[Apple Pan Dowdy]

It will be interesting to see here whether we can discuss this very real and threatening issue without "bashing" the President we all love so much. We seem to keep sweeping all this under the table, fearing that to discuss it will hurt Bush's chances for re-election (which we do not want to do). But just how long can we go on pretending to ignore it? If we speak up, will the President hear and respond.... I think he will.

[Lazamataz]

Gap widening between Bush and conservatives

Ain't that the truth.

Expect him to strenuously push for, and sign, a much more restrictive Assault Weapons Ban.

This ain't your daddy's Reagan.

[Agnes Heep]

If we speak up, will the President hear and respond.... I think he will.

Bush being what he is, I don't think so. One of his chief virtues is that he has his own set of beliefs to which he remains faithful to the bitter end--kind of like the Andy Reid of politics. If the beliefs are sound, all is well. Otherwise ...

[TLBSHOW]

I wish we had discussed it a year ago. But sometimes wishing doesn't work! In the end truth will win!

[biblewonk]

Not all conservatives are fiscal conservatives. The statement about marriage is more important than any ideal about small government held by some conservatives.

[mr.pink]

You see, conservatives in New York City have suffered more and for longer than conservatives in the rest of America. Trust me, I grew up on New York City's Upper West Side.

Poor Jonah...always painting himself a victim right out of the gate.

Please Jonah...tell us how you have suffered.

[Pietro]

"In fact, on Medicare and education, for example, the Dems think Bush is being stingy"

Its important to keep this in mind as we debate.

I am certainly disappointed in several of W's decisions, however, politics will not support a straight-jacked idealouge. And of course, the alternative is major-bad-worse-to the nth f'in' degree.

I'm all for this debate w/i the conservative movement, its what distinguishes us from the libs (that we can debate intellegently) but we must never loose sight of the fact that the demonicrats cannot be allowed to return to power.

[The Mayor]

Good article and I agree. I support Bush on most things, I do not like the excessive spending at all.

But just like I said to my wife the other night, he gives in to the demonrats, signs an education bill with teddy kennedy, and in no time he is being accused of not spending enough.

The dems will never be happy no matter what, give them nothing and we get attacked, give them what they want and it's not enough, and still get attacked.

I say givem nothing..

[KantianBurke]

Whatever the reasons, conservatives - as opposed to partisan Republicans - have sincere misgivings about the kind of presidency Bush is conducting.

[verity]

"I can't point to anything scientific"

Thus this is merely opinion. Let the wailing and gnashing of teeth begin.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

...It will be interesting to see here whether we can discuss this very real and threatening issue without "bashing" the President we all love so much....

We don't all love him that much.

[ZULU]

George Bush is not now, nor ever was a Conservative. He is a true moderate Republican (unlike leftists like Chrissie Whitman, Tom KEan, Rudy Giuliani, etc who are incorrectly termed "moderate" by the far left-wing press of America).

If any of you out there were not watching the Democratic Debate last night, Bush's relative Conservative credentials or the lack thereof pale into insignificance when compared with the nine dwarfs currently running for the Democratic ticket. Kucinich is scarey - he looks like Souter in drag, or a midget vampire. His prescription for more government spending and opposition to any American military involvement in the Middle East is frightening. Clark is a total imbicle. Only Bill Clinton could have made this moron a General. Kerry is a warmed over George McGovern. Edwards is an idiot. Sharpeton, unlike the mentally sharpe guy I THOUGHT he was, despite my philosophical differences with him, is a stupid, ignorant, bloated buffoon. Dean is really certifiable. I question his mental stability, along with his ignorance of international issues. The ONLY candidate there REALLY capable of even marginally functioning in the White House is Joe Lieberman and he is way down in the polling and in funding.

If any of these nutcases get elected President ( and I don't include Lieberman in that category) instead of Bush, we can anticipate the total collapse of America as we know it and massive new attacks from Islamofascists.

And so, Bush may not be perfect, but he is the best we have to go with. We can only try to exert pressure on him with letters, petitions, etc, to try and get him more to the right. The other thing we can do is start - NOW, plotting as to who we will back in 2008. My vote there goes to Condolezza Rice, but I'm open to other suggestions.

[prairiebreeze]

Out in real America where most Americans - liberal and conservative - don't focus on politics every day, Bush is still doing very well. And, even among conservatives, Bush has considerable political support. But among ideological and intellectual conservatives, emotional support for Bush is starting to ebb.

HOWDEEEE! I guess the rest of us better shake the hayseed outta our hair and get more ideelojikal and intallexuual. Yuk, yuk, yuk!!

Jonah's NY snobbism is shining through. And the rest of his article is as agenda driven as any DNC piece.

Is Jonah a mole?

Prairie

[Cubs Fan]

Lets face it both sides of this argument have a point

For whatever reason Bush has abandoned a great deal of conservative principles, that should disappoint us all

BUT on the other hand, whatever his faults, no one wants to end up with a dem in the whitehouse at such an important time in our history

How we balance those two, and what exactly to do about it, is a difficult problem to be sure.

I do however feel that one thing is working well. It seems that after the legalize the illegals fiasco Bush got scared that some of his base might stay home in 04. Since then he has started listening (the pickering recess appointment and recent 1% spending proposals) and reacting in a way that we can be happier about.

[Carry_Okie]

You see, conservatives in New York City have suffered more and for longer than conservatives in the rest of America.

I'll see your New York and bet you a San Francisco.

[snooker]

A simple question ... who is ever happy with everything that any president does??? I haven't seen it in my lifetime.

So disagreement is a natural state of affairs.

It's a lot better having Bush there than any of the dwarfs.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Gap widening between Bush and conservatives

Duh!

Boy, these guys don't miss anything.....

[Redleg Duke]

Should have realized...Jonah bleating again!

[Leatherneck_MT]

He asked far too much from me already.

Lots of things need to change before I will be solidly back in his court.

[Wolfstar]

...and the nudity was tasteful and integral to the plot.

Huh? Stupid bit of writing by Jonah, in my opinion.

[My2Cents]

Anywhere in the article, did Jonah say he was not voting for Bush? I think this is the difference between real conservatives who have concerns about some of Bush's policies, and the "real conservatives" who expend more energy bashing Bush than they do the Democrats (at least Jonah does his share of attacking the Dems). Real conservatives have concerns, but considering the big picture, they will vote for Bush again, and gladly given many of his conservative policies and appointments. The "real conservatives" never voted for Bush in the first place, and they now complain that Bush is "abandoning the base" (when indeed they were never part of the base).

There was a post up yesterday (I'm sure everyone saw it) which pointed out the conservative elements of Bush's SOTU. The "real conservatives" will never admit there is anything conservative about Bush. It is interesting that on FOX News Channel today, the chairwoman of the New Hampshire Democrat Party was shedding crocodile tears over "Bush abandoning the conservative base," as if John F-in' Kerry had a chance of winning them over. She sounded just like the "real conservatives" on FR, which makes me wonder if they're all reading off the same script.