Talk Elections

Will the possible outbreak of BSE hurt Bush and if so, how? Could he lose support in key farm states, for example Iowa?

A majority of the residents of the states would have to come down with the human version of mad cow disease in order to vote for Dean.

Why blame Bush?  Blame Canada! (they had a BSE-infected cow earlier in the year I think)

What does this have to do with the 2004 election?

The news I am hearing is that the cow with Mad Cow is from Canada.

It has to do with the rural farming states, the Breadbasket. It won't make or break the election though, unless everyone got mad cow and voted for Sharpton or Kucinivich.

It won't make a difference.

The incumbent tends to get damaged by bad things happening, regardless whether he has actually done something wrong or not. Secondly, I read in the paper that Bush might be forced to go up against the meat industry, which could hurt him financially (or, if he doesn't, he could be hurt in the public opinion). But you are probably more updated than I am, I just read about it in my morning paper, and it claimed that it could possibly hurt Bush reelection chances, not dramatically of course. For the record, I am not suggesting that an outbreak of BSE will prevent Bush from winning. Just that it might be harmful, and the Dems need everything they can get.

Are you saying that mad cow disease will hurt bush's chances of re-election?  I hope you're kidding.

If it turns out to not be a big thing, than obviously not. The first information I received gave a more apocalyptic image. As it seems now, obviously not. Still, had it been a real, widespread outbreak making people stop buying meat, with some dying and a heated debate about who's to blame, then it could have hurt him, yes. Otherwise not. I don't see why you think it so absurd? Anything bad happening will most likely harm Bush, just like anything good will help him.

True. Like Truman said: "The Buck Stops Here!"

You have a greater change of catching small pox then mad cow.

Yeah, actually I think the risk of dying from your TV exploding is bigger than BSE. But the risk of ying from smoking or driving is much bigger than, sy, the risk for dying in a terrorist attack, plane chrash or an assault by criminals. Still, people gladly smoke and drive, but they are afraid of flying or going through town alone at late nights. It is all about perception, and I know thet in Europe these things have occasionally been big issues.

BSE hurt the Tories over here a hell of a lot and in 1997 several seemingly safe Tory rural seats were lost to the Liberals and most of the rest of them are marginals nowadays.

Thank you, some support at least! According to the latest news I've heard it seems like it's a Canadian thing and will hurt them instead.

ah, but we allowed the cow in our country. Didn't our inspectors take notice? Do we properly train our inspectors? Not enough money is spent on the U.S.D.A. or the F.D.A.

Yeah, that could still impact a little but believe me having people stop buying meat is much, much worse. Now you can still eat your own meat, which should be enough. That's what we do in Sweden!