A comment about fear/WsMD and Bush's current drop in popularity

[AP]

I heard someone say today -- and I'm mulling it over -- that Bush is losing popularity now because he had built up so much of his popularity on fear. After 9.11, he was able to scare the shit out of Americans, make them accept less in terms of wealth and happiness, push through lots of dangerous legislation, and take away health, wealth, happiness, rights, freedoms etc, and he got us into the war.

But now that people are starting to think that Iraq wasn't a big threat, people are starting not to feel afraid.

When you aren't afraid, you start to think more critically about what the hell Bush has been doing.

Discuss.

[Brucey]

1. Right, I think that is part of what is going on.

But more, there is entropy... people are just getting tired of all the shit. A friend who is a big patriot said today that she is sick of the stupid war stuff and wants it to go away (reminded me of Vietnam!). Bush's problem now is the old boy that cried wolf. If he pulls the fear stuff, he will suck in quite a few, but not as many as last time. Some will not believe him. If there is another terrorist attack, some will say it shows that his methods aren't working (though many will stick with him because they perceive him as tough). Another issue, Bush really started losing support when he asked for $87bn. That's what the American sheeple really care about. If the Dems keep reminding people about the cost, it might help them get rid of this gang.

[Journeyman]

9. Going into the $87B speech. . .

I knew he was going to ask for at least $70B, up from the original $35B the maladministration had floated around Congress in the days leading up to the speech. When he said $87B, I drew a sharp, involuntary breath, a sort of "eeep" sound. I gotta figure, if I had that kind of reaction, and I knew a big number was coming, just what was the reaction of Mr & Mrs Oblivious next door? So yeah, I agree with you: the price tag for Iraq opened a lot of eyes, and what they've seen in the days since hasn't been a comfort whatsoever.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Yep that is what is going on

and the fear is no longer working at many levels

Now most of us were ahead of the crowd and even told people, this
is what they are doing... now people go, remember when, I ...
so I also credit us for some of the wake up

[dennis4868]

6. I even told other Dems....

that Bush is lieing to us about the Iraqi threat, sat on his ass before 911 and did nothing, and is trying to scare the crap out of everyone to pass through legislation for his buddies....and all I got from them was a laugh in my face. They would say, "Bush is the President and we are at war with the terrorist and we must give him the benefit of the doubt. Now they have completely changed their tone and are mas as hell at Bush and his cronies. I want to say, I told you so but there is nothing to be happy about now. We have to overthrow this government and send them back to Texas.

[radfringe]

3. Poll numbers drop and we get terra-lert

Terror Polls

I think he's shouted "TERRA TERRA TERRA" too many times for anyone to be paying real attention

He has TWO boogie-men to throw out at us. First is TERRA TERRA TERRA whenever his polling numbers go down or if there is something in the papers that needs diverting

Secondly, to continue to be a cash cow for GOP, all he has to do is to raise the specter of Hillary running for President and the money pours in.

So he scares the public with Terra, and his GOPer boot lickers with Hillary

[Cappurr]

4. And he's lost a lot of credibility...

Raising the color code and nothing happens. Telling the American people Sadaam has a preditor that can drop an atomic bomb here in the US. And his having the "most terrible weapons known to mankind". But when attacked, nothing happens. No weapons are found. So Bush changes the reasons for going to war. People are stupid.....but not that stupid. They know we are in a real mess in Iraq and they know whose fault it is.

[sangh0]

8. Yep, it's the credibility

If you have credibility, then you have Teflon, and nothing sticks. If you don't have credibility, then everything sticks, true or not.

[displacedtexan]

5. and don't forget...

that total changes in lifestyle, like born-again christianity, last about 3 1/2 years. (no offense to born-agains. i just can't think of any other examples right now. i learned this in logic class.)

anyway, it's been 3 1/2 years of * chaos and terror.

[ProfessorGAC]

7. Bandwagon Effect In Evidence Here

The part about fear is correct. But, as time goes on, it's human nature to become complacent. Nothing bad happens, one stops worrying about bad things that MIGHT happen.

So, the activities of daily life in America come back into focus and folks don't like what they see. Many in middle America start to look a little less foggily at what's going on, hear the dissenters, and think to themselves, "Maybe they've got something there." So, approval falls.

As approval decline begins to accelerate, the real bandwagon effect kicks in. That's when the underinformed, or uninformed, jump on the bandwagon going back down the hill. They begin to dislike Bush just because lots of other people are starting to dislike him. They approved before, without knowing why, so now they disapprove without knowing why.

This is a well-established sociological construct. It's no less damaging for a president to be disliked by people who aren't sure why than to be disliked by people like me, who do know why. Underinformed people still vote!

The root of the wagon changing direction and going downhill, allowing the bandwagon jumpers to come aboard, is the complacency. Since fear was all li'l Georgie had, the less fear, the more trouble he gets in.

The Professor