Dolt(s), plural, refers to the WH/admin wonks in the article who think spending is the key issue to recover the base. I suppose you may need to count me as a dolt, because the spending issue is a conservative anchor issue that cannot be denied.
The illegal alien issue is one that we can debate the proper course of action, but spending is mutually agreed as a bad thing that has indeed occurred.
The immigration proposal has not occurred and is not going to happen any time soon, if ever. But, it is not moot because of this fact, only that it has not occurred. It has not yet been written and it is not law or even out of committee. In fact, it has not been assigned to any committee except for exploratory panels.
How then, is it deemed a key issue for debate when their is virtually nothing to debate as of yet.
Intentions and desires are not something we can debate rationally until they are real and not just intellectual.
The spending is real.
You seem intent on having me call you a dolt. Won't happen.
Spending, while a conservative issue, is not a critical issue that effects people the same way jobs, the economy and illegal aliens do (also religious issues). Spending is far down the list.
bush lost the election the day he announced the illegal alien amnesty - just as surely as dean did after 'the scream.'
It was the final nail in his political coffin. A large portion of his base finally woke up after ignoring so many of bush's non-conservative, non-Christian positions, actions, and silences.
Even the brain-dead republican party leadership is starting to take notice and is now doing emergency damage control.
There is no viable alternative candidate, but that doesn't mean anything. bush will still lose. Not for any other reason but his screwing his base on core issues. Enough people will sit out in disgust and the election will go the 'rat candidate.