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Conservatives Need to Get Real
The Intellectual Conservative ^ | 02 February 2004 | Scott Shore

Posted on 02/11/2004 11:00:20 AM PST by Lando Lincoln

While President Bush may not be a conservative’s perfect president, the alternative should shake any discontents to active support of the President.

As a conservative, I agree with most of the criticism that has been leveled at President Bush amongst Republicans and conservatives. While I support the President’s foreign and defense policies, I think that the Administration has tried to do the impossible—preempt the Left on their own issues. Republicans were not put on this earth to increase the size of government, create massive new programs like Medicare, spend billions of dollars on AIDS in Africa, fund the UN renovation, expand the Federal role in education or pursue a reckless policy of granting amnesty to illegal foreigners working in the US. None of these initiatives by the President will, in the end, take votes from the Democratic core base. Democrats are much better and far more willing to outspend any Republican program that expands the Welfare State. The strong suit of Republicans is limited government, lower taxes, individual responsibility and strong national defense. Karl Rove may be right that some of the President’s big government initiatives may neutralize some independents. In any case, conservatives could have hoped for much more in a Washington where Republicans control both the White House and Congress.

Having said all that, I intend to do whatever I can to reelect President Bush. The reason is simple. The alternative is unthinkable. A tax increase by rolling back the President’s much needed tax relief will not go to reduce the deficit but to fund massive new social programs, especially some form of universal national health care system. The stimulus of tax relief will be gone and the deadweight of new taxes and government program will lead to a much larger deficit. Moreover, the hue and cry over the deficit is only logical if the deficit grows as a percentage of GDP over a period of years. Economic recovery can shrink the deficit in a relatively short time -- provided there is no new spending. A Democrat will give us the worst of both worlds -- higher taxes and higher spending.

A Democratic economic policy is also lethal to the American middle class and small business. The repeal of most taxes to the “wealthy” proposed by the Democrats are really to two-income families that are just getting by and are clearly the backbone of the middle-class and small business owners who pay income tax; their business is not a corporation but a family business that is a sole proprietorship. An increase in dividend taxation or capital gains will put the financial markets in a tailspin and further retard the growth of new or expanded business activity.

Universal health care has an interesting twist that few seem to be discussing. If people are concerned about possible invasions of privacy because of the Patriot Act, imagine the access to private information available to Big Brother when he gets his hands on your medical records. Once the government is subsidizing our health, how long will it take before certain health lifestyles or diets become a matter of government concern over its citizens? Should we expect a universal health care system to deliver the same value as our compulsory educational system? In fact, the Democrats are likely to create an even greater rift between the Haves and Have-Nots in healthcare by allowing only the wealthiest Americans to pay for private services. Besides this, universal health will either bankrupt the economy since the demand for healthcare is virtually without limit or it will require the government to ration healthcare. Do we really want the delivery of healthcare to become a matter of political bargaining? Imagine the hypocrisy of those who are adamant that the relationship between a doctor and patient is sacrosanct when it comes to abortion, but would make almost all medical procedures a matter of public policy mandates in the future. Imagine your worst nightmare of an HMO and then increase that exponentially and you begin to get the real meaning of Universal Health Care. As for the eventual bill for this service, look to the past at all other federal entitlement programs. To make matters worse, no Democrat is going to support Medical Practice Tort Reform which is contributing to the skyrocketed growth of healthcare costs.

How will Democrats deal with other issues of free market choice for individuals? No Democrat supports any level of privatization of Social Security for retirement. There is no support for school vouchers or alternatives to the monopoly of the public school system. Finally there is no support for private Health Savings Accounts among the Democrats. While Republicans will at least look for market-based solutions to public policy issues, the unions and bureaucratic constituencies of the Democrats virtually insures no such innovation.

On the matter of illegal immigration, the Democrats are more likely to pass a liberal new amnesty program than any GOP administration. The reason is that the Hispanic community seems to be “in play” and this is one constituency the Democrats really need to lock up in order to strengthen their position on the West Coast and in the Southwest.

One can only imagine the kind of social activist judges and Supreme Court justices that would be appointed by the Democratic nominee. The Federal Judiciary will begin to resemble the lunacy of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. Can any responsible citizen sit home and allow the judiciary to lunge to the Left? This alone should energize conservatives. The dismantling of all religious tradition or symbolism in public life is likely to continue with a Democratic President and a liberal judiciary.

The final issue is one of national security. Certainly no one can believe that a Democratic administration will strengthen our intelligence and defense capabilities. It was under Democratic administrations that the CIA and other intelligence agencies became decimated and hand-tied. The Democrats have almost unanimously voted against nearly all major new weapons systems. At a time when we are in fact living in a Third World War, we can not go from a Churchill to a Chamberlain. It is disingenuous for the Democrats to glob onto intelligence deficiencies when they are largely the culprit for lack of human intelligence or material resources in the important area of espionage. In fighting a terrorist enemy, preemption is the natural policy and that requires intelligence first and foremost.

While President Bush may not be a conservative’s perfect president, the alternative should shake any discontents to active support of the President. Moreover, in the area of determining the security threat to the West and taking action, the President may go down as one of our greatest leaders. For the sake of the hope of more prudent domestic policy, judicial restraint and national security, there is really no choice. As for much of the domestic agenda, can we afford to sacrifice the good for the perfect?

Scott Shore is a political commentator and management consultant in Providence, Rhode Island.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: bush; conservatives; gop; gwb2004; leftwing; liberals; rightwing; vichycons
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To: alwaysconservative
The only way I'll go broke is if the Democrats/Socialists wreck the economy with their tax hikes...

Exactly.

it's far better to screw you children and grandchildren out of THEIR money by spending money we don't have on social programs... than for you to have to pay for it up front.

You lefties are too much.

401 posted on 02/12/2004 5:52:06 AM PST by OWK
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To: My2Cents
I have no intentions of sitting home just because you call some non-existant bluff.

I'll be voting for the most conservative candidate, even if I have to write him in.

The only conservative principles Bush has and has acted on are those for the military. Other than that his "conservative priciples" are hollow.

By the way, take a look at the latest freeper poll and then just try to repeat your rant with any sense of credibility. You won't be able to do it.


402 posted on 02/12/2004 5:56:46 AM PST by Bikers4Bush (Flood waters rising, heading for more conservative ground. Write in Tancredo in 04'!)
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To: Howlin
but they just keep on raving!

I get the feeling they live for this stuff

403 posted on 02/12/2004 6:13:42 AM PST by Mo1 (" Do you want a president who injects poison into his skull for vanity?")
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To: Tamsey
Careful, your slip is showing. Do you honestly want to admit that you can't see a diffrence between Bush and Kerry? That they are trying to "out-socialist each other"?

Oh I see a difference, Kerry doesn't give a damn about protecting any part of this county. Meanwhile Bush only wants to protect the (socialist-haven) major cities from terrorists and the rest of us rural folk, WHO VOTED FOR AND PUT HIM IN OFFICE, can just go to hell and be invaded by illegal immigrants.

404 posted on 02/12/2004 6:14:51 AM PST by Paul C. Jesup (Voting for a lesser evil is still an evil act and therefore evil...)
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To: Mo1
No... they couldn't possibly have a legitimate point.

The just live for making fun of toadies.

405 posted on 02/12/2004 6:18:11 AM PST by OWK
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To: My2Cents
This makes me wish I were on your list
406 posted on 02/12/2004 6:21:41 AM PST by WKB (3!~ What's another word for Thesaurus?)
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To: My2Cents
"You get your jollies every four years threatening to boycott the Republican Party."

Oh, you know me so well. Not!!! I was/am pro GOP for the most part, depends on the candidate. I would vote Miller over Jefferds (if he was still GOP) any day. This is the first time I am threatening to not vote GOP for president. I am leaning his way right now, but he could push me to not vote for any prez candidate depending on what he does before Nov.

"you're self-centered cranks who have an over-bloated sense of your own importance."

No, I am centered on the importance of the Constitution, the nation's security and keeping the promises of conservative belief.

"And if we lose, well, we can spend the next four years rebuilding the base, but at least we'll be free of you nitwits!"

Really? how can that happen if we are "insignificant...are in the American political landscape." What if he signs the AWB extension before November? Do you not think that that will incite more people not to vote for him? If he signs it and he does not get elected, are you still join to blame those us that you claim are "never going to vote for Bush", even if quite a few that did not might be ones that think the same way you do at the moment?
407 posted on 02/12/2004 6:21:49 AM PST by looscnnn (Tell me something, it's still "We the people", right? -- Megadeth (Peace Sells))
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To: Fledermaus
"They were the Perot and Buchanan voters! How far did that get them?

I'll even bet they voted Lyndon LaRouche in the days he called himself Libertarian"

Wrong answer, I voted GOP. Try again.
408 posted on 02/12/2004 6:24:26 AM PST by looscnnn (Tell me something, it's still "We the people", right? -- Megadeth (Peace Sells))
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To: nopardons
Starting with the name calling again? That is truely mature. Try growing up.
409 posted on 02/12/2004 6:26:32 AM PST by looscnnn (Tell me something, it's still "We the people", right? -- Megadeth (Peace Sells))
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To: OWK
No... they couldn't possibly have a legitimate point.

If throwing an election is their point? ... You're right, they don't have one

410 posted on 02/12/2004 6:28:34 AM PST by Mo1 (" Do you want a president who injects poison into his skull for vanity?")
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To: Mo1
Is George entitled to your vote?

No matter what he does?

411 posted on 02/12/2004 6:31:54 AM PST by OWK (Have you accepted George as your personal president?)
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To: OWK
Entitled?? ... No

But he's earned it

Has Kerry earned your vote???
412 posted on 02/12/2004 6:33:24 AM PST by Mo1 (" Do you want a president who injects poison into his skull for vanity?")
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To: Mo1
But he's earned it

Earned it?

So you like big-government, and lots of new social programs, and expanded NEA funding, and expanded federal education involvement, and free prescription drugs at our expense, and anti-assualt weapons legislation, and billion dollar loans to the UN...?

Is that how he earned it for you?

Has Kerry earned your vote???

Hell no.

neither of them have earned anything but the contempt I show for all leftists.

413 posted on 02/12/2004 6:37:32 AM PST by OWK (Have you accepted George as your personal president?)
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To: Mo1
Bring back Howlin.

At least she pretended to put up a fight.

414 posted on 02/12/2004 6:41:55 AM PST by OWK (Have you accepted George as your personal president?)
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To: looscnnn
Another freeper asked the overriding question:

Who would the terrorists vote for?

Awaiting your answer...
415 posted on 02/12/2004 6:42:26 AM PST by Diddle E. Squat (a Bush loss means a Guliani/Powell ticket in 2008)
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To: Lando Lincoln
I think you have a bad case of battered Conservative syndrome.

President Bush has spent like a drunken sailor (with apologies to sailors) and otherwise abandoned his conservative constituency with things like the "not quite an amnesty amnesty" and promising to sign the AWB if it gets to his desk.

Like his father, he DESERVES to lose.

When I touch the screen for Bush, it won't be because he earned my vote, but because I'm voting against Kerry or whoever. I won't be happy, but I'll do it.
416 posted on 02/12/2004 6:43:42 AM PST by Little Ray (Why settle for a Lesser Evil? Vote Cthuhlu for President!)
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To: Diddle E. Squat
Who would the terrorists vote for?

If their intent is to destroy our freedom?

It's a tossup.

417 posted on 02/12/2004 6:44:00 AM PST by OWK (Have you accepted George as your personal president?)
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To: Lando Lincoln; autoresponder; PhilDragoo; onyx; Happy2BMe; yall
Amen to all that ! And I'll go one step further.

I'll be doing my usual STRAIGHT TICKET GOP vote because there's only ONE good DemocRAT !:

One that has been voted OUT OF POWER !!!


418 posted on 02/12/2004 6:45:05 AM PST by MeekOneGOP (Check out this HILARIOUS story !! haha!: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1060580/posts)
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To: OWK
You are either dishonest or deluded.
419 posted on 02/12/2004 6:45:32 AM PST by Diddle E. Squat (a Bush loss means a Guliani/Powell ticket in 2008)
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To: Diddle E. Squat
You are either dishonest or deluded.

If the intent of the terrorists was to rob us of our freedom, I'd submit that they were far more successful as a result of 911 than most can imagine.

We've nationalized airport workers.

We've suspended the writ of habeus corpus.

We've allowed wiretaps without a warrant.

We've allowed men to be jailed without charge.

We've begun a whole new era in government growth and power.

And of course once government gets its hands on power, there's no going back.

Just think of what Hillary could do with the wonderful new ring...

420 posted on 02/12/2004 6:50:22 AM PST by OWK (Have you accepted George as your personal president?)
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