So you think George W. Bush is not a conservative?

SOTU transcript ^ | 1/22/04

[CMAC51]

There are some problems with your list. The partial birth abortion ban succeeded in outlawing this one procedure (for now at least) but doctors are free to switch to other late-term abortion methods. The bill was smoke and mirrors. Essentially, nothing was accomplished.

He signed a bill that no liberal or moderate would have signed. Imperfections in the bill do not change that fact. Or is not really a conservative act unless it achieves the end goal in one herculean swoop?

Testing in the school has created a HUGE mandated new bureaucracy that has to be paid for either with federal or local tax dollars. Did you think those tests and the people needed to compile info just popped out of the ground free? Our local school system is spending tons of money trying to comply with education mandates and so far sees no positive return.

Testing is the only way to create true accountability in the school systems. Accountability is a conservative principal. Ergo... The results of testing can be dramatic. My wife is an educator in Texas. She hates the testing, but loves the dramatic results it has produced. It is unfortunate if your local school system is suffering sticker shock but the investment will be worth it. Do you really believe the flaws in education were such that positive results would show up in a matter of months. It takes a year or more just to overcome the inertia of teacher resistance.

He told the UN where to go for a little while but is now starting to crawl back to them and to countries that didn't support us because he fears if he doesn't get some help, he could lose the election on this issue. What a man.

A curious observation, which I can't say I have seen other than interpretation in the media which wants it to be true. The only country that I have seen a tangible alteration in behavior toward is Canada and that was after Canada had a change in leadership. The new leadership being decidedly more pro-American.

[deport]

If I may muddy up this thread with this scathing post

---

Hey muddy away.... I'll even hire a dump truck to bring another load if you need it...... LOL

They are shooting their wads now as that's their only chance. When the Bush/Cheney Campaign begins they'll be swept under the rugs and peeping from corners or fringes....

GO BUSH GO

[onyx]

Are you going to be around for the rat debate later? This one should be a doozy.!

LOL. Oh, Woody, I don't know. Haven't decided. Watching them is torturous.

[arete]

Keep thinking that way because as we all know he won last time by a landslide right?

That landslide from the last time is going to have two fewer votes this time -- Neither my wife or I will vote for him again. We never vote for socialists.

[ohioWfan]

Why do you support our troops (the government) if you don't think they can protect us, as the Constitution dictates?

Are God's protection of us, and a strong military and Commander in Chief mutually exclusive in your views?

Perhaps you can explain yourselves more clearly.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Bush lost my vote when he signed Campaign Finance Reform. So far, I have seen no reason to reevaluate my stance. However, one can hope that he at least spends the last year governing more conservatively.

[Ophiucus]

The reason why Perot failed was because of the power of groupthink, although he got 22% I believe.

Perot failed because of his I'm running, now I'm not running, now I'm running, maybe...game that he played.

It destroyed any cohesion of his supporters, shattered his reliability, and made people realize just how unbalanced he was. Kind of a Dean from the right.

[Neets]

You have to deal with what is the present.

And the present is this:

The present happened in my back yard.

I have seen and heard many change their attitudes since then

X42's mis-handling, errr rather non-handling of the USA's security issues/terror warnings directly contributed to this. This was the straw that broke the camels back as far as the downfall of the Demoncratic Party. They have no one to blame but themselves for this.

The 3rd 4th and 5th Party hanger-on-ers ought take heed to what is happening and why with relation to the dynamics of elections as you say.

Bush kicks ass and then takes names. No-one else has a pair big or strong enough to do what he has done.

[onyx]

WOW! Keep that information handy. We have some flame-thowers here and they couldn't be more wrong.

[arete]

You know there are a lot more of us than my "small band of buddies" otherwise you wouldn't be so scared.

You got that right. Real conservatives won't go near Bush with a ten foot pole.

Richard W.

[Wolfstar]

This response is to MissAmericanPie, with a cheer-up ping to Brad's Gramma and Howlin:

1. The condescension of folks who post from your perspective never ceases to amaze me.

2. I personally have never told anyone to "watch what he does, not what he says," nor am I ever likely to. Why? Since human beings can't read minds (despite what the Art Bell crowd says), what a person says is the best indicator of what he/she is likely to do.

3. George W. Bush is governing exactly as he represented himself to be in the 2000 election — as a compassionate conservative. I have always interpreted the phrase to mean that where he fits on the political spectrum is somewhere between the far right and the northeast-style Rockefeller Republicans. In other words, where most Republicans also are on the political spectrum.

4. Those who simply refuse to acknowledge the conservative aspects of this presidency because they disagree with the "compassionate" — meaning moderate — aspects, in all likelihood are rigid ideologues, if not outright demagogues. Either that, or they weren't paying attention to the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2000.

[Howlin]

LOL!

[gatorbait]

Why don't you ask the President we voted for why he sells us down the river, instead of castigating me for being PO'D.

Well, one has he actually done tha tor is it simply an impression fired with misinformation and a certain feel for issues he has not been perfect enough for you? I can assure you tha the President has not filled my political wish list fully, nor do I expect him to so do. I am glad you are not going to leap into an abyss of wasted votes, You have the outlook and the experience to make a difference.You also realize,I am sure, thatwe here are a fairly small group who do our best to be informed and engaged. That great middle out there does none of this. Thae Left is cognizant of this and has used gradualism, even using some of OUR cherished principles to advance their agenda. We are coming late to the table and one thing we can never, ever forget, is that forcing a change, right now, will spell disaster, a political coronary so to speak. You're sophisticated enough to know this. Do I like it? Nope. Do I realize that we progress ne step at a time and that on occasion, we have to retreat a little too? Yes I do. Anyway,castigating you personally was not and is not my intent. Arguing my point and you arguing yours until we forge a working ideal is. We have real enemies out there and it is up to us, all of us, to stop them, even if , on ocasion, we have to toss them a small bone,however irksome it is.

[exmarine]

I believe the attempts at democracy in Iraq will fail. The problem is that muslims have no clue what freedom means. The islamic worldview is not conducive to freedom. Freedom in America (one of the few examples in history of true freedom) is based on the premise that God made the world for the individual, not the group or majority or State. In virtually all other forms of government, the premise is that the individual is not that important, he is a cog in the greater machinery of the State. The miracle of a free constitutional republic in America is the direct result of the judeo-christian worldview of our founding fathers.

For the most fundamental reasons, I do not believe freedom is possible in any muslim country - never has existed to this day. I predict Iraq will end up with some sort of theocracy or semi-theocracy.

Most people today do not understand freedom at all because they do not have the worldview to understand it. Freedom can only be found in Jesus Christ. "...Where the Spirit of the Lord, there is Freedom." 2cor.3:17

[Happy2BMe]

"You are being downright dishonest, the article you cite clearly states the memo came from the chief patrol agent for the greater San Diego area, so the guy is NOT in the Bush administration, he is a local schmoe."

So you're saying Bush had no knowledge of it, correct?

[George W. Bush]

Here is a message from The Boss: "This forum was established as a working forum for like minded lovers of individual rights to work toward preserving a concept near and dear to our hearts. Freedom." -- Jim Robinson

Most long-time members will note that the mission statement(s) have changed over the years.

The original various statements of FR's purpose could be boiled down to: strict constitutional constructionism (which led to FR's most successful activist victories) and exposing the lies of the liberal media (hence the need to publish and comment on articles).

Of course, when you're on a five-year mission, boldly going where no forum has gone before, you can expect a few minor course changes. But the Captain is always the Captain.

[exmarine]

Yes, that didn't help.

[Neets]

That last President who pretended to be the do-all/care-all FOR ALL wound up being impeached, IIRC.

The next time we have a President who does or claims to do everything right for every person in America will surely be God Himself.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Well, I've decided to study Cabala while I wait for the list.

[Wolfstar]

Deport, re your post #1,254, beautifully stated. I would only say that the President's supporters here on FR and elsewhere have already fired a few salvos on his behalf, albeit small ones in comparison to what is to come from the campaign. Never doubt that we are having more of an effect than may be obvious on these threads.