And yes, you really are more " PURIST " than not. Would you rather have had algore, instead of W, a massive tax increase, rather than a tax cut ( and some ARE not going to be phased out/come to an end)at all, etc. ? Enquiring minds want to know why 1/2 a loaf isn't good enough.
Why? He had a GOP controlled Congress. Reagan got a 25% reduction in rates...far below our current rate system in 1981 with a DEM controlled Congress.
I don't care about purity, I just want some stinking BACKBONE! But, unfortunately, Bush's people won't let him go over the fray and talk directly to the people they way Reagan did. I guess they figure he's not as good a communicator.
I also feel Bush is being disserved by many in his circle. But that's his choice, he put them there. Personally, I'd tell Powell take a hike and I'd sit the GOP Congressional leadership down and TELL THEM what they are going to do, not listen.
I'd call up Snowe, Collins and Chaffee and read them the riot act and pull a Buford Pusser - put their offices in the basement of their buildings, cut their staff, remove them from ALL committee's etc. unless they played ball.
Those three alone are directly responsible for the lack of flu vaccine this year. And if they threatened to "switch" like Jeffords then I'd threaten to go to their states and campaign against them even if they weren't running in 2004! I'd humiliate them in a nationwide address (just bring up the flu vaccines).
But that's just me. I don't play games with jerks.