Morals won the election for Bush

[Dennis G]

The Great Relearning
Let it begin.
By Bill Bennett

Well, it wasn't the Clinton economy we longed for; and it wasn't just the war on terrorism that occupied us. Ethics and moral values were ascendant last night — on voters minds, in Americans' hearts. To be sure, every anthropologist loves his own tribe, and I have long advocated a stronger tie between politics and the virtues. Last night it was evident that the American people agree.

Ohio, which may very well have lost more jobs than any other state, delivered President Bush his electoral victory. West Virginia looks much the same. Alaska, a relatively libertarian state, voted against decriminalizing marijuana — despite the proposition to do so vastly out-funding the movement to keep it criminalized. And the eleven state proposals to ban the redefinition of marriage all succeeded overwhelmingly.

On this last point, one veteran political reporter told me, "I heard again and again from people connected to, and members of, black churches who did not look kindly on gay marriage, and were very motivated against it. They, more than anyone else, did not see it as a civil right — and were angered by those who claimed it was."

The national exit polling conducted by the Los Angeles Times confirms all these findings, showing that "[M]ore than half of Bush's voters cited moral issues as a principal reason for their support — more than any other issue, including even terrorism." In fact, morals trumped terrorism by seven percentage points in the Los Angeles Times poll.

Having restored decency to the White House, President Bush now has a mandate to affect policy that will promote a more decent society, through both politics and law. His supporters want that, and have given him a mandate in their popular and electoral votes to see to it. Now is the time to begin our long, national cultural renewal ("The Great Relearning," as novelist Tom Wolfe calls it) — no less in legislation than in federal court appointments. It is, after all, the main reason George W. Bush was reelected.

— William J. Bennett is the host of the nationally syndicated radio show, Bill Bennett's Morning in America, and the Washington Fellow at the Claremont Institute.

[Dennis G]

I love what happened in the elections and what it portends for our nation. We soundly defeated the liberals at every avenue, and gave UBL an "up yours" in the process. It's been a wonderful day and I believe that President Bush will take the gloves off in his second term and will push through as many conservative policies as possible, will go after the terrorists even harder, mop up Iraq with an all-out assault on the terrorists and maybe most important, nominate several conservative Supreme Court Justices. There is hope.

[moughoun]

let me just get this straight........is that "gambling" Bill?

[szr]

we soundly defeated the liberals at every avenueIn the name of being a good sport, I'd hoped to hold back in posting this until the Republicans have had time to celebrate, but your arrogance is as laughable as your hopes for the next 4 years are implausible. For every 100 people who voted, bush got just 3 more votes than Kerry. That's a 3% difference. Clinton defeated Dole in '96 by 9%, and look where the Democrats are today. Good luck to the conservatives with doing just half the things they'd like with the money they're going to have on hand. When they're not able to deliver, because of huge budget shortfalls, those who will be held accountable are those who are in charge. Republicans own the House, the Senate, and the Presidency. Republicans own wholly the burden of delivering. They've got to deliver for the people who voted for them, and they've got to deliver for the other half of the country.
;)

[Allmont]

Hmmmmmm..... :roll: :roll: :roll:

Actually, I've never cast myeslf to either political party. Nor as I grew up as a kid in a very democratic state do I call myself a catholic... tho I attended church every Sunday with several other events, that to this day, I would not ever force my children to attend. Instead, I continue to remind my kids as often as I can that you must ALWAYS ATTEMPT to treat others the way YOU wish to be treated.....because that about wraps up the entire ten commandments....

I'll move back on to Kerry and the election.... Hmmmmmmm....... thoughts of Kerry..... :|

As I sit in my current situation, (which in the long run began when 9/11 hit ..but I couldn't see it at the time.)... I can tell you one thing for certain...... that today....... after very little sleep.... I finally laughed my as* off for a couple of minutes..... on about three hours sleep.....

I can't ever remember an election stressing me out off and on and for so long as much as this one did. I think it all depends on WHAT your ultimate decisions are from the aftermath of 9/11, how you were affected from it, what your current situation is... and how far you're willing to actively commit to help put a stop to future terrorism.

Some seem to strongly believe that we must remain almost like still mice and "HOPE" that in doing so, it will justify to some lunatics no means or reason by them to attempt to blow-up 3,000 more civilivians at one time here in the US...... or someplace else. The EXCUSE they give is....... we're tooooooo arrogant so we deserved it.... and I've sat here and read posts, (just like Kerry's views), that Bush is often blamed as the cause for 9/11 or for the next hit?????
.....HELLO..... :roll:
KNOCK......KNOCK........KNOCK...... Hello???? :roll: :roll: :roll:
GET REAL!!!
It appears to me that be it democratic or republican that it's a sick jealousy of our great economy, life style and power...... it's unfortunate but true. We will continually be hated by some for as long as we are on top and many wish to see the US fall into despair and poverty.....much like the terrorist way of lives themselves.... but they'll claim it's for their religeous beliefs.

Democratic or Republican.... It doesn't matter who's elected in reality.... that's not going to change the next sick terrorist's excuse for an attack
from those that laugh about it like five year old kids playing hide and seek in caves & cloaks .... And for foreigners that make negative comments to us..... many stating we deserve it, the next bombing doesn't necessarily mean it will be the US again..... It could be any country next to inlcude your own.

Regardless of all of this.......and although I don't claim to be a Republican nor a Democrat, my views have changed over the past 8 years...... and I found myself laughing my as* off today, at an odd time, after about three hours sleep... I turned on the radio and unexpectedly heard a funny disco type song, then it led into a made up version of that song....."Who Let The Dogs Out.... You know the song.....

Only it was refraised......

"WHO'S IN THE WHITE HOUSE??????!!!!
BUSH BUSH BUSH
BUSHBUSH"...........
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
I couldn't help myself..... I laughed so hard I could hardly breath...... I mean I could not stop laughing for a while there.....and when I did catch my breath...... I took it upon myself to take about thirty seconds and I started spastically dancing around the room ... all the while laughing at the same time...... It was truely the best laugh I can remember having in a long...... long...... time.
I guess you can tell who I've been rooting for as president Huh?? :roll:

[mobster]

it's done, kerry is a has-been who blew a ground ball and whose party will cast him aside like the damaged goods he has become. good riddance.
America has chose,
and it was not the traitor/lurch/uglyfamilyhaving/mofo named john with the 3 foot face.
to all who voted for W, thank you. to all who are in the service regardless of who you voted for, again, thank you. eveyone else, seek help or move to Canada or France.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/viewimage/ohiowned.jpg

[Flagg]

it's done, kerry is a has-been who blew a ground ball and whose party will cast him aside like the damaged goods he has become. good riddance.
America has chose,
and it was not the traitor/lurch/uglyfamilyhaving/mofo named john with the 3 foot face.
to all who voted for W, thank you. to all who are in the service regardless of who you voted for, again, thank you. eveyone else, seek help or move to Canada or France.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/viewimage/ohiowned.jpg

I think you meant to use the word chosen.

I expected better from the resident spell-checker.

Considering half of those in your state, and most in your chosen industry voted for Kerry I bet they dislike you as much as we here at milphotos.net do mobster.

Now please reinsert your head back into your oversized sphincter.

[aartamen]

Clinton won over Dole due to every possible reason except morals. He also was bent over and repeatedly rectally examined with a plunger by the Republican Congress. There's no comparison between the party power split between Clinton 2nd term and W2.

Also Clinton was very un-liberal when it came to the actual legislature. The true liberals felt deeply betrayed by him and never missed a chance to bray about it.

And the conservative Supreme Court will be there for a decade or more after W2 is over.

[usa320]

love what happened in the elections and what it portends for our nation. We soundly defeated the liberals at every avenue, and gave UBL an "up yours" in the process. It's been a wonderful day and I believe that President Bush will take the gloves off in his second term and will push through as many conservative policies as possible, will go after the terrorists even harder, mop up Iraq with an all-out assault on the terrorists and maybe most important, nominate several conservative Supreme Court Justices. There is hope.


Word. Im hoping in the next four years we will see a resurgence of good old, traditional, family values that are associated with conservatives. The youth of America really need it. They are getting lazy, disrespectful and ignorant, and its time they learn good morals. Respect. Dignity. Honesty. Integrity.... THings like that.

[aartamen]

I think the ignorance part is incurable. There's something in the air.

[Sir Zach of R.]

Am I ignorant? :lol:

[aartamen]

Are you asking me?

[Undo]

Morals didn't win crap.

The democrats blew it. I am no fan of W, but I couldn't bring myself to vote for Hanoi-John. He talked crap about his shipmates after Vietnam and continued to disperage the troops until late in his campaign. I couldn't bring myself to put someone like that in the role of C-n-C. If there had been just about any other dem on the ticket they would have gotten my vote. On top of that, his wife is about as anti-American as they come. She might as well be a Finn ( ;) )

Thank the democrats for being incredibly short-sighted/blind and giving W a second term.

[[SAB]Grey]

Word. Im hoping in the next four years we will see a resurgence of good old, traditional, family values that are associated with conservatives. The youth of America really need it. They are getting lazy, disrespectful and ignorant, and its time they learn good morals. Respect. Dignity. Honesty. Integrity.... THings like that. Please define what "family values" are.

[Kaplanr]

Please define what "family values" are.

You know. Abortions in the back alley, blacks in the back of the bus, Jews and Catholics can only go to certain schools, seperate but equal education systems, advances in scientific research accomplished in Japan, China and India, relaxing of EPA standards, elimination of workplace protections laws and OSHA standards. Oh, and civil liberties ranking somwhere behind tax-cuts and prayer in school as a national priority.

[[SAB]Grey]

That does not sound good at all.

[Kaplanr]

The democrats blew it.

And have been doing so for some time. I think they have two problems. One is the personality caliber of their candidates. Remove Clinton and we're talking Carter, Mondale, Dukakis and Kerry. As stiff as he was, Gore seemed a little (just a little) earthieer than the others. I'm not criticizing their intelligence or positions, but they couldn't sell the goods to Joe and Jane six-pack, and they couldn't really relate to them either.

The other problem I see is the "coalition" they always talk about was good to elect FDR and a Governor of NY or Mayor of NYC, and thats it. Jews, Blacks, Catholics, labor, and Hispanics don't have a wide range of common interests anymore; probably more conflicts than they'd care to admit. Jews and Catholics are increasingly not homogenous voting blocs anymore. Their other issue is trying to take the reasonable middle ground on social issues, and instead they just come off being mealy-mouthed.

Before the Republicans here jump on me, look who they trotted out at the convention, and who does the talk show circuit: Rudi, Pataki, Arnold and Sen. McCain. Put them up for office and they're just as likely to get my vote as Bill C. was. Even Tom Ridge and Colin Powell are not true believers of the party's social or values agenda.

[TALOS]

Please define what "family values" are.

You know. Abortions in the back alley, blacks in the back of the bus, Jews and Catholics can only go to certain schools, seperate but equal education systems, advances in scientific research accomplished in Japan, China and India, relaxing of EPA standards, elimination of workplace protections laws and OSHA standards. Oh, and civil liberties ranking somwhere behind tax-cuts and prayer in school as a national priority.
Sorry Kaplan but thats just silly, you ignore all the truly decent hardworking, religious/non-religious, rep/dem, white/black etc etc that worked hard to fight many of those things.
To say family values equates to for instance, back alley abortions or blacks in the back is just hateful pettiness over losing the election.
You dont believe in values? fine, but dont belittle others who do. Funny how tolerance flies out the window when its the left who have to be tolerant. :roll:

[Kaplanr]

I'm allowed my one rant of the year. What I object to, is the effort that too many Republicans or Conservatives make, with radio jocks being the worst of them, that draws a conclusion of: if you don't support our guy, then you're against these things that are true and good.

The cookie was sure smart who went into West Virginia and spread the rumor -- elect Kerry and he'll confiscate all the bibles. I just have a really hard time listening to the Pat Buchanans and Pat Robertsons of the world talk about family values and ethical living and the "good old days." I see alot of code in there that means darker things.

My brother votes Republican, but for him its a pocket book and perceived libertarian issue. In general he thinks the Republican values crusade is an opportunistic crock. I can't wait to see what they do to a guy like Barak Obama.

51 or 52% of the electorate does not a mandate make. I'd hope that President Bush would make a greater effort this time around to be President of the US, and not just President of the red states. Angelinos, New Yorkers (maybe except Brooklyn) and Bostonians are just as much Americans as those folks in Casper, Sioux City and Gering, Nebrasksa.

[aartamen]

It might not in your eyes but 55/44 and 230/203 does in mine. There will be changes.

/ominous snickering in the dark

[Kaplanr]

55/44 maybe. But it was 51%, maybe 52. To me that means that 1 out of 2 people have sincere difference and reservations about some of the directions we should take as a nation. What compounds it is the debate is never factual or reasoned, its emotional and base.

Say stem-cell research and the immediate response from the right is: that means legitimizing abortion. Abortion is not and does not need to be the source of stem-cell lines.

[ElHombre]

what will really be fun is when bush's fiscal policies finally collapse. borrowing half a trillion dollars from china and saudi arabia each year won't work forever. and then the balloon pops. taxes will go up. way up. and the tax structuire is now geared to make the burden of paying on the middle class. that will put a huge emotional burden on them.

but don't worry, gays still won't be allowed to marry. now, go dig in the dumpster for some food.

[Vox Populi]

I love how morals decided the election. It's so pathetic, are we living in the 1400s or what? Give me a break.

Watch out, the Gays are destroying "the family"! They'll convert your kids and sodomize Jesus himself!

Sad really.

[TALOS]

I love how morals decided the election. It's so pathetic, are we living in the 1400s or what? Give me a break.

Watch out, the Gays are destroying "the family"! They'll convert your kids and sodomize Jesus himself!

Sad really.
You find it pathetic? you are the one who should decide for the others what they believe? but arent you complaining that others are saying the same thing, that they as a majority in a vote get to decide?
In other words, its ok to be intolerant as long as we are intolerant of people you disagree with?

[Pralix]

Bush won with a majority not with a plurality. It is safe to say the majority of the country supports him.

As far as stem cell research goes...

The main sticking point some people have with parts of this is sorta due to abortion. First it is illegal to sell human body parts, this includes blood. Look at blood banks vs. plasma centers. Blood banks do not compensate you for your blood. They may reward you with a cookie and juice but that is about it. Plasma centers on the other hand compensate you for your "time" because they can't legally pay you for your plasma. Now look at that in terms of the embryonic stem cell issue. Some people claim that this research will pay off big in terms of benefit to humans and in a monetary way. That being said, the value of the raw embryonic stem cells would be very high. Since you can't legally sell human body parts you can't legally cell embryonic stem cells. That wouldn't stop companies for paying women for their "time". Now we have a situation where some women are getting pregnant just to get an abortion in order to "sell" the remains.

As a society do we really want this kind of thing to happen? At that point it is not a matter of birth control, it becomes a matter of monetary gain.

Just because scientists say something can be done, doesn't mean it should be done. Lots of people have objections to genetic engineering. That field can be a boon or a bust for the human race. There does need to be some kind of scrutiny on some of this stuff to make sure it wont harm anyone

[ElHombre]

There does need to be some kind of scrutiny on some of this stuff to make sure it wont harm anyone

and what kind of standards would you choose to make that choice? scientific, theological, or some mix of both? with bush, it'll be nothing but his 'gut feeling' which by his own admission is straight theological.

[Pralix]

There does need to be some kind of scrutiny on some of this stuff to make sure it wont harm anyone

and what kind of standards would you choose to make that choice? scientific, theological, or some mix of both? with bush, it'll be nothing but his 'gut feeling' which by his own admission is straight theological.

There is really no clear cut answer. Sometimes it is better to step away from a problem and look at it from a distance. I doubt Bush will be as bad as you are saying he will be. Some kind of balance must be made. Bush hasn't outlawed all stem cell research. There are other scientists who don't think stem cells are going to be the pancea that others make them out to be.

[California Joe]

Word. Im hoping in the next four years we will see a resurgence of good old, traditional, family values that are associated with conservatives. The youth of America really need it. They are getting lazy, disrespectful and ignorant, and its time they learn good morals. Respect. Dignity. Honesty. Integrity.... THings like that.


How old and traditional do you want to get? This country will never be Leave it to Beaver again. The bible belt types that voted this President back into office percieve him to be a paragon of moral righteousness. That in itself is bizarre. How the hell do they really know what he's up to? These are the same people one generation removed from people who's idea of morality was lynching ******s for looking funny at a white woman. You could still go to churchSunday though.

Conservatives are supposed to represent fiscal restraint and limited government, and newsflash: come back from planet Father Knows Best the more conservative parents are, the more kids rebel. I blame that damned Elvis Presley, and rap music.

[mocking_loudly_died]

I blame Jesus for rapping about Elvis.

[moughoun]

Word. Im hoping in the next four years we will see a resurgence of good old, traditional, family values that are associated with conservatives. The youth of America really need it. They are getting lazy, disrespectful and ignorant, and its time they learn good morals. Respect. Dignity. Honesty. Integrity.... THings like that.


How old and traditional do you want to get? This country will never be Leave it to Beaver again. The bible belt types that voted this President back into office percieve him to be a paragon of moral righteousness. That in itself is bizarre. How the hell do they really know what he's up to? These are the same people one generation removed from people who's idea of morality was lynching ******s for looking funny at a white woman. You could still go to churchSunday though.

Conservatives are supposed to represent fiscal restraint and limited government, and newsflash: come back from planet Father Knows Best the more conservative parents are, the more kids rebel. I blame that damned Elvis Presley, and rap music.

word, as you yank's say p-)