"I earned capital in the campaign and now I intend to spend it" -- George W Bush

[zonkers]

(for complete quote, scroll down)


Sometimes, like right now, we need to take a lesson from the other side. And we need to take advice from Mr. Krugman. All this talk of reconciliatory gestures, i.e. cabinet appointments etc. feels like psy-ops and I wish it just made me scratch my head but it makes me pull my hair out.


Bush's 2004 quote restated in its entirety:

"I earned capital in the campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it. It is my style. That’s what happened in — after the 2000 election. I earned some capital. I’ve earned capital in this election, and I’m going to spend it for — for what — what I told the people I’d spend it on…"

[doc03]

1. Bush just got elected and re-elected by the skin of his teeth and

most people think both were rigged anyway.

[phantom power]

2. I agree, there are some things we *should* adopt from the GOP, and that is one.

Give the GOP and inch, and they take a mile. Give the Dems a yard, and they take six inches, and start mumbling about Keeping Their Powder Dry.

[yardwork]

3. Yes! knr

[hedda_foil]

4. Yeah, Georgie, and how did that turn out for ya?

Let's not forget that he used it up in a "let's privatize Social Security" tour.

[BeyondGeography]

5. We have nothing to learn from Bush's second term

He accomplished nothing.

Actually, there are some lessons. To the extent that there were any specific policies Bush ran on in 2004, they weren't popular. Privatizing SS, e.g., which he really didn't push at all in his campaign. Obama's position on tax cuts, which he stated at every rally, gets 60-70% approval, so that does qualify as actual political capital.

[Angry Dragon]

6. Yes .... President Obama has a Super Mandate .... the people have spoken

[PoliticAverse]

7. And he used that 'capital' to push Social Security reform which went nowhere. n/t

[VWolf]

8. So long as it's spent wisely, I have no problem with this.

Political capital is an investment - if you use it properly, it can pay great dividends.

I trust our President knows how to invest.