BS: What is Political Capital?

Subject: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: GUEST,Snoozer at Work
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 10:26 AM

I heard this term, Political Capital, for the first time yesterday, Bush used it in (I believe) a press conference. This morning, as I listened to the BBC news on the way to work, they must have used the term 5-6 times in reference to various contexts (not just Bush).
Forgive my ignorance, but can anyone tell me what this term means? What does it mean to "earn it" and how do you "use it"?

(I'm in the USA (Pennsylvania), but we get BBC News on our National Public Radio).

Thanks,
Susan

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: Peace
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 10:29 AM

Political capital is what ya think ya got when ya aren't really sure what ya got. Like having a five dollar bill left after a four day drunk.

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: InOBU
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 10:40 AM

Political capital is when you have to power to transfer the tax burden from your wealth corporate friends to poor assed succers like the majority who voted for Bush... (note Bush to a gathering of the wealthiest Americans... "Some call you the ecconomic elete, I call you my base..."
Oh well, if brains grew on trees...
Larry

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 10:45 AM

Political Capitol is what Bush lost in barrelfulls to the rest of the world.

Make that Crude Barrelfulls.

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: Wesley S
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 11:20 AM

Before this week I'm sure that "shrub" thought that "political capital" was Austin Texas.

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: GUEST,mack/misophist
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 11:34 AM

If you really don't know, it's the political equivalent of financial capital; political influence and/or momentum, the assumption that what one does will be accepted by the voters.

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: GUEST,petr
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 11:53 AM

when addressing a rich elite audience that Bush called his 'base'
(the non-arabic meaning) he also said there is where he likes to be,
'among the haves and the have mores'

speaks volumes

as for political capital, one wonders what it may be
although hes already spent the 'advance' from the last election.
(considering they acted like he had a mandate when he lost the popular vote - Im sure that now his team will act like they got
huge sweep. Invade a couple more countries, more taxcuts to the rich,
repeal more environmental laws (perhaps open the Anwr oil field in Alaska) oh and tie up some loose ends with the constitution by appointing a couple more Scalia clones (can you say Roe V Wade?)

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: InOBU
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 11:58 AM

Hi Petr: and don't forget, when Roe falls, it doesn't end there, they wont be happy until they go back to making birth control illegal, as life begins the moment you get randy.... so that US women will be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen, then the Christian right will be happier... not happy, as until their dream of a theocracy rules the world, they will have that nagging, afraid of the world - bad dog - feeling... Cheers Larry

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: DougR
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 12:03 PM

mac/misofist has it right.

Bush has it because of the magnitude of his win last Tuesday, plus the fact that Republicans made significant gains in both the House and the Senate.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: Bill D
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 12:20 PM

"magnitude"??? are you reading the same numbers I am, Doug? **51%**.....When 55 million vote AGAINST you, that is hardly a mandate. But I forget, Bush thought he had 'magnitude' when he LOST the popular vote....

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 12:28 PM

Doubtless DougR is referring to the pure raw numbers of people who voted for the Shrub. But that's merely a function of the great turnout, which also, of course, gave a very similar raw count of votes to Kerry. Only the percentages of the vote are of any consequence in this context, and he certainly didn't get any "mandate" there.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: GUEST,kaleb
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 01:10 PM

So, if he just now 'earned' some political capital with this election, what's he been spending for the last 4 years? Maybe he should think about paying some back before he goes spending any more.

-Kaleb

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: Nerd
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 02:22 PM

Actually, Bush likes to talk about a three million vote "spread" but we will never know if this is accurate. Many, many votes are never counted in US elections. Absentee ballots? Nope! Provisional ballots? Nope! Once Kerry concedes, the states stop counting. It would be interesting to know if Bush has any kind of mandate, but we won't ever know. Considering how he acted when he did not have a mandate or "political capital," I don't think we'll see much difference.

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 02:29 PM

AN OPTIMISTIC LOOK AT PRESIDENTIAL SECOND TERMS

Second Nixon term : After the largest landslide in U.S. history in 1972 (in which the Democrats win only one state), Nixon's Democratic opponents --emboldened by Vietnam and Watergate-- aggressively investigate the President, and force him to resign.

Second Reagan term : After another Republican landslide in 1984 (in which the Democrats win only one state), Democrats launch a probe of the Iran/Contra scandal, and diminish Republican control of foreign policy in Central America.

Second Clinton term : After Clinton handily wins the 1996 election, Republicans aggressively investigate Clinton's private life, and impeach him, weakening his vice president's 2000 White House bid.

Second Bush term? After George W. Bush narrowly wins the 2004 election, Democrats elect a new congressional leadership to replace the complacent Tom Daschle. Democrats aggressively investigate the Iraq War, denials of civil liberties, and security lapses before and since 9/11.

Anything can happen, because a strong opposition has less to lose in a second term.

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 02:35 PM

I don't know what "political capital" is but I can tell you what Bush thinks "spending political capital" is.

Its using every scrap of support you can muster or conjure to push an agenda as far as you can. Remember when the world and the US so strongly supported Mr. Bush after 9/11. Remember how every thing he talked about or wanted to do from energy policy, to tax cuts, to education reform, to the war in Iraq, became a critical part of the "War on Terror"? That was Bush "spending his political capital".

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 02:36 PM

When a politician—especially a president—is known to be very popular, he is said to have "political capital." This means he has persuasive power with other politicians, especially Senators and Representatives. He is saying, in effect, "The people support me. If you oppose me, your own popularity, and your chance of getting reelected, will decrease."

A politician is said to spend his political capital when he supports an unpopular cause, thus causing his own popularity to fall. He might do this out of principle, or for ideological reasons, or to appease a faction within his own party, or to support a cause that is unpopular for the time being but which he thinks will pay off by having good results later, etc.

Of course, when a politician claims to have political capital, he might be just full of shit.

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: GUEST,petr
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 04:08 PM

like John Stewart said, he's already spent the Advance
in the last 4 years.

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: GUEST,Frank
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 05:38 PM

It's "business school" speak. It means that he thinks he calls the shots.
He has "consensual" power. It also indicates his approach to business which has been reckless. The Arbusta Company went bankrupt and most of the investors were screwed by him. His brother Neil did the same in Colorado when the Silverado Savings and Loan went belly-up and the taxpayers footed the bill.

He will spend the "capital" until the country goes bankrupt like his other businesses.

Frank

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: akenaton
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 06:17 PM

Political capital is being spent at this very minute in the Iraqi town of Falluja.
A massive bombardment of the town has been going on for some time and American marines in conjunction with the "new"Iraqi army are advancing into the suburbs.

Falluja contains an estimated 500,000 civilians and fatalities are sure to be very high.
Commentators say that "insurgents " will probably leave en masse before the Americans attack, to reappear elswhere in Iraq, leaving the civilian population to bear to brunt.
Bush now believes he has a mandate to raise to the ground any towns or villages which are not under coalision control.

Political capital is the mandate to create another Vietnam in the name of the American people.

The sad thing is ....he speaks the truth...Ake

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: Cluin
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 06:41 PM

It's a term full of sound and fury signifying nothing really, though some people might think it does. More dumbass buzzwords destined for the List.

Still, the use of it does not augur well for the future. See that slouching form just west of Bethlehem?

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: Amos
Date: 28 Nov 04 - 10:58 PM

From politics I have come to believe the following:

(1) Most people are basically honest, kind and decent.

(2) The American people are wise enough to run their own affairs. The do not need Fuehrers, Strong Men, Technocrats, Commissars, Silver Shirts, Theocrats, or any other sort of dictator.

(3) Americans have a compatible community of ambitions. Most of them don't want to be rich but do want enough economic security to permit them to raise families in decent comfort without fear of the future. They want the least government necessary to this purpose and don't greatly mind what the other fellow does as long as it does not interfere with them living their own lives. As a people we are neither money mad nor prying. We are easy-going and anarchistic. We may want to keep up with the Joneses -- but not with the Vanderbilts. We don't like cops.

(4) Democracy is not an automatic condition resulting from laws and constitutions. It is a living, dynamic process which must be worked at by you yourself -- or it ceases to be democracy, even if the shell and form remains.

(5) One way or another, any government which remains in power is a representative government. If your city government is a crooked machine, then it is because you and your neighbors prefer it that way -- prefer it to the effort of running your own affairs. Hitler's government was a popular government; the vast majority of Germans preferred the rule of gangsters to the effort of thinking and doing for themselves. They abdicated their franchise.

(6) Democracy is the most efficient form of government ever invented by the human race. On the record, it has worked better in peace and in war than fascism, communism, or any other form of dictatorship. As for the mythical yardstick of 'benevolent' monarchy or dictatorship -- there ain't no such animal!

(7) A single citizen, with no political connections and no money, can be extremely effective in politics.

Source:
Take Back Your Government - A Practical Handbook for the private citizen who wants democracy to work.

By Robert A. Heinlein.

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: freda underhill
Date: 28 Nov 04 - 11:05 PM

Political capital is when an incident happens, and an interest group or the government comment on that incident in such a way as to gain a better image, either through their manipulation of opinion either for or against the incident.

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: DougR
Date: 29 Nov 04 - 12:05 AM

In the United States (can't speak for other countries and wouldn't attempt to), political capital is when: you control the White House, the House of Representives and the Senate.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: Boab
Date: 29 Nov 04 - 03:28 AM

Doug---I dare say you've noticed that the US political capital is nosediiving about as fast as the dollar? [ None o' my business--but it was hard to resist!!]

Subject: RE: BS: What is Political Capital?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 29 Nov 04 - 07:16 AM

I know waht this is=
its were one side says something bad about the other side to make themslves look better, eg
if the consevative bloke says "Oy, Tony, your'e a load of shit!" to tony blair, then that is plitical capitol.

they do this all the time, and if you've got digical telly, you can watch them, its called the Parliment Channel.