Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Don't Be Bearish on Bush
Forbes Magazine ^ | October 31, 2005 Issue | Steve Forbes

Posted on 10/24/2005 8:50:35 AM PDT by West Coast Conservative

Nothing goes right these days for President Bush and congressional Republicans. If elections were held now, the GOP would be routed. Many of the wounds are self-inflicted--reckless spending, a botched Social Security initiative, a slow response to the Hurricane Katrina disaster, a seemingly uninspired pick to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, tactical mistakes in Iraq (e.g., an inadequate number of troops), unwillingness to be bold on tax reform. Compounding these missteps is an out-for-blood media and an abusive Texas prosecutor.

But a year in politics is equal to a century in normal life. The President and his party can turn the tables before next year's congressional elections.

President Bush has not done a Ronald Reagan-like job in explaining Iraq to the American people. But despite the errors, the bottom line is that Bush's bold gamble to recast the destructive politics of the Middle East will work, especially if Iraq's December national legislative elections go well, as is likely. The disheartening violence against our troops comes primarily from a handful of areas. Many of the insurgents are not Iraqis. Iraqi security forces are growing, both in numbers and competence. Rebels no longer shut down the country's electricity grid or disrupt the flow of oil.

President Bush can still call for spending restraints; he does, after all, have a veto card to play against Congress' spending bills. The public would applaud him for it. People are disconcerted by the White House's seeming abdication of leadership here.

Establishing tax-free enterprise zones in our devastated Gulf region would be a masterstroke. The area would recover quickly. New Orleans could once again become a vibrant, prosperous metropolis, something it hasn't been for decades.

(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; US: Louisiana; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: bush; conservatism; delay; economy; forbes; iraq; katrina
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-39 last
To: sinkspur
If you actually believe that Gary Bauer or Alan Keyes wouldn't have been laughingstocks in the first two months of their presidencies, I have a bridge to sell you.

Not necessarily...It took George a little longer than that...

21 posted on 10/24/2005 11:42:22 AM PDT by Iscool (Your choice...The Party, or the Republic...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Iscool
It took George a little longer than that.

When did it happen?

Oh, that's right. You uber-conservatives started laughing at Bush when he began the liberation of Iraq.

22 posted on 10/24/2005 11:48:55 AM PDT by sinkspur (If you're not willing to give Harriett Miers a hearing, I don't give a damn what you think.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: sinkspur
Oh, that's right. You uber-conservatives started laughing at Bush when he began the liberation of Iraq.

When we going to liberate Indonesia, and China, Russia and Bangledesh???

23 posted on 10/24/2005 11:57:04 AM PDT by Iscool (Your choice...The Party, or the Republic...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Iscool
When we going to liberate Indonesia, and China, Russia and Bangledesh???

Huh???

24 posted on 10/24/2005 12:08:01 PM PDT by sinkspur (If you're not willing to give Harriett Miers a hearing, I don't give a damn what you think.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Cicero

The so-called conservatives are going to make it almost too easy for Dubya to wrap his arms a McCain/Guiliani 2008 ticket.


25 posted on 10/24/2005 12:12:54 PM PDT by medscribe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: West Coast Conservative
Steve Forbes

Well that just signinicantly lowered my opinion of him. He managed to hit every single DNC spin lie. Guess somebody needs to clue him in on Free Republic so he can get the facts.

26 posted on 10/24/2005 12:15:14 PM PDT by MNJohnnie (I'll try to be NICER, if you will try to be SMARTER!.......Water Buckets UP!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sabramerican

Forbes reminds me of the Joker (as played by Jack Nicholson). All Forbes needs is a little makeup and voila! the Joker reborn.


27 posted on 10/24/2005 12:16:29 PM PDT by lilylangtree
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: jveritas

"Here we go again, the Buchanaites and third party morons on FR are out for blood to get the President."

Someone needs to counter the moronic K00lAid drinkers.


28 posted on 10/24/2005 1:48:44 PM PDT by taxed2death (A few billion here, a few trillion there...we're all friends right?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Sabramerican
Forbes would have made the better President.

I like Forbes, but for the fact he couldn't get 10% of the vote he would have been great fiscally. At this point it looks like the Punditocrisy is piling on.

Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters

29 posted on 10/24/2005 1:54:45 PM PDT by bray (Iraq, freed from Saddamn now Pray for Freedom from Mohammad)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: EagleUSA; Huck
You guys are just backstabbing elitist sexist traitors to the GOP, that's all.

I'd laugh at your comments but I'm too busy crying because they're so true.

30 posted on 10/24/2005 2:15:40 PM PDT by LibertarianInExile (Miers: A meticulous, detail-oriented woman...who forgets to pay her bar dues twice.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: sinkspur
If you actually believe that Gary Bauer or Alan Keyes wouldn't have been laughingstocks in the first two months of their presidencies, I have a bridge to sell you.

Hold on, you forgot to mention Hatch and McCain. The all or nothing real conservatives are leading us to what they usually end up with...nothing. And they are irritatingly obtuse in not understanding the role of the Republican Congress in all they complain about.

31 posted on 10/24/2005 2:25:23 PM PDT by Dolphy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: West Coast Conservative
The President and his party can turn the tables before next year's congressional elections.

I keep on readin this, but I don't see the GOP doing anything pro-active. Bush could have swept away a grade F year by nominating a known conservative, but he did not.

32 posted on 10/24/2005 2:27:15 PM PDT by KC_Conspirator (This space outsourced to India)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EagleUSA
You did forget to commend them on their job with our border security, illegal immigration (invasion), and education. And they did it all WITHOUT FIGHTING THE DEMS.

As I said - Grade F.

I also just love that they passed a credit debtors lobbyist bill making it harder for American citizens to get otu of debt, yet went on a crazed spending spree that would make Imelda Marcos and drunken sailors blush in shame. Even had the nerve to say they could not cut anymore out of the budget.

Oh yes, and they did it all without fighting the democrats all year, so now they are all under indictment. Grade F.

33 posted on 10/24/2005 2:30:28 PM PDT by KC_Conspirator (This space outsourced to India)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: LibertarianInExile
You guys are just backstabbing elitist sexist traitors to the GOP, that's all.

You forgot "lazy, vigilante racists."

34 posted on 10/24/2005 2:30:52 PM PDT by Types_with_Fist (I'm on FReep so often that when I read an article at another site I scroll down for the comments.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: KC_Conspirator
Bush could have swept away a grade F year by nominating a known conservative, but he did not.

You give Bush no credit for John Roberts, the successful vote for Parliament last February in Iraq, and the successful vote for the Constitution just two weeks ago?

You're a hard-ass, aren't you?

35 posted on 10/24/2005 2:34:05 PM PDT by sinkspur (If you're not willing to give Harriett Miers a hearing, I don't give a damn what you think.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: Sabramerican

He was my favorite candidate on the issues.


36 posted on 10/24/2005 4:49:07 PM PDT by Huck (Miers Miers Miers Miers Miers--I'm mired in Miers.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: EQAndyBuzz

I have to admit, there sure is not much to admier about this pick.


37 posted on 10/25/2005 12:33:01 AM PDT by Who is Truth? (TRUTH is not relative)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: medscribe

I am convinced that McCain will run as a Democrat and will do well against Hillary in the primaries.


38 posted on 10/25/2005 12:41:37 AM PDT by Who is Truth? (TRUTH is not relative)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Who is Truth?

If McCain runs, he will do it as a Republican and will most likely get the nomination, with Guiliani as the VP nominee. The conservatives have torpedoed their chances of getting a seat at the table for 2008 with this childish and idiotic vitriol against Miers.


39 posted on 10/25/2005 12:35:38 PM PDT by medscribe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-39 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson