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

SOTU transcript ^ | 1/22/04

[Joe Hadenuf]

Oh come on. Bush is no conservative, and most everyone that's honest, knows this. It has become painfully, inordinately clear. The man is a globalist. America is just another member that needs to be downsized.

[George W. Bush]

This is a discussion for grown-ups.

You mean, only Bushbots need apply?

Just come out and say it. Any other position is considered illegitimate by most of you.

[Mo1]

I have also heard that RATS are actually being TRAINED to call conservative talk radio shows to blast Bush and pose as people that voted for Bush in 2000 but will not do so this year

Yep and people like Moveon.org are sending out emails telling people to call

[deport]

Keep things in some perspective...... Sharpe can vote for CP till the cows come home and not make a bit of difference here in TX. The CP party got some 597 votes in 2000 and may be lucky to do that good this time around. Their biggest state was CA with some 17,000 votes, PA with some 14000 and CT with some 9000...... A few more over a 1000 or so and then smaller numbers in the rest. This time they'll have a new candidate as Phillips their perpetual standard bearer has bowed out.... So name recognition will be down I'd guess.....

So it's basically useless to spend the effort on such a minor candidate or their supporters.... I doubt they'll sway many to their side. Remember the President hasn't even kicked off his campaign..... He's got some $100+ million to use in the next few months prior to the Convention. The issues will be framed by the campaigns and not a few supporters or malcontents on the forums such as this one, imo.

[m1-lightning]

The government could make it a requirement that after so long on unemployment, you will have to work for farmers until you are able to find a different job. This would light a fire under people to get a job.

The ACLU won't let that happen.

[Southack]

"While I like Mr. Bush as a person, I can't accept his socialist policies. I don't like legalized theft and that's exactly what our tax system is. I want leaders who will REJECT the status quo, not enhance it!"

You mean like REJECTING roe v wade by signing the FIRST federal ban on (partial birth) abortion in American history last year?!

You mean like REJECTING the International Criminal Court?!

You mean like telling the UN to go get stuffed regarding their International Ban on Small Arms Trafficking Treaty (read: the death of the 2nd Amendment if ratified in the U.S.)?!

Or like REJECTING the Eurocentric "don't invade Iraq" mantra?!

Or like REJECTING tax hikes (you know, that legalized theft, socialistic thing that you were railing about above)?!

Or signing the FIRST ever federal repeal of gun control by arming pilots?!

Or like REJECTING the U.S. - CCCP ABM treaty so that we could finally start building our national missile defenses?!

[RiflemanSharpe]

He is push a large part of the dem agenda, that is why I call him a rino.

[Sabertooth]

*they will be allowed to remain here and pursue citizenship

**This is new to me. Please show me where in any bill sponsored by Bush or quote from Bush that will give illegal aliens citizenship.

**Bush's actual quote: "we should not give unfair rewards to illegal immigrants in the citizenship process or disadvantage those who came here lawfully"

The President's actual quote, from the speech where he unveiled his Amnesty:

All who participate in the temporary worker program must have a job or, if not living in the United States, a job offer. The legal status granted by this program will last three years and will be renewable, but it will have an end.
Text of Bush immigration speech
President outlines plan to give illegals legal status

So, the "guest worker" legal status is "renewable, but it will have an end?"

It will have an end, unless it doesn't have an end.

And there are ways in which the "legal status granted by this program" can end, that don't require the legalized Illegals to go home...

Some temporary workers will make the decision to pursue American citizenship. Those who make this choice will be allowed to apply in the normal way. They will not be given unfair advantage over people who have followed legal procedures from the start.
Text of Bush immigration speech
President outlines plan to give illegals legal status

Of course the legalized Illegals will be "given unfair advantage over people who have followed legal procedures from the start;" they'll have an unfair advantage over any legal immigration or guest worker applicant who is abiding by our rules, but hasn't yet been admitted.

Then we get to the President's hairsplitting over Amnesty...

I opposed amnesty, placing undocumented workers on the automatic path to citizenship. Granting amnesty encourages the violation of our laws and perpetuates illegal immigration.
Text of Bush immigration speech
President outlines plan to give illegals legal status

Now Amnesty is redefined as not putting Illegals on the "automatic path to citizenship."

The "automatic path to citizenship" is defined as giving Illegals a green card without first requiring them to get a blue card. In either case, however, the Illegal can get a green card at some point, and then citizenship down the road.

So, the Bush "not an Amnesty" Amnesty puts Illegals on the not-quite "automatic path to citizenship."

This is the rhetorical dodge on which excuse-makers for the Bush Amnesty hang their case.

[Howlin]

How about a "revolt"? Kick everyone out of DC and elect people new people.

How about trying to add some substance to the conversation by proposing something that is actually "doable" -- or is the whole point to keep putting up strawmen?

[looscnnn]

How will voting for say, Tancredo, strengthen Al Qaeda? Why wouldn't reelecting Bush do it also? After all, wouldn't more muslims be mad that he got reelected and would join up?

[PhiKapMom]

Bob Dole was a weak candidate period who campaigned horribly -- he was given the nod because who do we have that stayed in the race. I voted for Phil Gramm when the primary came to Texas and he wasn't running anymore.

You really don't believe what you wrote that you could compare Pres Bush to Bob Dole as candidates? I am a lifelong activist and I didn't go around touting Dole but he did win Texas. I am spending every spare minute I have to support President Bush in his reelection bid and so are a lot of others! We are energized by President Bush and Vice President Cheney -- Bob Dole was never President and did not energize people.

Huge difference in the two candidates -- if you cannot see that, you don't want to see the difference.

[new cruelty]

Protagoras, here is the article Howlin cited...

David Brooks: Bush has crashed through the 45-45 partisan divide

And here is the paragraph wherein he cites the percentage in question...

The first result is that the Republican Party is more unified than ever before. Ninety-one percent of Republicans approve of the job President Bush is doing. In 1992, Bush's father didn't have anything like that level of support, and even the Reagan administration was split between so-called pragmatists and ideologues.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Many Bush supports believe in party over principle.

That's the worse. I find that so distasteful, as I'm sure many others do.

[ohioWfan]

This is not a thread on the Roman Empire, son.

Good Christians don't stay home on election day.

[Land of the Free 04]

"true" conservatives have no right going around saying who is and who is not a Republican.

True---Republicanism and conservatism no longer have much to do with each other, so "RINO" has lost most of its meaning.

[Mo1]

Am I in Bizarro World? Don't WE get bashed for "voting for the party" but now it's okay to "vote for the party as long as it's the Constitution Party?"

BINGO!!!

[Ophiucus]

And we never had an illegal immigration/southern border problem until the bracero program was killed in 1965 at the behest of labor unions...

I don't know, hchutch, documenting workers, making them get permits, being able to start tracking them, and even having payroll taxes applied....sounds like AMNESTY!!!

Of course, rounding them up and kicking them out first would have sent a stronger message but might have screwed up the deal (that Fox is holding up) on letting the U.S. get it's hands on the untapped Mexican oil, increasing trade, reducing dependence on Arab oil.

But dang, that's that big picture stuff again.....gotta focus on just the one issue.

[Dane]

Oh come on. Bush is no conservative, and most everyone that's honest, knows this. It has become painfully, inordinately clear. The man is a globalist. America is just another member that needs to be downsized

Thus sayeth the "truest of the true conservatives".

JMO, but with your messiah complex, you turn people off, like Hillary truns people off with her messiah complex.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

If you break the Republican party and simply sit out the next 4 years with a DUmocrat in office, for just a few items, you get:

A watered down military reeking of mostly UN forces.

WIDE OPEN borders and total amnesty for illegals (as long as they register DUmocrat)

Punishing taxes on the rich that will cause them to leave this country and take their financial support with them.

Business will run faster from this country than ever before.

With all the Supreme Court justices ready to retire, we will get full replacement by radical leftist judges.

The Constitution will become that wonderful "Living Breathing Document" that Algore loves so well.

Your taxes will go through the roof.

The economy will crash to levels since the 30's.

You might as well hand in your guns now because they will hunt you down like dogs if you don't.

Oh, one small point, the Electoral College will be abolished to take away the voice of rural and small communities which will give the DUmocrats even more power to control the vote.

In other words, at this critical junction in our history, it you allow a DUmocrat victory, you won't be able to take this country back as easily as you claim.

[deport]

I agree with you . GWB needs to go away.

---

Hang tight.... He has only 5 more years and he's gone..... Jan. 20, 2009 someone else will be inaugurated.