We Must Hold the Line

amsiriano.com ^ | 2004-02-09 | A. M. Siriano

[Americathy]

It will please my liberal friends and readers to know that I'm not very confident right now that President Bush will win a second term. I have been carrying on an e-mail battle with both liberals and conservatives for some time now, defending all points of the current administration, arguing with liberals that they should be happy that Bush is spending too much—proof that his compassion is real—and that they are missing the bigger picture in the Middle East; then turning right around to argue with conservatives that a politician today has no choice but to steal the thunder of the other party (which Bush has done repeatedly), especially in the first term, that like it or not we must deal with the illegal immigrant population and try to win the Hispanic vote, and that they should stop pretending David Kay's word is gospel, that a threat is a threat is a threat.

As I watched President Bush on Meet the Press fend off the carefully concealed attacks from that dog Tim Russert, who pretended to not hear Bush when he explained the context of his decisions, I started to get a sinking feeling that we are watching the beginning of the end. As I read articles early this morning, especially George Will's warning to the President, "to speak plainly and accurately," I felt even worse. Dick Morris has concurred, advising the President "to become prosecutor, not defendant." Even Peggy Noonan offered up an uncharacteristic downer, explaining that President Bush doesn't handle interviews well:

[Americathy]

Related to my previous post and well worth the read. This is a very clear message to anyone thinking about abandoning Bush in the coming election.

[Bikers4Bush]

"This is a very clear message to anyone thinking about abandoning Bush in the coming election."

So where's the message to the people that Bush has abandoned?

That's what I thought.

[Americathy]

I'm not sure what that means. Who exactly has Bush abandoned?

[Bikers4Bush]

Conservatives.

[Americathy]

That's just silly. You aren't a conservative, you're a libertarian. The problems with libertarians is they have an unrealistic view of give and take in Washington. In today's climate (in any climate) no one gets reelected if they don't know learn to deal from the inside. First term is always worse than the second. Besides, the bottom line is the war. To quote Siriano:

"If conservatives and Republicans, and even right-leaning Democrats who support Israel, don't hold the line, we are in danger of starting the Clinton years all over again. Regardless of what we think of the deficit (worrisome, perhaps, but unproven as a real glitch in economic security), or how we believe Bush is betraying our libertarian dreams of shrinking the government to the size of a peanut, we are facing the worst enemy since Rome faced the barbarians. Like the barbarians, the terrorists don't know when they have been defeated, and they are itching for another man in the White House who thinks empty threats are enough to get them on the run."

[Bikers4Bush]

You don't know me from adam, I'm am not even remotely close to being a libertarian.

This just shows how narrow your views are.

The bottom line is national defense and our wide open borders that should be closed are one of many things contributing to the lack of.

Siriano means nothing to me. For all I know it's some buddy of yours who opines for you after a few beers.

[Americathy]

I do know this. To abandon Bush at this time is irresponsible. I agree that we should guard the borders better, but it isn't Mexicans who bombed the WTC, it was Moslems, and Bush has taken the war to them.

[Bikers4Bush]

We haven't abandoned Bush. He has abandoned us, big difference.