Shalrirorchia
03-11-2004, 18:00
George W. Bush's victory in the 2004 election confirms the relative strength of his political model, as envisioned by Karl Rove and executed by Bush-Cheney Inc 2004.
A President with a failing economy and saddled with an unpopular war nevertheless managed to decisively defeat his Democratic opposition by controlling the focus of the campaign, turning attention away from his own record and launching serious attacks on the credibility of Senator John Kerry.
This should be viewed in the light of Bush's political strategy in general. George W. Bush governs to the right of where his father was. The general MO is not to negotiate with his political adversaries, but to destroy them. The effectiveness of this strategy is obvious: Democratic seats fell everywhere yesterday. Senators Kerry, Edwards, and Daschle were foremost among the victims of the Republican rampage. The American voting public has clearly given the Republican Party a mandate to pursue a far more conservative course by reinforcing GOP majorities in the Senate and House, as well as putting more Republican governors in control.
The European nations have already begun to react to the re-election of President Bush, sounding hopes of a more moderate second Bush term. At the same time, however, this might be viewed as wishful thinking. The Administration governed from the Right during its' first term...empowered by re-election and stronger majorities in the Senate, it would seem likely that they will pursue an even more radical conservative direction in the second term. This last is, of course, purely speculation based on available facts.
A President with a failing economy and saddled with an unpopular war nevertheless managed to decisively defeat his Democratic opposition by controlling the focus of the campaign, turning attention away from his own record and launching serious attacks on the credibility of Senator John Kerry.
This should be viewed in the light of Bush's political strategy in general. George W. Bush governs to the right of where his father was. The general MO is not to negotiate with his political adversaries, but to destroy them. The effectiveness of this strategy is obvious: Democratic seats fell everywhere yesterday. Senators Kerry, Edwards, and Daschle were foremost among the victims of the Republican rampage. The American voting public has clearly given the Republican Party a mandate to pursue a far more conservative course by reinforcing GOP majorities in the Senate and House, as well as putting more Republican governors in control.
The European nations have already begun to react to the re-election of President Bush, sounding hopes of a more moderate second Bush term. At the same time, however, this might be viewed as wishful thinking. The Administration governed from the Right during its' first term...empowered by re-election and stronger majorities in the Senate, it would seem likely that they will pursue an even more radical conservative direction in the second term. This last is, of course, purely speculation based on available facts.