The party of big spenders

Boston Globe ^ | 12/11/2003 | Jeff Jacoby

[RJCogburn]

ONCE UPON A time a Republican candidate for president named George W. Bush painted his Democratic opponent, Al Gore, as a reckless big spender whose fiscal policies would mean that "the era of big government being over is over."

Elect Gore, the Republican predicted, and before you know it the federal government would be as bloated and malodorous as a beached whale under a hot sun. "He is proposing the largest increase in federal spending . . . since the presidency of Lyndon Baines Johnson," Bush warned. "His promises throw the budget out of balance. He offers a big federal spending program to nearly every single voting bloc in America."

[RJCogburn]

One more reliable conservative joins the growing criticism of Bush's big government record.

I wonder if he, or his defenders in the magical kingdom of Bushbotland are starting to see a pattern here.

An election in less than a year with a choice between the man who has expanded government more than anyone since LBJ and Dean or Kerry, or Edwards or....

Sad.

As Jimmy Durante would have said, "what a revoltin' development this is."

[Sir Gawain]

An election in less than a year with a choice between the man who has expanded government more than anyone since LBJ and Dean or Kerry

Don't forget, he also violated his oath of office by signing CFR.

[palmer]

From www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020327.html

However, the bill does have flaws. Certain provisions present serious constitutional concerns. In particular, H.R. 2356 goes farther than I originally proposed by preventing all individuals, not just unions and corporations, from making donations to political parties in connection with Federal elections.

I believe individual freedom to participate in elections should be expanded, not diminished; and when individual freedoms are restricted, questions arise under the First Amendment.

I also have reservations about the constitutionality of the broad ban on issue advertising, which restrains the speech of a wide variety of groups on issues of public import in the months closest to an election. I expect that the courts will resolve these legitimate legal questions as appropriate under the law.

We can also expect the courts will overturn all the various unconstitutional federal spending and regulatory laws that he has signed.

[dwilli]

It's going to be tough for a true conservative to leave
the house on the first Tuesday after the first Monday next November.

Howard Dean is the best friend GWB has.

[GunsareOK]

No it won't. I'll be voting for a third party conservative. And if the choice were between Bush and one of the nine dwarfs, I'd leave it blank and go on to the other offices.

[optimistically_conservative]

... the federal budget exploded by $296 billion, of which $100 billion (34 percent) was for defense and $32 billion (11 percent) was for 9/11-related costs, including compensation for victims and reconstruction in New York. The remaining $64 billion -- 55 percent -- went for programs and projects unconnected to 9/11.

New math?

[dwilli]

I worked & waited all my adult life for the Republicans to gain total control of the federal government.

I believed all the bullshit they said they would accomplish when they finally gained control.

we knew the democrats are big spenders, they admit they
are.

This bunch of Republicans are bigger spenders and hypocrits
after railing against the demos spending for decades.

GWB is lucky the demos have been too dumb to support Sam Nunn for top of the ticket.

[AAABEST]

But the fiscal debauchery of the Bush administration is no joke.

"Fiscal debauchery"... good way of putting it. Since we're creating terms he's also guilty of "constitutional negligence".

No it's NOT FUNNY ANYMORE Mr. Bush, you spendthrift, irresponsible, big government, socialist jerk.

[uncbob]

As Jimmy Durante would have said, "what a revoltin' development this is."

Nah William Bendix as O'Reilly

[Eris]

I'm not at all happy about this. The thing is, with a control of the legislature and the White House, they have no more excuses, and yet they spend like drunken harlot who just got her coke money.

[bmwcyle]

[optimistically_conservative]

It all seems very Reaganesque to me.

[RJCogburn]

Nah William Bendix as O'Reilly

Of course! Well, I feel silly.

[cynicom]

Author skirts the very basic problem, that is professional politicians that want to be re elected at any price. Bush or party has nothing to do with it. American people keep sending the power seekers back to Washington. We need more Fred Thompsons.

[sasafras]

I'm with ya - Bush is the worst president re. social policies, since Nixon. He is no conservative - this guy has got to go even if it means a democrat - at least we know who we are up against. I hoped for a president who would stand for freedom and the US instead I got a president who stands for racism, open borders, suppression of free speech, spending money like there is no tommorrow, etc. How do we take control of this?

[uncbob]

Of course! Well, I feel silly.

And you are showing your age (:-)

[RJCogburn]

And you are showing your age (:-)

That, too!

[gcruse]

Call it a tie.

Jimmy Durante: "What a revoltin' development this is!" and "a catastrastroke!"),

[BureaucratusMaximus]

I worked & waited all my adult life for the Republicans to gain total control of the federal government.

I believed all the bullshit they said they would accomplish when they finally gained control.

We knew the democrats are big spenders, they admit they are.

This bunch of Republicans are bigger spenders and hypocrits after railing against the demos spending for decades.

Damn...(and I'm not saying this to be smug) it only took me 8 years to figure that out. At least you'll be retired, and your kids raised...with sorry a-holes like me paying your SS (again...not trying to be smug). In real life...uncontrolled debt results in consequences and bureaucratic organizations get bigger, unless a whole bunch of people who give a damn stand up and try to stop it. The party, who says they represent us, are not trying to stop it. What else is there to say?

[gcruse]

At least you'll be retired, and your kids raised...with sorry a-holes like me paying your SS

And don't think I don't appreciate it.  :)