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Stick With President Bush In November (Good Reasons NOT To Stay At Home) (My Title)
Worldnetdaily.com ^ | 01/31/04 | Henry Lamb

Posted on 01/31/2004 4:55:14 AM PST by goldstategop

The most serious threat to President Bush's second term is not a Democrat; it is the growing mass of disenchanted Republicans who are accepting the proposition that there is little or no difference between the two major parties.

"Where are they going to go?" says a well-placed Bush operative. "You know they'll never vote for Dean or Kerry. And there's no Ross Perot on the horizon."

Where will they go? Nowhere. And that's the point. Republicans, especially the more conservative variety, are likely to stay home in droves. So far, the Republican strategists appear to be oblivious to this possibility.

Perhaps conservative Republicans expected too much too soon from a Republican administration. The Democrats had eight years to fill the agencies of government with activists from their special-interest groups. It is true that President Bush quickly dumped the most egregious of these types, whose positions are political plums. The underlings hired by the political appointees, however, are protected by civil-service regulations and cannot be fired, or even reassigned, without non-political justification.

The disappointment of conservatives goes much deeper and questions the fundamental philosophy which guides the administration. After eight years of watching the Clinton-Gore team march the United States directly into the jaws of a global socialist government, Bush supporters expected a screeching halt and a major course correction.

Conservatives cheered Bush's withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol – a screeching halt and a major course correction – while socialists abroad and Democrats at home condemned the president.

When Bush defied the U.N. Security Council, and created a multi-national coalition to eliminate Saddam Hussein, conservatives split, some cheering the action, some joining the Democrats at home and socialists abroad who condemned the action.

The Patriot Act, the prescription drug program, the "guest worker" program, the so-called "free trade" programs and a half-trillion dollar deficit have left conservatives reeling, wondering why a Republican administration and Congress have produced results that look so much like what they would expect from a Democrat administration and Congress.

Consequently, many, many Republicans have thrown up their hands and have decided to either join some doomed third-party movement or simply stay home.

While this reaction may be understandable, it is not only self-defeating, it violates the first law of true believers: Never, never, never, never give up!

It is true that Republican hold the White House and a razor-thin majority in Congress. It is also true that the nation is divided, almost down the middle, between people who want to continue the Clinton-Gore path toward global socialist government and those who want to abandon that path and move the United States toward more individual freedom, free markets and voluntary cooperation among sovereign nations.

Rather than give up and stay at home, a better strategy may be for conservatives to realize that the election of President Bush in 2000, and securing a slim majority in Congress in 2002, is just the first step in a long journey. Conservatives should realize that it takes 60 senators to prevail over the Democrats' filibuster.

Rather than throw in the towel, conservatives might throw their effort into the campaigns of conservative candidates for the House and Senate, and for the state legislatures and county commissions.

The global socialist agenda moved into high gear after the fall of the Berlin Wall, aided dramatically by the progressive Democrats in the United States. The Bush election in 2000 disrupted that agenda, and to them, nothing is more important than removing the Bush obstacle. Conservatives who decide to give up and stay at home will be aiding and abetting the enemies of freedom.

A return to progressive Democrat leadership in the United States is a return to the Kyoto Protocol and U.N. control over energy use in the United States. It is a return to subservience to the United Nations – as Howard Dean says, to get "permission" from the U.N. before defending our nation. It is a return to total government control over land use, education and every other facet of life.

In 2000, conservatives barely got a foothold on the bridge of the ship of state. In 2002, conservatives began to get a grip on the wheel. In 2004, conservatives have an opportunity to bring on more hands and to permanently discharge some of the progressive Democrats who continue to fight desperately for control.

Democrats alone cannot regain control. If conservatives give up, throw in the towel and fail to show up for the November battle, the Democrats will win by default. Conservatives who truly believe that freedom is better than socialism, those who want freedom for their children rather than a world socialist government, will never, never, never, never give up. They will show up in November.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2004; 2004election; conservatism; conservatives; electionpresident; endorsement; gwb2004; henrylamb; presidentbush; staythecourse; ussenate
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To: goldstategop
The existence of the welfare state has never troubled me.

Given the fact that 15% of my pay comes straight off the top for Social Security, Medicare, et al, it troubles me. And that doesn't even address income taxes.

Surely you realize there are folks out there who could better use this money to pay for their own expenses?

If you're still okay with these programs, have you considered what will happen as the baby boomer demographic becomes eligible for them?

41 posted on 01/31/2004 5:31:12 AM PST by NittanyLion
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To: zook
oThe President for all Americans will not be President much longer if he continues this garbage. The Demos will not vote for him, and if he keeps screwing THOSE that got him there, they will sit home and he will lose. I would like to feel supportive again, but what good is fighting terrorism if you fail to fight the wholesale sell out of the country. And for your information, I live in NYC area and know full well about the lessons of 9/11. I also know about the effects of illegal immigration, government waste fraud and abuse, etc. And I am telling you, whether you want to accept it or not, that W will have a harder chance at re-election if he continues to try to be a Liberal because Liberals will vote for Liberals and Conservatives will stay home. If you look at the margins W won by in many areas, it was very close. From my vantage point, he has not won over enough independant voters to take the luxury of screwing those that got him elected in the first place.
42 posted on 01/31/2004 5:31:32 AM PST by chris1
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To: NittanyLion
We've been having brass monkey warnings in Happy Valley for about the last three weeks. The snow is deep and icy, especially on my roof. We may break 30 this week. Heat wave.

As far as bad estimates of costs go, I think there's no problem being critical of Bush. But that also means giving consideration to whatever reasons he offers for the mis-estimate. But, for me, that's a far different question from whether or not I should vote for Bush. I have no doubts about that, given the alternatives.
43 posted on 01/31/2004 5:32:29 AM PST by zook
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To: NittanyLion
Yes, "low balling" the cost since if the President proposed it with the higher actual estimate last year, it would never have made it out of the House. A lot of conservatives are saying "we told ya so." And if anything the White House is stubborn in refusing to the see the error of its pressuring Republicans to go along with a benefit that will cost a lot more than $530 billion in the next decade. What has the base riled up so much is so much isn't the perception President Bush is trying to buy Democratic votes at the expense of conservative principles but that he won't try to make them happy by listening to THEIR concerns. It seems like the President wants to repeat his father's mistakes with regards to policy on just about everything but cutting taxes.
44 posted on 01/31/2004 5:32:48 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: goldstategop
A lot of you guys would say Bush is a liberal who talks like a conservative.

I mean no disrespect, but on many domestic issues he's acting like a liberal. I'd say in the aggregate he's slightly left of center on domestic policy.

I certainly don't want to discount all the excellent work the administration has done in foreign policy, but if we look at domestic policy, the facts demonstrate that Bush is not a conservative.

45 posted on 01/31/2004 5:34:20 AM PST by NittanyLion
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To: goldstategop
I like President Bush less and less every day now. I not only feel abandoned, but have been. I feel like puking, but instead will just hold my nose and vote for him again. That is all I must do. The alternative is worse, not a whole lot worse, but worse.

As far as the future of the Republican Party I think we are at a crossroads. If the conservative base gets active, vocal, and picky with our campaign contributions, we might stand a chance of reversing the direction we are headed. If the conservative base jumps ship, or doesn't raise hell for liberal voting then we are doomed.

I am going to go to my state convention and raise a lot of hell. I may just FReep my own Republican state convention.
I may picket outside, then go vote inside.
46 posted on 01/31/2004 5:34:59 AM PST by Trteamer ( (Eat Meat, Wear Fur, Own Guns, FReep Leftists, Drive an SUV, Drill A.N.W.R., Drill the Gulf, Vote)
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To: chris1
We'll see. I'd argue that the Bush people are highly sensitive to the fact that about 35% of voters really "hate" Bush. I think they fear that were Bush to play the staunch conservative, it would be easier for the hate Bush crowd to influence moderate Dems and independents.

47 posted on 01/31/2004 5:36:48 AM PST by zook
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To: Trteamer
I encourage you and every one else to take a stand. Perhaps the White House is going to be seen as a lost cause but there's every reason for conservatives to stay active and engaged and fight for the soul and direction of the Republican Party. Even if it means crossing a sitting President. Cheers!!!
48 posted on 01/31/2004 5:38:14 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: chris1
I hate to say this, but I know of many seniors who abose the medicare program and go to the doctors like you and I go to the bathroom.

Most of these elderly paid some of the highest tax rates this nation has ever seen on the promise that these programs would be there for them in there old age. It's not their fault the government wasted the money charged to provide them. Spent mostly on feel good programs the younger generation demanded.

49 posted on 01/31/2004 5:38:55 AM PST by steve50 ("There is Tranquility in Ignorance, but Servitude is its Partner.")
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To: zook
We've been having brass monkey warnings in Happy Valley for about the last three weeks. The snow is deep and icy, especially on my roof. We may break 30 this week. Heat wave.

It's been cold even here in Richmond for the last two weeks, although we did get into the 40s a couple days. I remember those long, cold winters...

As far as bad estimates of costs go, I think there's no problem being critical of Bush. But that also means giving consideration to whatever reasons he offers for the mis-estimate. But, for me, that's a far different question from whether or not I should vote for Bush. I have no doubts about that, given the alternatives.

Bush will receive my vote in November, assuming nothing major occurs between now and then. What the GOP won't be getting is my money or time. I think that's the serious risk regarding a demoralization of the base; a small percent will stay home but a much larger percent will not participate in activism. (The same activism which is credited with the 2002 successes.)

50 posted on 01/31/2004 5:39:00 AM PST by NittanyLion
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To: hoosiermama
STRATEGERY

Strategery, my friends is what this is all about----think

1)Immigration - Bush's proposal is a modest worker program. However, it does scare the Dems into proposing full, blanket amnesty --- thereby alienating them from the public.

2) Presciption Drug - The program steals a huge issue from the Dems where Bush can claim progress versus the Dems lip-service. It contains an experiment for medical savings accounts --- an experiment that can be enacted if we keep a Republican majority.

3) Education - Bush allowed Kennedy to write the "No Child Left Behind Act" and has funded the money. The Dems will look like typical bigger-spenders in comparison.

The bottom line here is politics. If we want to change course, we need to be the majority party for years to come, not for 2 years (remember, we barely have the Senate for the last 2 years).

Bush can campaign on the fact that he increased spending, kept his promises, protected senior citizens, funded education. America can trust conservatives.

That will become the death knell for the Dems. They will move farther left aka Dean in the future and the Republicans will be able to enact their agenda with strong majorities.

51 posted on 01/31/2004 5:39:25 AM PST by Erik Latranyi
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To: Trteamer
I agree 100%. I put up yard signs, phone calls, donations, and feel totally betrayed. The immigration thing to me is the worst disaster I could imagine from him. It exemplifies so many dirty, negative things about politics and about where he would take us. Let him take in a few illegals into his house and see what he thinks. Para continuar en espanol, please press duo. I have heard that phrase so often, it makes me vomit.
52 posted on 01/31/2004 5:39:57 AM PST by chris1
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To: goldstategop
Conservatives should realize that it takes 60 senators to prevail over the Democrats' filibuster.

False. It takes 102 testicles.

53 posted on 01/31/2004 5:40:25 AM PST by Sloth (Why bother with fighting foreign enemies if we surrender to the domestic ones?)
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To: chris1
They treat conservatives like the Democrat party treats blacks.
54 posted on 01/31/2004 5:40:27 AM PST by FirstPrinciple
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To: Sloth
False. It takes 102 testicles.

For a total of 104 in the Senate (don't forget to add Hillary's two).

55 posted on 01/31/2004 5:42:12 AM PST by NittanyLion
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To: steve50
Not even close, the marginal rate was high, but so few ever paid that. In real dollars, in doesn't even amount to a drop in the bucket. Someone who is 75 and been collecting for 10 years did not even pay close to a fraction of the amount he or she has taken out. Not even close.
56 posted on 01/31/2004 5:42:22 AM PST by chris1
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To: NittanyLion
You're right about all of this. We can't simply have these programs continue on auto-pilot. If we going to have a health care system and provide for people in their old age we've got to get away from the model government knows best. Empowering individuals and families is the answer. That's the only way we will be able to deal with the inevitable baby boomer demographic in the future. The big government welfare state won't be sustainable over the long run and neither the President nor the Democrats face up to the fact absent changes the only way to keep it running is to raise taxes or cut benefits or most likely, a combo of the two.
57 posted on 01/31/2004 5:43:08 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: NittanyLion
Two? She's got a lockbox full of 'em.
58 posted on 01/31/2004 5:43:50 AM PST by Sloth (Why bother with fighting foreign enemies if we surrender to the domestic ones?)
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To: goldstategop
no one is perfect....and republican that would stay home or do the unthinkable is a traitor....
59 posted on 01/31/2004 5:44:33 AM PST by The Wizard (Saddamocrats are enemies of America, treasonous everytime they speak)
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To: goldstategop
Amen. The failure to recognize this fact is same of pushing the current mess. More expensive programs, less quality and accessibility of service.
60 posted on 01/31/2004 5:45:09 AM PST by chris1
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