Newsweek:Bush and Republicans Have Little Margin for Error,Have Weakened Reputation

Newsweek ^ | 10-3-05 | Howard Fineman

[Crooked Constituent]

I remember betting on the Green Bay Packers to win against the Cowboys in the early 1990's because I wanted the Green and Gold to win. The Packers got thier butts kicked every time.

The MSM media is much the same way, making predictions on wishes rather than reality.

[counterpunch]

Being fiscal conservatives is what brought Republicans to power, and now that they're trying to buy themselves goodwill with the taxpayers money, they're going to find all of their advances wiped away. This would be a huge disservice to all of those who actually believe in Republican ideals.

Saying "the Democrat's aren't liked much either" is no excuse, we deserve better than having to settle on Liberal-Lite because the alternative is even worse. That's not why we put Republicans in power, and Democrats will be happy to continue voting for their candidates long after Republicans can no longer stomach voting for theirs.

Republicans should not rely on a public perception that the Democrats are even more fiscally irresponsible. It's getting to the point where people are starting to question that conventional wisdom in earnest.

The only way Republicans can retain their power is if they renew their Contract With America, and build upon it for a 21st century republic. They will have to show real commitment, and real movement on this front.

First thing is Bush must not buckle to political pressure to nominate a "consensus candidate." He needs to fulfill his promise again, as he did with Roberts, and show that he's willing to fight for him. And this is no time for senate Republicans to go wobbly either. If they do, then they can forget about their agenda going anywhere until after the 2006 election, where it will be going straight to the trash heap when the Democrats take over.

They will also need to move immediately on stripping out all pork and cutting non-essential spending from the budget, the (wasted) energy bill, the highway (robbery) bill, and most of all the Katrina relief bill.

Americans are compassionate and want to help the gulf region recover, but we also don't want to be taken for a ride, nor do we want to give anyone a free one.

Once the spending in Washington is cleaned up, then they can turn their attention towards tax reform.

Immigration is a winning issue for Republicans, despite the demagoguery from the Left. They need to wake up to this. They at the very least need to be careful not to allow Democrats to get to the Right of them on this issue, because that is what just might happen. It shouldn't be their number one priority though. That leaves them too vulnerable to Democrat attacks about neglecting things such as the budget and the war.

About the war, it should pretty much take care of itself as the political process moves forward in Iraq and Saddam's trial begins. No worries there. Bush is not about to go soft, though he would certainly benefit from talking about our ideals regarding Human Rights and our goals for a free Iraq during the trial, just to bolster his approval ratings and those of the war effort.

Finally, Republicans must answer the charges from the Democrats about "corruption". They should not allow themselves to fall into the trap of believing the Democrats lack the credibility to level it. It dovetails with the perception that they're pigs at the trough. This combination is a powerful image that already exists in the public consciousness left over from the Democrats of the late '80s. It can easily be transferred to the Republicans. It is far easier to transfer an existing perception to someone else than it is to create a new one. Look no further than George W. Bush. Most of the accusations the Left tries to pin on him originally belonged to Bill Clinton (draft dodger, liar, coke-head, country hick...)

The Republicans must not merely answer these corruption charges from the Democrats, they must expose it for the premeditated political strategy it is. It is not exactly a secret that Howard Dean and company have been planning this as their central 2006 election strategy. Dean believes, and has said so many times that the Gingrich revolution was because people had a perception that Democrats were corrupt and abusing power, and Democrats must copy this strategy in 2006. Republicans must bring forth the evidence and connect the dots in this, the real conspiracy. The Democrats must be the ones put on the defensive for their desperate sleezeball politics.

Nevermind that Dean has it all wrong and is off by about 5 years anyways. This is the power of self-deception. Dean can't face the real reason why Republicans swept in 1994 and have held the House since: because ideas matter, and real Republican ideas and ideals will win everytime... which takes us back to the beginning.

[roses of sharon]

Hilarious, a DNC rag writes an article about the evil, corrupt, devious, vile, sinister, racist, and murderous Republicans, AGAIN??

[longtermmemmory]

Newsweak struggles onwards to create NEWs-da-torials.

It seems there is a unified if not coordinated effort by the left to create good news for the left by grasping at all possible indicators.

It is akin to hitler in the bunker grasping for non-existent reinforcements.

[Nick Danger]

Oh look, an article in the media that says the Republicans are hosed.

Yawn.

[GVnana]

Revised Headline- "Newsweek Has Little Margin for Integrity: False Reports
Have Weakened It's Reputation"

[bray]

WERE DOOOMED, DOOOMED!! Just like the last 3 elections!

Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters

[DJ Taylor]

"...and the list goes on."

Godless communists, socialists, traitors, criminals, perverts, race-baiters, parasites, pseudo intellectual elitists, and the feeble minded. Did I forget anyone else in the Democrat Party constituency? Oh yes, don't forget the baby killing abortionists.

[pollyannaish]

The funny part to me is that the headline implies we ever had a margin of error.

Truth? No Republican has a margin of error with the press and Democrats have huge margin of errors.

Why? Because the dems are willing to lie...and the msm is too lazy to get off their collective backside and discover that.

[kcvl]

Newsweak & Howard Fineman talking about a "reputation" is laughable. They never had a reputation, IMO!

Some backbenchers were gloomy and resentful, but unwilling to say so on the record, for fear that the vindictive DeLay might survive.

At least he has the balls to be "vindictive" unlike the weasel "backbenchers".

[DTogo]

Bush and Republicans Have Little Margin for Error; Gas Prices, Gulf Coast and Iraq Have Weakened Reputation

Wow, a truthful headline from the MSM!

[TheForceOfOne]

Joan Jett "Bad Reputation"

I don't give a damn 'bout my reputation
You're living in the past it's a new generation
A President can do what he wants to do and that's
What I'm gonna do
An' I don't give a damn ' bout my bad reputation

Oh no not me

An' I don't give a damn 'bout my reputation
Never said I wanted to improve my station
An' I'm only doin' good
When I'm havin' fun
An' I don't have to please no one
An' I don't give a damn
'Bout my bad reputation

Oh no, not me
Oh no, not me
I don't give a damn
'Bout my reputation

lol

[cricket]

Just mean the MSM deserves a 'congratulations'. . .

. . .their lies; spin; degradation of every and all efforts of President Bush; their relentless efforts to degrade this man before the world is for this moment; paying off.

[PGalt]

Weaknews by Finepropagandist.

[StAnDeliver]

Newsweak: More of Moe Howard Fineman and his Magical Thinking! Plus Ventriloquism with Moe and his DUmmies Jonny "The Talking Donkey" Falter & Eleanor Piffle!

I do so look forward to Fineman's faggy titter almost every Monday on Imus. Particularly fond of a moment earlier this summer, where Moe Howard's voice went up another octave to where only dogs can hear as he yapped endlessly about Rove and Rove and Rove, only to have Don cut him off in the fifth minute by saying, "You got nothing. You got nothing and you know it."

[kcvl]

Kicked out of Baylor's pre-med program for drinking-related offenses, DeLay turned to politics in the late 1970s, winning a seat as a Republican in the then Democratic-controlled state legislature, and became everyone's friend. A great dancer and partyer at the local honky-tonk, by his own admission, DeLay was drinking "8, 10, 12 martinis a night at receptions and fund-raisers." Then, in 1984, he was elected to the U.S. Congress and discovered Jesus. Born again, he quit drinking hard liquor and became a fierce moralist.

Dear Howard Fineman & Eleanor Cliff,

Bill Clinton was snorting COCAINE with his brother and RAPED a woman as governor of Arkansas. He was getting blow jobs in the oval office while carrying his bible to church on the same day.

He was IMPEACHED for lying in court and lost his law license!

The two of you were kissing his *ss!

STUFF IT!!!

[paudio]

Republicans Have Little Margin for Error,Have Weakened Reputation

I actually kind of agree with the title of the article. Bush and some Republican have weakened reputation and relatively little margin of error. But, not among the Liberals or so-called Moderates. It's among some conservatives. His FDR-style promise on Katrina, no serious border plan, quickly denouncing Bennet, and muling to nomitate Gonzales... these are important issue for (some) conservatives.

[Waco]

The MSM has given us the best reason to put a GOP candidate in as C.I.C. Think about it. The MSM looks over his shoulder CONSTANTLY. THAT'S what we want! They should do the same if it's a RAT but they back off for him. Let em $pend their $$$ on our behalf. When it's klinton's chicom $$$$, they bury their head and move on. So, let em run but make sure they flop big time. It'll take em years to wake up.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

" Some backbenchers were gloomy and resentful.."

Howard Fineman must bring out the worst in people.
His associates sound like they are one step away from dialing a suicide hotline.
Just a few days ago, he was reporting that the Democrats were crawling out on the ledge and now his Republican contacts are shopping for razor blades.

Demoralized Dems
Why the party has so little faith in its political prospects.

WEB EXCLUSIVE
By Howard Fineman
Newsweek
Updated: 1:10 p.m. ET Sept. 28, 2005

" With George W. Bush’s presidency mired in the muck of hurricanes and doubts about the war, you’d think Democrats would be bursting with energy, eagerly expecting to regain power.
But, in a roomful of well-connected Democrats the other night, I was struck by how gloomy they were."

[bray]

Bush and Republicans Have Little Margin for Error,Have Weakened Reputation

He's right, all we have are the House, Senate, WH and SC; if were not careful we may take the MSM??

Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters