? What do you think?