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.

[hchutch]

After going through the 1994 Senate race in Virginia as a supporter of Oliver North (a conservative), I don't like backstabbers. I also was critical of those who stabbed Bret Schundler in the back in the 2001 governor's race in New Jersey (I donated to Schundler's campaign, BTW).

Forgive me for holding self-professed conservatives to the same standards I hold moderates and RINOs to.

[miloklancy]

"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."

Show me the numbers. I think you are exaggerating here. I have never seen anything that would point to far right commentators making it big financial when a Dem is in the White House versus when a Republican is. In fact many conservative commentators have had success writing pieces on the current War On Terror.

[BigSkyFreeper]

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

Speed reading is overrated and can get people in trouble.

Buh bye.

C-Ya

[hellinahandcart]

Aw, no you don't. I've had a complete attitude adjustment, after so many on that other thread pointed out the wisdom of dumping Cheney for a trophy bride.

Once we dump the conservative ballast over the side, our Balloon of State will fly so high!

I want to soar now too, seamole, and you guys are just dragging me down...

[AntiGuv]

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

Umm, well.. It is your chart which ignores the final two years of even that.

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

Also false on its face. Homeland Security accounts for 1.3% of total outlays as of the most recently proposed budget. That is a doubling of outlays versus the same items in the 2001 budget (Clinton's last). Total non-military discretionary spending amounts to 19.4%+ versus 17.2% of federal outlays in 2001.

That means that Homeland Security amounts for only 0.65% out of a total 2.2% increase in the proportion of non-military non-discretionary spending, which means that non-Homeland Security items account for the remaining 1.55%.

Stated differently, Homeland Security accounts for less than one-third of the 20.8% Bush expansion of non-military real discretionary spending.

[Poohbah]

Show me the numbers. I think you are exaggerating here. I have never seen anything that would point to far right commentators making it big financial when a Dem is in the White House versus when a Republican is. In fact many conservative commentators have had success writing pieces on the current War On Terror.

The mainstream conservatives are doing well right now. But I wasn't talking about them.

I'm talking about folks like Alex Jones and and Justin(e) Raimondo.

[carenot]

Actually under Bush's proposal they would have to pay a fine and there is no instant citizenship.

Sounds like a fee to me. Who gets the money?

[hellinahandcart]

Let go of my feet, dammit.

[Moonman62]

Bush may lose this election but he will either lose it or win it without the "base" because once again the "base" is acting as an opposition party. Win or lose, the "base" loses big time.

The base lost big in 1976 and we got one of the worst presidents ever, but the base came back won big in 1980 with one of the greatest presidents ever.

[hchutch]

Why should conservatives be held to a different standard than what they ask of moderates/RINOs?

Or should I just shut up and vote?

[FairOpinion]

It seems like the GOP has a death wish.

Remember, people at this reatreat weren't the far out third party "so-called conservatives", but Republicans.

Apparently they don't like to have a Republican president and Republican Congress, they would like to go back to the days, when they were a minority and the Dems rolled right over them.

It boggles the mind. Looks like the Democrats are smarter, they focus on winning, while the Republicans are trying to make sure they don't.

[F16Fighter]

" Bush isn't going to stick your neck out for him after y'all voted in smaller numbers in 2000 than you did in 1996...

Somebody else is voting for Bush--and that means somebody else is getting what they want."

Yes, and Dubya and Rove hope -- no, are counting on those "somebodies" to be shiny new Mexifornian, pseudo-socialists, and of course --'entitlements-for-my-vote' constituencies.

The GOP's pragmatic SwarzenKennedy-wing vote is safe (whew!).

Nice new "look" the GOP is shooting for.

[Mo1]

The first place these well-meaning congressmembers can start is sacrificing their annual district wish-lists piled onto the yearly transportation bill

That would be a start ..

[F16Fighter]

"Apparently they don't like to have a Republican president and Republican Congress, they would like to go back to the days, when they were a minority and the Dems rolled right over them."

Why then -- despite the fact that the GOP now controls the Presidency, Senate and Congress, don't they steam "roll" over the minority Democrats??

We prayed for it; We got the majority, and yet the GOP is STILL playing a "prevent offense" against Kennedy and Feinstein.The GOP ought to be stomping on them, but all they want to do is "play nice" and impress the "mushy-middle."

[taxed2death]

Shortsighted? Hardly.

The trades of HVAC / Plumbing, carpentry, Auto Body, Automotive mechanical repair and many more are being flooded with illegals. Now, if you are a legit business owner in my state, and you DO NOT hire illegals, you simply are "not competitive" and are underbid on each job. I could write a few paragraphs listing persons I know who have been driven out of business, by illegals.

But then, you don't want to hear the truth.

Dream on.

[FairOpinion]

"Why then -- despite the fact that the GOP now controls the Presidency, Senate and Congress, don't they steam "roll" over the minority Democrats??"

===

Good question. I think the answer is not really that they try to appease the people in the middle, but that

1. they don't have sufficient majority in the Senate to really do that
2. they are so used to being a majority, they haven't figured out how to use their power.

That's why I think the answer is to elect more Republicans, increase their majority ratio, so they will be able to get bill through and judges approved, without having to beg the Democrats.

[F16Fighter]

"I also was critical of those who stabbed Bret Schundler in the back in the 2001 governor's race in New Jersey (I donated to Schundler's campaign, BTW)."

Of course we know why Schundler was "stabbed"; He beat the RINO-appeasing Centrist in the primary, and guess who controls the GOP in NJ?

That's right -- Those same RINO-appeasing Centrist Party-Over-Principle Republicans.