GOP slams Bush policies at retreat

The Washington Times ^ | 2/6/04 | By Ralph Z. Hallow and James G. Lakely

[ovrtaxt]

Growing frustration over President Bush's immigration plan and lack of fiscal discipline came to a head behind closed doors at last weekend's Republican retreat in Philadelphia.

House lawmakers, stunned by the intensity of their constituents' displeasure at some of Mr. Bush's key domestic policies, gave his political strategist Karl Rove an earful behind closed doors.

[Poohbah]

Which of course explains Bush's dive in the polls.

Actually, Bush's dive in the polls parallels Reagan's dive in early 1984, when Mondull had a comfortable lead. But I'm sure you knew that.

[Kay Soze]

Yeah!

When did W loose Veto power anyway?

[Kay Soze]

"It was intense, but I was not surprised at the tone of questioning during Rove's session," said Rep. Tom Feeney, Florida Republican.

"But then this was supposed to be a no-holds-barred discussion, and our constituents are upset."

[Bikers4Bush]

I won't.

I'll blame them, they chose the course and they are steering the boat.

I look at it this way. We all started out on the same boat and from time to time at certain ports (over certain issues) people just decide they've had enough and they don't get back on the boat because they don't like the direction it's going.

Those people can't tell the captain where to steer because he couldn't care less and keeps going regardless.

So who's fault will it be when the freaking boat is stuck in the north atlantic with no fuel and winter rolling in. The people who sailed it there or the people they refused to listen to who decided it wasn't going where they wanted to go and who got off?

[AntiGuv]

Ummm.. Your chart appears to be missing two of the budgets that Bush has proposed thus far, coincidentally the two that witnessed the sharpest spending increases.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Look. We can yuk it up and guffaw at the Democrats all day if we wanted to, fact is, Bush has stolen every issue of theirs and crafted them into proposals of his own. I've yet to see Congress say "Hell NO!" and strike down anything Bush steals from the Democrats, and signs the very same legislation he sent up to the hill for the Congress to tackle. If the linguine spined Republicans on the hill can't put the kibosh on Bush's centrist agenda, that's their fault, not Bush's.

[WRhine]

I'm not predicting a Bush defeat. What Bush has done IMO is take an election that was in the bag for him and made it into another horse race where anything can happen.

[meema]

Thanks for the flame. That was uncalled for. I would ask you what the #%@# you are talking about, but it wouldn't make any sense if you tried.

A Broken Glass Republican is defined by YOU as a MODERATE?
Not where I come from.

Buh bye.

[Bikers4Bush]

Apparently right after the majority of the bills hitting his desk started leaning to the left.

[Bikers4Bush]

"fact is, Bush has stolen every issue of theirs and crafted them into proposals of his own."

And this makes him what exactly?

[BigSkyFreeper]

Who you vote for as your Senator or Congressman is not my fault. If you like the fact your Senator or Congressman can't stand up to Bush, that's great. I'm sick and tired of Congress letting Bush get what he wants, without checks and balances. That's what Congress was designed for, not just some scenic stop along the way to the White House.

[Bikers4Bush]

As a folow up did, you did mean this Wilmette, Illinois guy right?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1073007/posts

[FreeReign]

Ummm.. Your chart appears to be missing two of the budgets that Bush has proposed thus far, coincidentally the two that witnessed the sharpest spending increases.

Ummm what? It was your chart that proudly posted back in post #374 a spending comparison of "Reagan and Bush's first terms".

BTW, the only real increase in Bush's discretionary budget in 2003 relative to GDP was Bush's Homeland Defense expenditures.

Like Reagan and the cold war, Bush has a war to fight. Only this one requires expenditures at home that don't fall under the DOD spending umbrella.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Considering it's the obligation of Congress before he puts his signature on his own bill, I'd say they're all by definition in the same boat. This is why I find it laughable that the "Republicans" in Congress are blasting Bush.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Congressional Republican's can blast away all they want at Bush. They are wholly irresponsible in that regard, because they brought all of this anger out there in the heartland upon themselves. They can't face the fact that they are completely gutless worms that can't stand up to Bush when it counts. They're only doing this because this is an election year.

[John Jorsett]

"I would say 97 out of 100 of our members who asked questions laid into him pretty good about spending and the lack of discipline on the administration's part," Mr. Feeney said.

How many of them voted against the budget? That's what I thought.

[miloklancy]

Sorry but the "conspiracy people" are in general the far left folks right now, not the far right. People like Michael Moore who claims the Bush family is in league with Osama Bin Laden. Bottom line, the upcoming election is going to be about who is most committed to our nation's security. All the field of Democratic hopefuls have proven they are living in the Pre-Sept 11th, 2001 world.

[Poohbah]

Sorry but the "conspiracy people" are in general the far left folks right now, not the far right.

And the conspiracy folks on the far right aren't making as much money as they used to, and would really like to have a leftist back in the Oval Office.

People like Michael Moore who claims the Bush family is in league with Osama Bin Laden.

So do some of the far right folks like Alex Jones.

Bottom line, the upcoming election is going to be about who is most committed to our nation's security. All the field of Democratic hopefuls have proven they are living in the Pre-Sept 11th, 2001 world.

Which leaves the unappeasable right out in the cold, and they don't like it overmuch. So they're trying to create a split in the conservative movement.