The hurricane and it's aftermath may cause people to vote
against Bush in Florida.

The reasoning is that the problems will last for another couple
of weeks putting it very close to the election.  People tend to
associate the cleanup with governemnt in general and will tend
to be pissed off at government in general.  Also, they will tend
to do this even more given that the governor (state government)
is a Bush.

Now, of course, there is no evidence that any of level of
government (local, state, fed) has been anything than right on
in this emergency.  But, the fact is, people will be pissed due
to the inconvenience (at the very least) that the hurricane has
caused.  Many people, of course, have suffered more than just
an inconvience.  They may direct the anger at the federal
government in November.

AN

PS Try to evaluate the theory and respond if you care.  Don't
just rant and name call which is standard for this forum.

...  people think that disaster relief is a government responsibility (they pay taxes for it).  Only in a restaurants do we pay extra if people do a passable job.

When the government ran the post office, reps used to lose their jobs if mail service was poor -- nobody ever got reelected because it was good.

Harry

BTW, only 12 more days until I will expect some kind of announcement from you!  Looks like Rummy will stick it out, and I might add, serve a second term.

Couple of weeks won't be close to the election. :P

Seriously, though... I disagree.  Too many photo ops for the Ruse Brothers...lots of oppoortunities for "compassionate conservative" display.  Also, most people in this election have their mind made up anyway.  Those who don't I think are going to toss a coin on 11/1.

It will take weeks after we're into September to get repairs
done.  Certainly that's close enough to be fresh in peoples
minds as they go to the polls.

AN

It is a golden opportunity. W will flood Jeb's state with federal disaster aid, and put his own men in charge of managing it. But it also gives W yet another major opportunity to make a mess of it.  Given W's penchant for doing this, and his constituency's penchant for shrugging when he does, anything could happen.  

Unfortunately, another thing that could happen is that it could just make Florida's voting system into a bigger mess than it already was.        

/Zin

I have heard that this will boost W's poll numbers because he showed up at the disaster sites and promised to help. If anything like 9/11 where he promised to help NYC and the city still has not seen the money he promised, it will not be realized until after the election is over, or ignored and glossed over.

On the other hand, this should not boost W's poll numbers. He is doing what a president is SUPPOSED TO DO. Nothing more, a true president is expected, no, SUPPOSED to show up after disaster. Something daddy Bush failed to do after Hurricane Andrew.


What is wrong with the people in the USA? Have we become so used to mediocrity that when someone actually does the job they were hired to do (or appointed in this case) that we must congratulate them? Pat them on the back? Say thank you for going out of your way and doing the job you are SUPPOSED TO BE DOING YOU FUCKHEAD???

I suppose that he fucked up so many things in the past that he does deserve a pat on the back and hopefully the peoples lives return to near normal and clean up gets done as expeditiously as possible.