Did you expect anything less from our resident RNC pom-pom girl? Cmon Laz...you know better than that.
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.
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; all at the expense of the Constitution. 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
Actually, I suspect that the DemocRats are becoming so unpopular that soon the elections will not be decided between the Rs and Ds, but between the Rs and some other party.
You make good points, but why say it is all futile?
Bush and the Republicans in the last 2 years passed tremendous tax cuts, did move many things in a more conservative direction ... in the next 2 years they can reverse their errors on spending by passing tight spending contraints / cuts.
I think letting them know we are not happy with the spending and the 'pandering' on entitlements pork etc. would get them off the dime. I *do* think this problem is fixable. Heck, it better be. I dont want to see our new majority or GWB get the fate of Bush's father - lost to a Socialist boob because he abandoned his base. When will they ever learn???