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.
The Medicare expansion would never have taken place if a Democratic President had proposed it to a Republican congress. Thus, the case for gridlock.
Bush is the one shaping the Republican party into one of big government. He's the one strong-arming his own party into huge expansions of government, like the Medicare prescription plan, not seen since the 1960s.
As will mine.
I'd just like to be able to pull the lever for a true conservative, that's all.
I think GWB has done a fine job in most respects but I'm a hard guy to please
As will mine.
Bush is right on to end the recession in the first year of his first term.
Bush is right, and deserves outright applause, on the defeat of two of our declared enemies, from Kabul to Baghdad, in 18 months.
I studiously looked the other way while you made disparaging comment after disparaging comment directed at me personally.
Eventually when you poke the bear enough times the bear responds. "The way you have attempted to twist the remarks of others on this thread proves how damaging people like you can be."
I have attemped to twist NO ONEs words. I am holding those to account who would insist on JBT groupthink. I will hang them on their own words. And that includes YOU.
What have you done?
We do that today. With Medicare.
I have not been argumentative with everybody, even with folks that i do not agree with.
Spare me the histrionics please.
Do I have to repeat that I was not accusing you? It could have been anyone posting on this thread. It could have been anyone who was merely reading this thread. That narrows it down to, oh, thousands of people.
I only know two things for sure about that person, whoever it was-- they have a problem with sauropod, and they could really use some Midol themselves.
But let's just say I am extremely curious about that particular Abuse report on that particular comment. I am wondering all sorts of things about it, in fact. Not the least of which is whether the person with the itchy finger made the complaint in my name...
Just am trying to get the "pod" to think how he MIGHT be taken before he posts it would save a lot of missunderstandings and fighting among ourselves....
EVERYONE could take that advice, if you ask me. I am an extremely disappointed and disillusioned Bush supporter who is sick to death of being put in the same category as people who've been bitching about him since 1999. We do get equal scorn heaped on us, you know. And I don't know why I should feel I have to preface every negative statement about the man with "I have supported Bush for four years BUT"...can't I simply be outraged? If not, too bad for both of us, I guess
PS, maybe those humerous comments should be sent FRmail, not put on the public forum....They would not distract from the message and facts that way!
Gee, why don't we make that an across-the-board rule, not just one that applies to me and 'Pod...no personal anything to anybody on forum. That would sure cut down on the bandwidth used. You decide whether that would be any fun.
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