George Will Says G.W. Bush "Undermines Conservatism"

Cheyenne, Wyoming Tribune-Eagle ^ | 07-24-03 | Will, George F.

[Theodore R.]

This is the summer of conservatives' discontent. Conservatism has been disoriented by events in the last several weeks. Cumulatively, foreign and domestic developments constitute an identity crisis of conservatism, which is being recast--and perhaps rendered incoherent.

George W. Bush may be the most conservative person to serve as president since Calvin Coolidge. Yet his presidency is coinciding with, and is in some instances initiating or ratifying, developments disconcerting to four factions within conservatism.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The likelihood of a vacancy has given rise to a grim joke among conservatives: How do you say ''Souter'' in Spanish? ''Gonzales.''

How do you say 'McCain' in Californian? 'Schwarzenegger'

[joesnuffy]

Breaking the bonds of the old way...
progressive conservatism

[MEG33]

Please don't change the title..It makes it difficult to do a search.

[Ff--150]

Ya see, folks, W is just a figurehead--H.W. is the one in charge...

[cynicom]

Big government loves Bush. A statist regardless of his color of "conservatism".

[Richard Kimball]

I always thought metrosexuals in bow ties undermined conservatism.

[My2Cents]

Conservatism is headed for a crack up because GW Bush doesn't live up to George Will's image of conservatism. I guess that's what Will's saying.

[dighton]

Washington Post via Chuck Baldwin. It needs trimmin'.

(BTW, this month-old article may look familiar).

[kesg]

This essay from someone with impeccable "conservative" credentials raises the following question in my mind: what, in fact, is a conservative? I know what a liberal is. A liberal is a person who uses the coercive power of government to own or control my property and to tell me what to think or do. But how are so-called conservatives like Will any different? For example, after making a good general point that the Bush Administration isn't giving sufficient thought to what the government should be doing, he then muddles his point by saying that it is not inconsistent with his notion of conservatism for the government to force me, through progressive taxation, to pay for someone else's drug prescription -- a notion that would have been considered Marxist in the late 19th and early 20th Century.

So, is the argument between so-called "conservatives" and "liberals" only over the degree of ownership or control over my life and my property, or is the disagreeement more fundamental?

[verity]

Mr. Will forgets that Howard Dean is the Alternative.

[warchild9]

Conservatives know he's not, despite his public religiousness and platitudes. Conservatives think; W's trying to appeal to people who feel, like the bots.

[DM1]

In response to George Will and all the other doom and gloom naysayers out there here is why i vote for the GOP in general and will vote for GWB in 04.

Al Gore, Bill Clinton, HOward Dean, Ted Kennedy, Barbara Boxer, Barbara Lee, Marty Meehan, John Kerry, Patrick Leahy, Charles Rangel, Nadler the Hutt, Janet Reno, Robert Reich, Dianne Fienstein among others but probably my most compelling argument in this and definitely my prime motivator is none other than
HILLARY CLINTON.

[miloklancy]

I like George Will, but I think in this case he is chasing his tail on the whole conservative thing. He is making the classic Rush Limbaugh mistake of trying to box in conservativism as one set of belief systems or one ideology. It isn't. I for one am a conservative who cares more about lower taxes, the absolute elimination of the welfare state ( which Will says conservatives are not necessarily against), the right to bear arms, fighting terrorism, ending the criminalization of marijuana, global security, family, and I'm an atheist. This certainly isn't the type of conservative that Alan Keyes or Will are, yet I still respect them as fellow conservatives. Also Will neglects to mention that this summer is probably one of much more discontent among liberals.

[MEG33]

Right!I always look at the alternative and manage to vote Republican every time.

[tdadams]

I know what a liberal is. A liberal is a person who uses the coercive power of government to own or control my property and to tell me what to think or do.

I would disagree with that. What you described is a leftist/fascist. I would like to see the word liberal restored to its true meaning. Today's leftists are anything but liberal.

[warchild9]

Antipathy to Hillary is probably the one thing we have in common (besides outrage at a woman's right to murder her unborn inconvenient children).

[BureaucratusMaximus]

Conservatism is headed for a crack up because GW Bush doesn't live up to George Will's image of conservatism. I guess that's what Will's saying.

You know...you're right...GW Bush is the perfect neo-CON!

[MEG33]

Two words that have had their meaning hi-jacked....liberal and gay.

[BureaucratusMaximus]

In response to George Will and all the other doom and gloom naysayers out there here is why i vote for the GOP in general and will vote for GWB in 04. Al Gore, Bill Clinton, HOward Dean, Ted Kennedy, Barbara Boxer, Barbara Lee, Marty Meehan, John Kerry, Patrick Leahy, Charles Rangel, Nadler the Hutt, Janet Reno, Robert Reich, Dianne Fienstein among others but probably my most compelling argument in this and definitely my prime motivator is none other than HILLARY CLINTON.

In response to DM1 and all the other bushbots out there here is why i dont vote for the GOP in general and will regretfully vote for GWB in 04:

Because with a RINO all you'll get is more of the policies/programs that:

Al Gore, Bill Clinton, HOward Dean, Ted Kennedy, Barbara Boxer, Barbara Lee, Marty Meehan, John Kerry, Patrick Leahy, Charles Rangel, Nadler the Hutt, Janet Reno, Robert Reich, Dianne Fienstein, and HILLARY CLINTON want...with more ease and with less effort than if a democrat was president.