this post was submitted on 30 Oct 2023
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Just watched the Boy Boy video on George Bush’s Masterclass, and they made me think about which U.S. President was actually worse.

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[–] cecinestpasunbot@lemmy.ml 48 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Okay but Bush actually stole a presidential election.

[–] Jaytreeman@kbin.social 31 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If Trump was competent, he'd have been much worse.
He tried to start a war in Venezuela and failed.

[–] cecinestpasunbot@lemmy.ml 9 points 1 year ago

I think their administrations likely had equally bad intentions. The incompetence of Trump’s administration just means they acted more erratically. They were also much worse at getting press on their side and worse at covering up their actions.

[–] its_prolly_fine@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] cecinestpasunbot@lemmy.ml 43 points 1 year ago

Bush sued to stop a recount in Florida that would have likely led to Gore winning the 2000 presidential election. A conservative Supreme Court majority sided with Bush and stopped the recount. It makes Trump’s whole “STOP THE COUNT!” look amateurish in comparison. Bush actually was able to stop the count and got away with it.

Gore didn’t want Americans to start questioning the legitimacy of our democracy so he conceded. The rally around the flag effect after 9/11 helped quash any further criticisms of how Bush came to office.

[–] ShellMonkey@lemmy.socdojo.com 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The electoral college stole them both an election, neither of them actually won their first term popular votes. With Bush it was just more screwed up because of it all coming down to a handful of votes in FL and however many recounts with the court eventually calling it quits. One of the few times where the popular and electoral votes didn't agree but 2 withing 4 presidential terms isn't a good sign. At some point we need to get rid of that arcane getup. Land doesn't vote but those guaranteed 2 electors that every state gets ends up with places out in the middle of nowhere getting more votes per capita than actual population centers.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_presidential_elections_by_popular_vote_margin

[–] mindbleach@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 year ago

The same assholes were involved both times. Roger Stone walking free is a symptom of national failure.

[–] popcap200@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago

People like to say this, and I get it, I get the controversy, and I get why, but Florida was a statistical tie. A thousand recounts would have ended at the same spot of more infighting. The supreme Court was conservative leaning and decided in favor of the conservative to no one's surprise. If the supreme Court was 5-4 liberal, Gore would have won.

The whole issue is so much more two sided than people realize. For example, the person who invented the butterfly ballots was a Democrat politician.

I am not personally in favor of the court's ruling, I wish Gore had won. The world would be a MUCH better place without GWB having won the presidency.