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Growing the budget and creating new entitlements and increasing the existing ones is not conservatism. It may be Republicanism, but that's not the same thing any more. In fact, it's liberalism. President Bush and the Republicans are buying votes, plain and simple. I still support Bush because the alternatives are so horrible, but I won't pretend that this is some new kind of conservatism. Conservatism is what it is, and you don't redefine it to fit your agenda, at least not if you're honest.

I share these sentiments. What I cannot understand, is why anyone who does not buy into this new "liberalism" here on FR is tarred and feathered as an anti-Bush/just-as-good-as-a-Democrat/carpetbagger. Counter arguments speak of things such as: "this is all part of a strategery" or "we have to give a little now so we can get the whole barn later" or even better "its not Bush's fault, its the fault of (X)". I thought conservatism was about reducing the size of the government largesse...not increasing it; and certainly not increasing it in order to get votes from a special interest group, or even worse...in order to get votes from the left. Is this what conservatism has been reduced to? A ~~battle~~ pandering for votes with socialism instead of receiving votes because of conservative ideaology! Have we given up the battle for the minds of America? I wonder.

Unfortunately, I have no other choice but to vote (R) when election time comes around...I will never vote (D); but this is reaching the point of futility IMHO. Within the next 20 years, I'll be raising my children, maybe put them through college, plan to retire, hope to have grandchildren, etc., etc. It angers me when I think of the type of America my children and grandchildren will have to live in if the present course continues. It angers me even more to know that I'm paying for all this increased socialism and my kids will prolly have it worse. My criticism and anger towards president Bush (as I'm sure most other anti-Bots) stems from those sentiments, not from some evil hatred for the man. I do thank God that he is a man of faith, is faithful to his very lovely wife, and has brought more character and integrity back into WH than X42, however...while that may be good enough for the Republican party right now...it may not be good enough for America now, and in the future. /rant off

I have been one of President Bush's biggest fans, but with the new Medicare entitlement and with the signing of the Campign Finance Reform abomination and with the massive growth of domestic spending in the last 3 years and with his pandering to Hispanics by supporting illegal immigration I can no longer pretend that this is a conservative president. He may be a conservative man but he sure as heck isn't running a conservative administration. He's disappointed us so many times now. It's heartbreaking. Honest people will have to admit that he's betrayed everything conservatives hold dear.

None of that means that I hate Bush or plan to run out and vote Democratic, I'll die first, but, to quote a certain midwest politician: "I'm deeply saddened".