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

SOTU transcript ^ | 1/22/04

[carton253]

Where at in Virginia... our forefathers could have been neighbors?

Yesterday... on Sean Hannity's show, someone from the administration (sorry, don't know who it was - working and listening at same time) talked about how discretionary spending had been reduced from 15% under Clinton to 4% under Bush.

The prescription drug "bill" is a bill who's time had come. And if someone didn't know that the President was going to pass this... then they weren't paying attention to the 2000 campaign. Because he said he was going to do it.

[cynicom]

No one has to "think" Bush is or is not conservative. He has proven himself to be anything BUT a conservative.

[cynicom]

No one has to "think" Bush is or is not conservative. He has proven himself to be anything BUT a conservative.

[cynicom]

No one has to "think" Bush is or is not conservative. He has proven himself to be anything BUT a conservative.

[RiflemanSharpe]

Agreed, we need to hold their feet to the fire. This is one of the reasons I am being so vocal. I want Rove (Wormtongue) and GWB to see loud and clear that the shift to the left to pander for votes will cost them dearly.

[carton253]

So... you don't plan to answer my question?

[hchutch]

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

One has to wonder if there might not be a connection - cause and effect. I am not one to let a "rule of law" mantra defend bad laws or the misapplication of laws. Otherwise, there lies the road to crap like Elian Gonzalez, going after a farmer who accidentally runs over an endangered rat, or a homeowner who shoots a burglar in his home and is prosecuted.

[Mo1]

FYI Ping ..

[RiflemanSharpe]

bracero program?

[Bikers4Bush]

My alternative is to wirte in a conservative candidate.

And those of us who's vote he's lost aren't thinking about ourselves, we're thinking about the future of the country. Certainly more so than those willing to follow blindly while W writes blank check after blank check.

[Keith]

The more I study this president, the more he reminds me of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln had huge fights with his own party, which, because half the country left the Congress, controlled the Congress with a large majority. But the abolitionists were constantly nipping at his heels.

Lincoln knew that he had to first win the war, keep the French and English from recogizing the Confederacy, THEN worry about emancipation...and even then, making sure to only emancipate the slaves in areas NOT under federal control so as to keep the border states from seceding. It was a political decision.

Bush realizes that he must do certain things in order to keep the country moving in the right direction:

1) Win re-election after a photo-finish election last time--otherwise, his "positions" are irrelevant. Can anyone doubt that any of the Democratic candidates (except perhaps Lieberman) won't have drastically different policies on the important issues involving all the areas that are causing ulcers amongst the conservatives on this board? Will Kerry, or Edwards, Dean, whomever be better than Bush? So why would you want to "stay home" and help elect them by your "protest?"

2) Add to the Republican majority in both houses. Especially the Senate. I know I sound like a broken record, but those judges are key to almost every issue Freepers are concerned about. Don't we need more conservative judges to rule constitutionally on school prayer, immigration, health-care initiatives, gun control, abortion, campaign finance "reform", and almost every issue we are debating here?

3) Bush knows that the more "centrist" he is perceived by the electorate, the more "leftist" the Dems will have to be to separate themselves. The Dems know that only by being able to portray themselves as being vastly different on issues from Bush, can they persuade voters to make a change. His positioning himself on several issues as a "centrist" leaves them nowhere to go but further left. That is electoral suicide for them. And in a Bush second term, with a more Republican congress, he can get more judges through and probably make two or three Supreme Court choices. Look at the difference Breyer and Ginsburg's votes on recent issues have made! It's Clinton's legacy which we will have to live with for years! Let's not let Kerry or Edwards make those next few appointments.

Bush and Rove realize this. I wish more Freepers did. Hold your nose if you have to, but...read my tagline...

[Cold Heat]

You are right on the money!

All these vote taker backers probably never voted to begin with.

His support is broad and will include more democrats this year.

There is no doubt in my mind that he will be re-elected, baring any major misfortune to derail the campaign.

I do expect many attempts to do so.

[steve-b]

The only thing that party stands for that's conservative is limited government. The rest is just plain leftist.

There is no "rest" -- either you believe in limited government, or you believe in nanny statism.

[MEG33]

I suupport President Bush.I am not happy with the bloated budget,voted in by our dear representatives or the lack of a way to enforce our present immigration laws as states and municipalities vote to not be involved in enforcement.

I support Bush the man, a fine wartime President,a good man,not a perfect man.Vetos can work!

I do not support the unreasonable ,unrealistic "my way or the highway" expectations by some.I regret they will unable to support Bush.If staying home on election day is the choice or voting third party is the choice they make,they must do what they must do.

I'd hate to be forced to live with their decision by having a Massachusetts,Kennedy liberal, an ambulance chasing lightweight, or a paranoid narcissist as President.

[Chief901]

From the looks of your "Tagline", you do not seem to be open to the "winning back your vote."

Who is the candidate for president of the "Constitution Party" ?

[Bikers4Bush]

Much easier to call us disruptors than to admit that we may actually have reasonable arguements eh?

Pathetic.

[Protagoras]

He might have lost your vote, but I don't think I or anybody else really cares

Whistling past the grave yard award of the day.

[PhiKapMom]

Libertarians are for open borders (Section 19 of the 2002 Libertarian Platform) --

Immigration
We hold that human rights should not be denied or abridged on the basis of nationality and welcome all refugees to our country.

What does that say? If we just threw open our borders then we would be so overrun you would be wishing for the days of President Bush when at least he tried to get a handle on the problem.

Maybe someone on FR should do an article on the Libertarian Platform which I just read the synopsis. It is mind boggling -- convinced me that the Libertarian Party is nothing more than a group of the "if it feels good, do it" crowd of the 60's.

[ohioWfan]

AND THE CONSTITUTION PARTY CAN'T WIN!

You vote for whoever is running from that conservative-enough-but-losing party, and you vote for the Democrat. Period.

IF all of you who claim superiority to the rest of us will admit that you are choosing to vote FOR the Democrat by throwing your vote away, then so be it. YOU have to live with that choice.

But at least be honest about it. You're "we're more conservative than you" attitude, if there are enough of you (which fortunately, there aren't, IMO) is apparently willing to throw America to the wolves!

[steve50]

Libertarian Bush-hater alert.

No, I'm a strict constructionist, wrong again as usual.