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Maybe Bush is Right On
Intellectual Conservative ^ | 30 January 2004 | Raymond Green

Posted on 01/31/2004 6:27:08 PM PST by softengine

Much has been said about the Bush administration’s handling of sensitive issues to conservatives like illegal immigration and entitlement spending. The criticism is both broad and intense, coming from traditional allies and longtime foes. Though the criticism coming from opponents is severely hypocritical, it scars no less.

Conservatives are consistent in their disparagement of excessive government spending and amnesty programs for illegal immigrants. This, however, leaves no one to thoroughly explain Bush’s policy strategy because his adversaries stringently attack for the sake of power regardless of policy. Though I don’t personally condone the liberal approach of the current administration’s handling of these specific policies, I do understand the strategy involved.

As conservatives, we must force ourselves to look at the big picture. Our country faces a crippling moral dilemma; the tort system cost our economy an estimated $233 billion in 2003; we desperately need a national energy policy; we need to continue reducing the overwhelming tax burden in our country; our intelligence gathering methods must be vastly overhauled and improved; it is critical that the defense of this country continue to be improved and grow; and we must continue to fight the war on terrorism as we currently are or we will find ourselves in the same war on our soil in coming years. This is a minor explanation of what the macro picture currently looks like.

We can safely assume atheists will continue to embrace – and even encourage – the degradation of morality and religion in this country; trial attorneys will never propose tort reform; environmentalists will not support any realistic energy policy; those dependent on government subsidies will fight any tax cut; and liberal anti-military, anti-intelligence, anti-war, special interests-appeasing politicians will put our country at great risk if left in charge of such issues. These people are Democrats and for this reason alone it is critical that Republicans maintain control of Congress and the White House. Fortunately, this isn’t where supporting the Bush administration ends.

President Bush and company have trademarked setting traps for Democrats. He trapped Democrats into supporting the war by initiating the debate just before elections and trapped Democrats into making the capture of Saddam Hussein an issue. He trapped Democrats into opposing an entitlement to seniors and he, not Howard Dean, forced the Democrats further to the left. Bush has taken Democrats’ issues from them and set the stage for an election based primarily on national security – not a Democrat strong suit.

So we come to Bush’s base supporters. Needless to say, we are not happy – but we must be smart. I pose the following questions to ponder: (1) Will excessive government spending and entitlement programs ever be reformed with Democrats in office and (2) Does politics end when Bush’s term ends? The answer to both is obviously no. The end goal is to place Republicans in Congress strategically to outlast Bush. Bush has been accused by allies of repeating his father’s mistakes. I strongly caution against trying to use a slight majority in Congress to overhaul our country in one term – we’ve seen what that brings before.

Our country faces a number of critical issues we must address in coming years. The easiest to fix is (a) excessive government spending and (b) illegal immigration – if, and only if, Republicans are in office. Excessive government spending can be weaned down over time with a Republican majority in Congress (and it will in due time). Illegal immigration can be solved with technology, a slight bump in spending, and a determined Republican president. Neither, however, can be fixed unless steps are taken to regain a firm control of Congress and overall politics.

Do I agree with amnesty or excessive spending? No; quite the contrary. But I disagree with – and to a great extent, fear – the radical agenda of the left. It will, and has already begun to, destroy this country. It is critical we take control and if a bump to the National Endowment for the Arts silences a few artists, amnesty shuts a few radical Hispanic groups up, and a prescription entitlement makes a few seniors happy, so be it. These policies may not make an overwhelming difference in polls or make many people vote for Bush who wouldn’t have otherwise, but they change the image of Republicans and set the stage for a long-term Republican takeover.

Right or wrong, that is the Bush strategy. Choosing not to vote for him on these specifics simply counts as a vote for his opponents. He may be taking his voter base for granted; however, he may just be assuming we’re smart enough to figure out what is going on. Politics will outlast President Bush; he simply hopes it is politics dominated by Republicans who can eventually take on the issues we are forced to swallow at present.


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: conservatives; election; electionpresident; gwb2004; republican
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To: sauropod
My aim in calling someone a bushbot is to call attention to their thought process. It is totalitarian.

Actually it is just your attempt to put two words together and call it a debating point. If you didn't have sloganeering to fall back on you would be at a loss for words.

221 posted on 01/31/2004 11:13:31 PM PST by Texasforever
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To: sauropod
We agree to disagree. Good night good Sir!

Well ,it is obvious we do .Lighten up, it was a joke. Good night to you as well, sir.

222 posted on 01/31/2004 11:14:50 PM PST by gatorbait (Yesterday, today and tomorrow......The United States Army)
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To: MEG33
Please do not mistake me for TLB. He is banned and i am not. Based on his posts, I would say he could be (IMO) mentally unstable.

In fact, if you look, I am one of the ancient ones ;-).

223 posted on 01/31/2004 11:14:55 PM PST by sauropod (Better to have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!)
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To: gatorbait
Ok you got me ;-).
224 posted on 01/31/2004 11:15:21 PM PST by sauropod (Better to have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!)
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To: Texasforever
OOOOOooooooooh. "Sloganeering."

Guess you just put me in MY place.

225 posted on 01/31/2004 11:16:47 PM PST by sauropod (Better to have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!)
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To: sauropod
Ok you got me ;-).

God, now that I got ya, what do I do with ya? :-)

226 posted on 01/31/2004 11:16:59 PM PST by gatorbait (Yesterday, today and tomorrow......The United States Army)
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To: sauropod
Guess you just put me in MY place.

No your head was already there.

227 posted on 01/31/2004 11:18:03 PM PST by Texasforever
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To: sauropod
Got any Mydol?

Feelin' bad, 'pod? ; )

228 posted on 01/31/2004 11:19:00 PM PST by DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet (Four hours is too long for a Democrat to sit in the Oval Office, let alone four years. Vote W '04)
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To: NYC GOP Chick
"I've seen just how batty the left has gone since Bush was elected. Even more so when he hit his stride after 9/11. It got to a point that some were sort of rooting for the Taliban. "

That is exactly it. They hate Bush more than the Taliban. They hated that he was so inspiring standing there with that loud speaker on the rubble of the Trade Center. They wanted it to be Gore doing that and saying the exact words Bush said. Kerry and the rest of them are spitting on that image of Bush day after day. This is personal We either dance on their grave or they dance on ours. Because if Kerry wins then it's four years of Kerry followed by eight years of Hillary.

V-O-T-E B-U-S-H.

229 posted on 01/31/2004 11:19:30 PM PST by DestroytheDemocrats (I)
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To: Texasforever
Glad to oblige someone so wise.

Have a day.

230 posted on 01/31/2004 11:19:44 PM PST by sauropod (Better to have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!)
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To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
OMG yes. I'm in the friggin' Twilight Zone ;-)
231 posted on 01/31/2004 11:20:32 PM PST by sauropod (Better to have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!)
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To: sauropod
Let me see if I still have the midi for that.. :- )
232 posted on 01/31/2004 11:21:38 PM PST by gatorbait (Yesterday, today and tomorrow......The United States Army)
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To: sauropod
OMG yes. I'm in the friggin' Twilight Zone ;-)

I'm afraid Mydol won't help that. Try something else. : )

233 posted on 01/31/2004 11:22:06 PM PST by DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet (Four hours is too long for a Democrat to sit in the Oval Office, let alone four years. Vote W '04)
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To: sauropod
That's a bold faced LIE! You call anyone who supports the re-election of President Bush a " Bushbot " and you don't even know if that person agrees completely, or just with some of his policies.

You use COMMUNISTIC tactics, yet complain that others favor " totalitarianism", when they don't at all.

234 posted on 01/31/2004 11:22:07 PM PST by nopardons
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To: DestroytheDemocrats
"They wanted it to be Gore doing that and saying the exact words Bush said."

Gore doesn't have the gravitas to do that.

Bush made me proud to be an American that day.

235 posted on 01/31/2004 11:22:19 PM PST by sauropod (Better to have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!)
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To: sauropod
You stop calling people bushbots and I'll wipe the TLB thought from my mind forever...;)
236 posted on 01/31/2004 11:23:50 PM PST by MEG33 (God bless our armed forces)
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To: sauropod
Gore doesn't have the gravitas to do that.

That isn't all Gore does not have ......

237 posted on 01/31/2004 11:23:59 PM PST by gatorbait (Yesterday, today and tomorrow......The United States Army)
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To: nopardons
No madam.

In fact, here it is YOU that is LYING.

I have stated PREVIOUSLY on this THREAD what my position is.

I RESPECT honest differences.

I do NOT RESPECT people that misrepresent what I have said.

As you have just done.

238 posted on 01/31/2004 11:25:33 PM PST by sauropod (Better to have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!)
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To: gatorbait
There's always an airbrush for that......;)
239 posted on 01/31/2004 11:25:54 PM PST by MEG33 (God bless our armed forces)
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Font wars.
240 posted on 01/31/2004 11:26:29 PM PST by Consort
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