[Ophiucus]

The Republican's response to the DemoRats attacks is promising. I hope they have the cojones to stick with it. It is a point where the Dems are indeed extremely vulnerable. As long as the 'defensive' ads don't become petty or trite, they should play well.

The economy is still questionable in my mind. I don't think the President's tax cuts were deep enough and unfortunately they weren't permanent. I've read that they were given an 'expiration date' to force the issue with the Dems for the next election cycle. Unfortunate if so, I don't respect that kind of political machinations.

Speaking of machinations, the area where Mr. Bush is weakest is his willingness to compromise on principles. A huge increase in Medicare, the anti-free speech campaign "reform" bill, the anti-education Kennedy boondoggle, the farmer welfare program, and the anti-free trade steel tariffs are all examples where Mr. Bush abandoned principles and campaign promises for a political gain. He alienates many conservatives but figures they will still vote for him since the alternative is so much worse.

[publius1]

Maybe I misheard something back there in the shrouded mists of the year 2000, but didn't Candidate Bush promise a Medicare prescription drug bill? Indeed, wasn't there a big debate here on Free Republic about it?

It's fine to say the bill is bad in some moral sense (because it expands government, adds to the deficit, has too much pork, etc.), but it is being enacted through a democratic process, and is fulfilling a campaign promise.

After eight years of Clinton, two years of the Daschle majority, the midget nine running for the Democratic presidential nomination, and the Dem's hypocritical votes and posturing on the war in terror, I can understand how you would think that no pol ever fulfills his campaign promises, or that they all lie when their mouths are open, but with this President we have a guy who seems to mean what he says, and to act to do what he said he would do. You may not always like the results, but the character of the man should please you (I hope).

[Tom D.]

"I've read that they [tax cuts] were given an 'expiration date' to force the issue with the Dems for the next election cycle. Unfortunate if so, I don't respect that kind of political machinations."

As I recall, the Dems would not pass a permanent tax cut of the magnatude that was not temporary, or at least one of the selling points that the Republicans used to sell these tax cuts was that they were temporary. In any event, we out dumbed the Democrats and now they are faced with the prospect of making these cuts permanent or being legitimately accused of raising taxes.

My understanding is that the Dems opened the door to these temporary cuts and that Bush et al merely let them walk through that door.