"most second terms have been disastrous" - Nixon
In the last 100 years, said Lewis L. Gould, professor emeritus of history at the University of Texas and author of The Modern American Presidency, "there has not been one good second term."
A Second Term, Seldom a Charm
By DAVID E. ROSENBAUM
Published: January 16, 2005
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/16/weekinreview/16rose.html
What would a successful second term for George W. Bush look like? Do those of you who support Bush consider his first term successful? What are his successes?
Pantylvania
22-01-2005, 08:35
Bill Clinton's second term included two almost balanced budgets, an average of zero price inflation, a high employment rate, the destruction of Iraq's WMD programs and a hospital, and plenty of perverted joke material for comedians.
Pepe Dominguez
22-01-2005, 08:37
In the last 100 years, said Lewis L. Gould, professor emeritus of history at the University of Texas and author of The Modern American Presidency, "there has not been one good second term."
A Second Term, Seldom a Charm
By DAVID E. ROSENBAUM
Published: January 16, 2005
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/16/weekinreview/16rose.html
What would a successful second term for George W. Bush look like? Do those of you who support Bush consider his first term successful? What are his successes?
Success is three Supreme Court justices in the next four years. Scalia promoted to CJ, Breyer, Ginsburg and Rehnquist are out. Bush replaces these three with good, solid candidaties. Scalia (or Thomas, but I doubt it) is a cakewalk, and Bush gets a minimum of 2. That's my prediction.
Iraqis take control of their security forces within four years, most or all of ours leave. That'd be success. Polls show Iraqis are eager to vote, and hopefully most of them will with few casualties. This is the insurgent's last big chance to make a real stand (other than bombing mosques and weddings like today) so this won't be perfect. But if the numbers are strong and legitimate, I think Bush pulls it off.
Social Security would be nice to get through, but not horribly important. By 2077, payments would have to be reduced by 30% under the present system, but I think we can figure it out within 72 years.
Finally, W helps Jeb cruise in in '08. :)
Save us from these "successes."
Roach-Busters
22-01-2005, 16:34
What about Coolidge? :confused:
Demented Hamsters
22-01-2005, 16:40
Success is three Supreme Court justices in the next four years. Scalia promoted to CJ, Breyer, Ginsburg and Rehnquist are out. Bush replaces these three with good, solid candidaties. Scalia (or Thomas, but I doubt it) is a cakewalk, and Bush gets a minimum of 2. That's my prediction.
Iraqis take control of their security forces within four years, most or all of ours leave. That'd be success. Polls show Iraqis are eager to vote, and hopefully most of them will with few casualties. This is the insurgent's last big chance to make a real stand (other than bombing mosques and weddings like today) so this won't be perfect. But if the numbers are strong and legitimate, I think Bush pulls it off.
Sorry to disappoint you and burst the little unreality bubble you're living in:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4198071.stm
Iraqis living abroad are being given more time to register in the country's election because of a low turnout.
By Thursday, the fourth day of registration, fewer than one in 10 Iraqis had registered abroad
What is your definition of 'good, solid' candidates? If you think highly of Scalia and Thomas, I can only assume someone to the right of Attilla the Hun.
Reaper_2k3
22-01-2005, 16:41
What would a successful second term for George W. Bush look like? Do those of you who support Bush consider his first term successful? What are his successes?
judging by his first term i would have to say a successful second term for george w bush would consist solely of not getting assassinated because i dont expect him to do anything more fucking stupid than he already has planned
Roach-Busters
22-01-2005, 16:42
Sorry to disappoint you and burst the little unreality bubble you're living in:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4198071.stm
What is your definition of 'good, solid' candidates? If you think highly of Scalia and Thomas, I can only assume someone to the right of Attilla the Hun.
Can Attila really be considered right or left? I don't think the terms were used back then.
Reaper_2k3
22-01-2005, 16:44
Can Attila really be considered right or left? I don't think the terms were used back then.
nah atila was too much to the left, bush will want some one a bit farther to the right than james dobson
Ashmoria
22-01-2005, 17:19
hmmm
a successful 2nd term....
getting us the hell out of iraq using a nice "peace with honor" plan like nixon did.
having the rancorous debate on his SS plan lead to some realistic plan to save it.
having the religious people of america realize that actions speak louder that words and that a "good" man is quite capable of doing bad things.
appointing a moderate to chief justice of the supreme court. (when it turns out to be clarence thomas it will be time to give up on the idea that bush can make any good decision)
appointing, if not moderate, then somewhat conservatives who are excellent candidates for the supreme court. (thats really not gonna happen)
having the economy improve for the little guy not just the big boys. cutting the deficit in half.
alllowing the re-importation of those "suspicious" canadian prescription drugs.
all sorts of things that just arent gonna happen
Kwangistar
22-01-2005, 17:38
A successful second term :
The 3 most likely judges to retire aren't Breyer, Ginsburg, and Rehnquist but rather O'Connor, Stevens, and Rhenquist (I think). Rhenquist and O'Connor should be replaced by solid conservatives, and then Stevens can be replaced by a moderate to placate the Dems.
Continuing to (help) keep the economy going at the pace it has been over the last year.
Reform SS so that when today's young workers retire, they're able to get some of the money they paid into the system.
Stop increasing non-essential spending as much as he has.
Fight terrorists at home and abroad, even if it means taking away civil liberties that were already gone for the drug war, anyway.
Roach-Busters
22-01-2005, 17:59
getting us the hell out of iraq using a nice "peace with honor" plan like nixon did.
Nixon's plan brought neither peace nor honor. It brought shame and disgrace to us, and backstabbed the South Vietnamese, bringing tyranny and genocide to them.
Dempublicents
22-01-2005, 20:08
A successful second term :
The 3 most likely judges to retire aren't Breyer, Ginsburg, and Rehnquist but rather O'Connor, Stevens, and Rhenquist (I think). Rhenquist and O'Connor should be replaced by solid conservatives, and then Stevens can be replaced by a moderate to placate the Dems.
^^Perfect demonstration of the inherent problem in American partisan politics.
JUDGES ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE PARTISAN.
When you read a decision from a supreme court justice, you should not be able to tell what their political leanings are. If you can, they are not solid candidates and never should have been promoted to that status in the first place.
Fight terrorists at home and abroad, even if it means taking away civil liberties that were already gone for the drug war, anyway.
"We want to protect America, but we're going to have to destroy its ideals to do so."
"YAY!!!!"
Andaluciae
22-01-2005, 20:21
Let's see...
Get two or three younger justices on the Supreme Court.
Pull off the elections in Iraq, and somehow get the violence to decrease.
No more terrorist attacks in the US.
Social Security reform of some sort...
Everyone forgetting about any of the oft talked about Constitutional Amendments of the election season.
.5% rise in employment.
Get the dollar roughly equal to the Euro.