Bush Finds Party Faithful In an Ugly Mood

WSJ ^ | 2/12/04 | JACKIE CALMES

[TomServo]

WASHINGTON -- For all the attention paid to partisanship in this town, the more interesting -- and consequential -- fights here in this election year will pit Republicans against Republicans.

A new level of tension is emerging between President Bush and the congressional Republicans he expects to deliver his election-year agenda. Among the sore points, Mr. Bush's initiative to give legal status to immigrant workers who are here illegally, a bid to attract Latino voters, instead has roiled the party's conservative faithful. Republicans have been put on the defensive over the President's policies on Iraq. And record deficits and spending suddenly have Republicans questioning his fiscal stewardship.

[Euro-American Scum]

"There is frustration among some conservatives, but mostly it is focused in the think tanks here," says Ed Gillespie, the Republican Party chairman. "I'm keeping my ear to the ground. But I do not believe we're at a point where concern translates into turnout problems."

Give it time. Now the Bush team announced that the President has not decided if he will support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. With such grand leadership, he'll have a turnout problem by November if he doesn't have one now.

[dougherty]

Now the Bush team announced that the President has not decided if he will support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

A leader has to lead, Bush simply waffles. He panders to everyone but the people who put him in office. A constitutional ban on gay marriage should be a no-brainer, since the majority of Americans are against it. Nope, he'll just waffle on it while his advisers decide on whether or not they should offend gays. I'm sick of special interest group pandering from Bush.

[section9]

I've got a clue. In spades. If you wish to excuse the Bush-hating conduct of the Paleocons when the stakes are so high, then wear your blinders if you must. I do not excuse charges of political "treason" against President Bush as easily as you do, simply because they are made by people on my side of the aisle.

Apparently, expediency is a crown you wear quite easily after all.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[EternalVigilance]

I do not excuse charges of political "treason" against President Bush as easily as you do, simply because they are made by people on my side of the aisle.

What? Are you a Democrat?

And I did no such thing. Don't make stuff up.

I'm against Bush-bashing AND conservative-bashing.

I'm for the coming together of the Republican coalition for the rest of this year for the purpose of keeping our country out of the hands of the Democrats. Anti-conservative rants like you posted on this thread work at cross-purposes to that.

You hold your nose and put up with us damn conservatives, and us conservatives will hold our nose and put up with you damn liberals.

[jeremiah]

If you vote for Bush, you are essentially voting for Karl (Marx) Rove.

[EternalVigilance]

Cute. But if you don't vote for Bush, you are in a very real way voting for John Kerry. In a two-party system, like it or not, that is the plain simple fact.

Grow up. Rove is a political hack. Forget about him and do what is right for your country.

[miloklancy]

Wrong, outsourcing has been going on for several years now. My eyes are wide open. Outsourcing is largely a reaction to Big Labor and their continual extortion of corporations. With respect to IT jobs, they are being outsourced largely because there aren't enough Americans qualified to fill them. This is because our education system in this country has seen a steady decline in Math and Science aptitude. Whereas a country like India, has seen more it's nationals come to America and to go school here and excel in these areas. That is why these jobs are going to India. There are many who have this conspiracy theory that corporate America is out to get them. The truth is neither coroporate America or Big Labor, really have the country's best interests at heart. Big Labor thinks unqualified, unskilled, and uneducated laborers, should get more due than they have truly earned. Granted corporations are out for their interests, but I think that is a bit obvious. The big problem lies in the fact the generations following WWII, have not experienced any hard knocks on the domestic front and have developed this infantile attitude that they are entitled to everything without having to earn it. The fire needs to be lit underneath.

[zip]

My feelings about voting, or not voting, for President Bush are the same as being friends with a "jaywalker" or a deranged killer. There is that much difference between President Bush and any of the dimocRats. W has no concept of domestic issues (CFR, Educ, IMMIGRATION IDIOCY etc)BUT he knows how to fight the war on terror. I would rather be safe than sold out to the UN by John Fonda/Heinz, oops, Kerry.

[templar]

Wrong, outsourcing has been going on for several years now. My eyes are wide open. Outsourcing is largely a reaction to Big Labor and their continual extortion of corporations. With respect to IT jobs, they are being outsourced largely because there aren't enough Americans qualified to fill them.

I need read no farther. You have no idea what is going on in todays world. But just go ahead and dream on, no need for concern till ti's you ending up on the bottom of things, ya know. And no need to look at reality at all.

[zip]

Well stated. I hope some of the naysayers on this thread read and comprehend your post. thx

[Stu Cohen]

There was no smiley

Ooops. Wrong thread. I was replying from "your comments". I thought you were referring to the poster who was joking about me living in the Valley, where I replied:

"Them are fightin' words sir. I flatulate in your general direction ;-)"

That was a joke, with a smiley. Ahhh, never mind.

[Stu Cohen]

The US life expectancy is 77.1 years. Sweden - 79.6, Finland - 77.4, Switzerland - 79.6.

Sorry, my bad. I was comparing those countries FEMALES to our MALES (which is roughly 7 years). Nontheless, they do enjoy overall higher life expectancies than we do. About 2 years as you noted.

You forget to factor in variables such as the fact that the US has to deal with millions of immigrants who suffered from poor medical care in their native lands

Why don't those people go to Finland instead of here?

shortening their lifespans here in the US. Finland has a VERY stable population - the US does not.

Yes, and their "socialist" medical system with controlled drug prices cares for them at least as well as ours does. No?

And I don't recall government-sponsored health care listed in the Constitution - I may have to go back and re-read it.

Did you read about taxpayer subsized healthcare? Or forced taxpayer investments to private for-profit companies for R&D?

It's still illegal to own a gun in LA.

What is this Constitution you speak of, and where do I sign up to get it's benefits?

[jeremiah]

I know GW is better than Kerry, but he drives me so batty, I just gotta gripe. If people keep their mouths shut, and don't at least put a scare into the Bush people(read Karlmarx Rove), they will lose the presidential race. I think it is about a 50/50 proposition right now. If GW loses (and it is his race to lose) he has only himself to blame. He sits back and takes hit after hit, not sending out his minions to defend his honor. He should be on the morning/evening news, calling for an end to the travesty of same sex marriage, and telling why this is so wrong. C'mon Mr. Bush, throw the conservatives a big bone, instead of giving us the....

Truly, if I didn't care so much for what is happening to our Union, I would shut up, but because I do care, I will continue to do one of four things it is in my power to do......try to persuade with words.( the others are write to those in command, withold monies and vote). I have already done 3 of those, it is in GWs power to persuade me to do the fourth.

[miloklancy]

You think I don't know whats going on and you thought Outsourcing jobs just started happening under Bush? The auto manufacturers have been doing this for years. A little history lesson could go along way with you.

[sasafras]

I agree with you Latin Am. countries need to be reformed but it cant happen when we allow them to come here. Reform happens when people get fed up and change their govt. from the inside out not from the outside in. The current immigrants from Mexico do not care about becoming American - America is a melting pot and a wonderful country but if we dont assimilate these immigrants and enforce American values (Im not sure we have any anymore btw) then this country will continue to be divided and ultimately we are all doomed. Lets face it America is the hope of the world for freedom.

[joef]

Amazing. Anyone here that seriously considers themselves a small government fiscal conservative and votes for Bush is either out of it or a hypocrite.

Government growth has been much faster under W. than it was under Clinton.

The only balanced budget in the last quarter century was passed by Clinton.

You may not like the man, but the fact is that a Dem in the white house and a republican congress did good things. Bush has undone a good number of those things. His budget projections, deficit projections, job forecasts...everything his admin predicts about the economy has been horribly wrong. Why in the world would you trust him to fix things at this point?

Look past the letter next to the name for 5 minutes, look at what actually happens. You want to stand on principle? Fine. Stand on ones that matter. Fixing the budget, slowing government growth. Those matter. The letter next to the name is just a bunch of bull compared to that.

[miloklancy]

"YOUR non-president deserves another 4 years like the American public deserves another war!! Someday if your god is willing he will allow conservatives the ability to think, but I'm not holding my breath. Meanwhile, take a look at job loss, perpetual lies, loss of prestiege in the world and over 500 dead soldiers. Maybe if you put on a uniform and spent some time being shot at your narrow vision would expand. I'm pretty sick of the constitution being trashed and then the trashers being defended by people that believe faux news is the real thing."

My aren't we in a mood to pick a fight. First of all, if had seen many of my other posts you would note that I'm an atheist, so your comment about "my God" really has no meaning to me. Your assertion that those of us who support Bush as not thinking is a pure ad hominem attack. Also your assertion of lies on the part of the administration is something I honestly doubt you back up with hard facts. If you maybe spent time consuming information from objective news sources (and I don't mean Fox News!), which it is clear you have not, you would realize this. Also the lack of military service jab is a pretty cheap shot and besides there is no baby boomer who can tell me anything about living an honest life. To hold the President accountable for job loss is niave. Alan Greenspan has more real influence over the strength of the economy and job creation than any of the President's have. The fact is in the 90's many jobs were created without regard to whether these positions were sustainable. Then in 2000 when the speculative bubble burst, many of these jobs were cut. Lastly I couldn't agree more about being sick of the Constitution being trashed, that is why I won't allow a Democrat to get into office and further assault the Second Ammendment. I think you will find the Assault Weapons Ban under Clinton was a far more worst assault on the Constitution than the Patriot Act is alleged to be. We need to stock and realize we can't afford to have a Democrat in the White House, who turns a blind eye to terrorism and prances around with heads of state of Europe for some PR gimmick, rather than champion American interests.

[onedoug]

Followed your remarks over the weekend on a thread copy my wife had printed out.

Who says George W. Bush has done "nothing" for conservatives?

Also, please consider that the continuation of Western - and particularly Judeo-Christian - civilization may well hang in the balance in Novenmber's election.

Best.

[ought-six]

"The stakes are huge and I have no use for idiot turncoats."

The word "turncoat" implies a Bush supporter will drop him and vote for the Democrat. A Bush supporter who is very much concerned with some of Bush's actions and proposals is a supporter who should not be ignored.