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

SOTU transcript ^ | 1/22/04

[Wolfstar]

ED. NOTE: On Tuesday evening, January 20, 2004, the President of the United States gave one of the most conservative State of the Union addresses in at least a generation. For a SOTU speech, it had a remarkably short spending wish list. Instead, it had passages such as those excerpted below — none of which would have been spoken by a Democrat or liberal (i.e., Leftist), or even a "RINO." Check it out:

[BEGIN EXCERPTS: Bold/underscore emphasis by Wolfstar]

Our greatest responsibility is the active defense of the American people. Twenty-eight months have passed since September 11th, 2001 — over two years without an attack on American soil. And it is tempting to believe that the danger is behind us. That hope is understandable, comforting — and false.

[SNIP]

The once all-powerful ruler of Iraq was found in a hole, and now sits in a prison cell. Of the top 55 officials of the former regime, we have captured or killed 45. Our forces are on the offensive, leading over 1,600 patrols a day and conducting an average of 180 raids a week. We are dealing with these thugs in Iraq, just as surely as we dealt with Saddam Hussein's evil regime.

Because of American leadership and resolve, the world is changing for the better. Last month, the leader of Libya voluntarily pledged to disclose and dismantle all of his regime's weapons of mass destruction programs, including a uranium enrichment project for nuclear weapons.

[SNIP]

Nine months of intense negotiations involving the United States and Great Britain succeeded with Libya, while 12 years of diplomacy with Iraq did not. And one reason is clear: For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible, and no one can now doubt the word of America.

Many of our troops are listening tonight. And I want you and your families to know: America is proud of you. And my administration, and this Congress, will give you the resources you need to fight and win the war on terror.

I know that some people question if America is really in a war at all. They view terrorism more as a crime, a problem to be solved mainly with law enforcement and indictments. After the World Trade Center was first attacked in 1993, some of the guilty were indicted and tried and convicted, and sent to prison. But the matter was not settled. The terrorists were still training and plotting in other nations, and drawing up more ambitious plans. After the chaos and carnage of September the 11th, it is not enough to serve our enemies with legal papers. The terrorists and their supporters declared war on the United States, and war is what they got.

[SNIP]

Some critics have said our duties in Iraq must be internationalized. This particular criticism is hard to explain to our partners in Britain, Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Italy, Spain, Poland, Denmark, Hungary, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, the Netherlands — (applause) — Norway, El Salvador, and the 17 other countries that have committed troops to Iraq. As we debate at home, we must never ignore the vital contributions of our international partners, or dismiss their sacrifices.

From the beginning, America has sought international support for our operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and we have gained much support. There is a difference, however, between leading a coalition of many nations, and submitting to the objections of a few. America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our country.

We also hear doubts that democracy is a realistic goal for the greater Middle East, where freedom is rare. Yet it is mistaken, and condescending, to assume that whole cultures and great religions are incompatible with liberty and self-government. I believe that God has planted in every human heart the desire to live in freedom. And even when that desire is crushed by tyranny for decades, it will rise again.

[SNIP]

In the last three years, adversity has also revealed the fundamental strengths of the American economy. We have come through recession, and terrorist attack, and corporate scandals, and the uncertainties of war. And because you acted to stimulate our economy with tax relief, this economy is strong, and growing stronger.

You have doubled the child tax credit from $500 to $1,000, reduced the marriage penalty, begun to phase out the death tax, reduced taxes on capital gains and stock dividends, cut taxes on small businesses, and you have lowered taxes for every American who pays income taxes.

Americans took those dollars and put them to work, driving this economy forward. The pace of economic growth in the third quarter of 2003 was the fastest in nearly 20 years; new home construction, the highest in almost 20 years; home ownership rates, the highest ever. Manufacturing activity is increasing. Inflation is low. Interest rates are low. Exports are growing. Productivity is high, and jobs are on the rise.

These numbers confirm that the American people are using their money far better than government would have — and you were right to return it.

[SNIP]

We're requiring higher standards [in schools]. We are regularly testing every child on the fundamentals. We are reporting results to parents, and making sure they have better options when schools are not performing.

[SNIP]

We must continue to pursue an aggressive, pro-growth economic agenda. Congress has some unfinished business on the issue of taxes. The tax reductions you passed are set to expire. Unless you act — (applause) — unless you act — unless you act, the unfair tax on marriage will go back up. Unless you act, millions of families will be charged $300 more in federal taxes for every child. Unless you act, small businesses will pay higher taxes. Unless you act, the death tax will eventually come back to life. Unless you act, Americans face a tax increase. What Congress has given, the Congress should not take away. For the sake of job growth, the tax cuts you passed should be permanent.

Our agenda for jobs and growth must help small business owners and employees with relief from needless federal regulation, and protect them from junk and frivolous lawsuits.

Consumers and businesses need reliable supplies of energy to make our economy run — so I urge you to pass legislation to modernize our electricity system, promote conservation, and make America less dependent on foreign sources of energy.

My administration is promoting free and fair trade to open up new markets for America's entrepreneurs and manufacturers and farmers — to create jobs for American workers. Younger workers should have the opportunity to build a nest egg by saving part of their Social Security taxes in a personal retirement account. We should make the Social Security system a source of ownership for the American people.

[SNIP]

In two weeks, I will send you a budget that funds the war, protects the homeland, and meets important domestic needs, while limiting the growth in discretionary spending to less than 4 percent. This will require that Congress focus on priorities, cut wasteful spending, and be wise with the people's money. By doing so, we can cut the deficit in half over the next five years.

Tonight, I also ask you to reform our immigration laws so they reflect our values and benefit our economy.

[SNIP]

I oppose amnesty, because it would encourage further illegal immigration, and unfairly reward those who break our laws. My temporary worker program will preserve the citizenship path for those who respect the law, while bringing millions of hardworking men and women out from the shadows of American life.

[ED. NOTE: The precedent for guest worker programs goes back at least to the Eisenhower administration.]

[SNIP]

In January of 2006, seniors can get prescription drug coverage under Medicare. For a monthly premium of about $35, most seniors who do not have that coverage today can expect to see their drug bills cut roughly in half. Under this reform, senior citizens will be able to keep their Medicare just as it is, or they can choose a Medicare plan that fits them best — just as you, as members of Congress, can choose an insurance plan that meets your needs. And starting this year, millions of Americans will be able to save money tax-free for their medical expenses in a health savings account.

[SNIP]

On the critical issue of health care, our goal is to ensure that Americans can choose and afford private health care coverage that best fits their individual needs.

[SNIP]

Small businesses should be able to band together and negotiate for lower insurance rates, so they can cover more workers with health insurance. I urge you to pass association health plans. I ask you to give lower-income Americans a refundable tax credit that would allow millions to buy their own basic health insurance.

[SNIP]

To protect the doctor-patient relationship, and keep good doctors doing good work, we must eliminate wasteful and frivolous medical lawsuits. And tonight I propose that individuals who buy catastrophic health care coverage, as part of our new health savings accounts, be allowed to deduct 100 percent of the premiums from their taxes.

A government-run health care system is the wrong prescription. By keeping costs under control, expanding access, and helping more Americans afford coverage, we will preserve the system of private medicine that makes America's health care the best in the world.

[SNIP]

One of the worst decisions our children can make is to gamble their lives and futures on drugs. Our government is helping parents confront this problem with aggressive education, treatment, and law enforcement. Drug use in high school has declined by 11 percent over the last two years. Four hundred thousand fewer young people are using illegal drugs than in the year 2001.

[SNIP]

A strong America must also value the institution of marriage. I believe we should respect individuals as we take a principled stand for one of the most fundamental, enduring institutions of our civilization. Congress has already taken a stand on this issue by passing the Defense of Marriage Act, signed in 1996 by President Clinton. That statute protects marriage under federal law as a union of a man and a woman, and declares that one state may not redefine marriage for other states.

Activist judges, however, have begun redefining marriage by court order, without regard for the will of the people and their elected representatives. On an issue of such great consequence, the people's voice must be heard. If judges insist on forcing their arbitrary will upon the people, the only alternative left to the people would be the constitutional process. Our nation must defend the sanctity of marriage.

[SNIP]

It's also important to strengthen our communities by unleashing the compassion of America's religious institutions. Religious charities of every creed are doing some of the most vital work in our country — mentoring children, feeding the hungry, taking the hand of the lonely. Yet government has often denied social service grants and contracts to these groups, just because they have a cross or a Star of David or a crescent on the wall. By executive order, I have opened billions of dollars in grant money to competition that includes faith-based charities. Tonight I ask you to codify this into law, so people of faith can know that the law will never discriminate against them again.

[SNIP]

The momentum of freedom in our world is unmistakable — and it is not carried forward by our power alone. We can trust in that greater power who guides the unfolding of the years. And in all that is to come, we can know that His purposes are just and true.

[END EXCERPTS]

[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.