British Expatriate Network

So, I have to live through four more years of Bush.

Well, I've survived 4 already,so I daresay I'll manage another, even if he does get nuttier as he gets to grips with having nothing to lose now. It's not my fault and there's nothing I can do about it, so it's time for me to move on.

I didn't vote for him, I couldn't vote against him, and I know there's a whole other world out there if it all gets too much here. Bit of a shame because America is a really nice country with great potential and I've been the happiest I've ever been here, but I know out is a possibility. So I'm over it. I'll live with it. And in a way I have something to thank Bush for -I had no interest in politics prior to my move here, I couldn't tell a policy from a polar sea. But this time I really really wanted to vote and have my say -I felt strongly aboout many of the things being voted on. So I guess Bush made me sit up and take notice.

And now I'll just watch as America realises they pressed the self-destruct button. And hope that I get the vote in time to help pick up the pieces if I am still here.

But for now, business as normal -pay my taxes, get no say in how they get spent..... ;)

My sentiments too Monster.
I just remember 4 years ago wishing Bush in instead of the twit. Would we have felt the same about Kerry, 4 years from now. wink They are all the same evil

:roll:



I'm amazed the world hasn't ended by now.

Well, I suppose as I was in the Anybody But Bush camp I'm not that sad. It's just you never know what stupid thing Bush will do next, and that's what scares me.

I'm hopeful that it won't make much of a difference to my life, and to be honest, where I've most missed not having a vote is in my local elections.

What I do find disturbing is the amount of prejudice that has now been legalised. That's what bothers me.

I have moved on and it's good to see democracy in action, and if this is what people want then that's cool too.

Talking of which, anyone watch Tom Delay's acceptance speech?

That scared me....

Obama in 08? Yep.

Back to work. Glad I have more than enough to keep me happy and I have a dog to play with for as long as he's with us....

Andrew )

Oops, forgot the ;) :P, requisite when communicating with all too common yet surprisingly humourless republicans.

:lol: ( ;) :P )

Another plus, at least Jon Stewart won't run out of fun material for the next four years.

HU, instead of putting in little sarky comments here and there, why not put forward why conservative is the way to go? Kentgirl started a thread on this two weeks ago and there wasn't a single person willing to stand up for the conservatives on the board.

Horatio just wants his tax cuts and investment interest left alone.

I have to say I'm quite surprized at the widespread doom-and-gloom feeling. I think it's important to recognize that the absolute fear non-Bush supporters had that Bush would win is exactly how staunch pro-Bush supporters felt about him losing. And for some of the same reasons. Pro-Bush people really believe that if Kerry were elected the US would be on a catastrophic path, that the war on terror would go terribly wrong, etc etc. Both sides only conclusion for the other guys positions were that they must be corrupt. Both sides were convinced the other sides supporters were mad.

And watching Newsnight last night really rammed home the oddness of it. Paxman basically said to Christopher Hitchens "so why are the American people mad? Isn't Bush retarded?" Hitchens tried his very best to point out that America cannot be viewed with European eyes, and made some points about how American politics is becoming as ideologically defined as European politics already is. Then Robin Cook was given free reign to state that Blair will now obviously lose the election, and then mumbled some stuff about how "Dick Cheney systematically has installed militant neo-cons into the number 2, 3, and 4 positions of the country." Paxman finished by asking an economist who would have been better for the American economy and ergo British. She laughed quite hard and said "of course Kerry for both." It finished by explaining America had been taken over by people akin to David Koresh. And Bush got new people to vote - gay-haters, mountain men, people a chromosome short, etc.

Now these things are subjective, and I supported Kerry, but it's that kind of narrative I don't understand. It's as bad as Fox. I find it a very narrow view of American politics. It's not as bad as mainland Europe by a long way, but it starts from the viewpoint that one guy does not have good intentions, and is possibly mentally ill. It removes any chance of the election of Bush having been done by reasonable people. I don't feel that way. I understand why people voted for Bush, some of them are things I believe. But I do not think that this is one big screw up, the world is in peril, and I should think about leaving the US. I do think Americans voted in the lesser man, but that they did, and it's time to get on with life.

Pilgrim, you need to change your sigline to
"I'm George W Bush and America approves this mess."

Hubby and I were talking about this last night and I wondered if it was a case of 'better the devil you know' situation with Bush. Similar to Churchill being voted in again? Americans are scared. Add to that the threat of the anti-christ knocking on their doors.


I don't believe things will get any worse. apart from the fact that they probably can't! roll You never know, there is also that very slight (million to one) chance that things could improve, that in 20 years time when analysts look back on Bush's time in office and decide that he did the most amazing job and is the number one president of all time! wink lol

I'm not that scared, I don't think it's the end of the world or anything. In a way I'm happy because we can look back and say "told you so" when things go to pot in the middle east and we've got no money to buy any more aircraft carriers, whatever.

Just will be an interesting 4 more years from a historical perspective. Lucky I live in smalltown IL where I'm safe from terrorists, I can just sit back and watch what happens.

Never mind, I got a few answers from some bright sparks on the BBC site;

http//news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/3981669.stm

I voted for Mr Bush because he stands for the values as defined by the word of God.
Mike McF, Frisco, Texas, USA

Its amazing how many times religion and god is mentioned...

I think you hit the nail on the head right there. Very well put. Finally it explains a bit to me how people I like could vote for Bush.