America says no to the Bush agenda: A few weeks too late

Published November 23, 2004 5:07PM (EST)

George W. Bush was quick to claim an electoral mandate despite his narrow popular vote win -- and yet this new New York Times poll shows a majority of Americans, of both red and blue persuasions, are lukewarm about his second term agenda. Among other things, a solid 2/3 majority of Americans think dealing with the deficit is a more important priority than cutting taxes further, as Bush plans. But Dick Cheney would tell them that "deficits don't matter" -- and tax cuts for the rich are his "due," his prize for winning re-election, no matter how destructive they might be. Sorry, America, you may not want to destroy our children's future, but Dick Cheney does, and guess what, you get what you paid for! (Even if you didn't pay for it.)

Or in a twist of the old Colin Powell Pottery Barn rule, they'll break it -- meaning Bush, Cheney, et al -- and we'll buy it. These could be four long years.


By Geraldine Sealey

Geraldine Sealey is senior news editor at Salon.com.

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