GOP Infighting Fills Our Enemies with Joy ((The Stupid Party getting even stupider)

The Times-Picayune [New Orleans] ^ | February 12, 2004 | James Lileks [Newhouse News Service]

[quidnunc]

Let's just be blunt: The North Koreans would love to see John Kerry win the election. The mullahs of Iran would love it. The Syrian Baathists would sigh with relief. Every enemy of America would take great satisfaction if the electorate rejects the Bush doctrine and scuttles back to hide under the U.N. Security Council's table. It's a hard question, but the right one: Which candidate does our enemy want to lose? George W. Bush.

And some conservatives will be happy to help, it seems.

Woe and gloom have befallen some on the right. Bush has failed to act according to The Reagan Ideal.

The actual Reagan may have issued an amnesty for illegals, but the Ideal Reagan would have done no such thing. So unless Bush packs freight cars full of gardeners and dishwashers and dumps them off at the Mexican border, some voters will just sit this one out.

The Ideal Reagan would have eliminated the National Endowment for the Arts; the actual Reagan proposed a $1 million increase in his final budget. But Bush increased NEA funding. So angry conservatives might just sit this one out.

And if a Democrat takes office, and the Michael Moores and Rob Reiners and Martin Sheens crowd the airwaves on Nov. 3 to shout their howls of vindication? If the inevitable renaissance of Iraq happens on Kerry's watch, and the economy truly picks up steam in the first few years before the business cycle and Kerry's tax hikes kick in? If emboldened Islamist terrorists smell blood and strike again? Fine. Maybe the next Republican president will do everything they want.

-snip-

[KantianBurke]

There would be no infighting if Bush had simply acted like a Republican. Contrary to what most bots think, I don't take pleasure in bashing our President. I like and respect him. But enacting policies of the left is something I think is worthy of being critical of. Politics is the art of compromise. But not when its favored to the Rats and espcisally when we have nominal control of all 3 branches of the Fed gov.

[Spiff]

The actual Reagan may have issued an amnesty for illegals, but the Ideal Reagan would have done no such thing. So unless Bush packs freight cars full of gardeners and dishwashers and dumps them off at the Mexican border, some voters will just sit this one out.

The Ideal Reagan would have eliminated the National Endowment for the Arts; the actual Reagan proposed a $1 million increase in his final budget. But Bush increased NEA funding. So angry conservatives might just sit this one out.

False arguments. Enforcement of illegal immigration does not mean cattle cars full of illegals being shipped home. If we start strict enforcement, one illegal alien and employer at a time, the illegal aliens will deport themselves as the employers stop employing them. This false argument is used constantly by liberal and conservative alike and it is just stupid.

The budget argument is also false as conservatives don't necessarily demand Reagan-like budget cuts, they would like to at least see some fiscal restraint. Non-defense discretionary spending in the budget has been higher than spending under the Clinton administration and he bulled through a federal entitlement program rivaled only by LBJ's.

Bush deserves the criticism he is receiving. If he had not done these things the party would not be grumbling right now, the infighting would not be occurring. The buck stops in the oval office on this one.

[quidnunc]

You both have just proved the author's point beyond dispute.

[BenLurkin]

"Which candidate does our enemy want to lose? George W. Bush."

[WayneM]

The actual Reagan may have issued an amnesty for illegals, but the Ideal Reagan would have done no such thing.

However, neither the Ideal Reagan nor the Actual Reagan would have issued a second amnesty after 15 years of seeing the destructive results of the first one-time only amnesty.

[swampfox98]

And some conservatives will be happy to help, it seems

That's a bare faced lie. What are we conservatives supposed to say when we have been betrayed beyond reason? Bush's betrayal goes even beyond the usual stupid party's lilly liveredness.

He has made intolerable statements about illegal immigration. He is spending like there is no tomorrow. He has chosen to help with the outsourcing of millions of American jobs, and calls it good He never fought for his judges, allowing Orin Hatch to play ball with the Democrats and not putting a stop to it.P> Only those who don't care about America's future refuse to speak out.

[CA Conservative]

Your headline is a bit off the mark - it is not the Republican party that is acting stupid - it is all of those self-declared "true conservatives" (usually Buchanan or Keyes supporters) that will vote against anyone who doesn't meet their single-issue litmus test. Much better to throw the whole country to the dogs (or to the Dems, which is worse) just to prove a point.

[tkathy]

It's alright to whine but not alright to continually announce the intention to not vote.

[SpinyNorman]

Let's just be blunt: The North Koreans would love to see John Kerry win the election. The mullahs of Iran would love it. The Syrian Baathists would sigh with relief. Every enemy of America would take great satisfaction if the electorate rejects the Bush doctrine and scuttles back to hide under the U.N. Security Council's table. It's a hard question, but the right one: Which candidate does our enemy want to lose? George W. Bush.

That is worth about five bumper stickers!

[jolie560]

This kind of stuff is human nature--the desire to rule.

It is also what make US look so crazy to the Muslim world.

They settle their differences more gentlemanly--with weapons.

[RockyMtnMan]

Do you blame the grocery store for bad produce or do you blame yourself for buying it?

[hchutch]

And by taking a course of action that puts John F. Kerry in the White House will convince the Republicans to change course?

More likely, you will merely convince the Republicans that you cannot be trusted, and the Republicans will see NO reason to stick their necks out for you.

[CA Conservative]

Do you blame the grocery store for bad produce or do you blame yourself for buying it?

Huh?

[quidnunc]

CA Conservative wrote: Your headline is a bit off the mark - it is not the Republican party that is acting stupid - it is all of those self-declared "true conservatives" (usually Buchanan or Keyes supporters) that will vote against anyone who doesn't meet their single-issue litmus test. Much better to throw the whole country to the dogs (or to the Dems, which is worse) just to prove a point.

It was Wesley Pruden (or maybe Emmett Tyrell) who a number of years ago tagged the GOP as the Stupid Party for it's infighting during the Clinton administration.

I think it's time to resurrect that moniker.

[Dane]

Huh?

RockyMtnman thinks that tax cuts, the partial birth abortion ban, killing the Kyoto treaty, etc.etc. are rotten fruit. Kinda of like John Fffin. Kerry's thinking.

[KantianBurke]

"And some conservatives will be happy to help, it seems"

That's a bare faced lie. What are we conservatives supposed to say when we have been betrayed beyond reason? Bush's betrayal goes even beyond the usual stupid party's lilly liveredness.

He has made intolerable statements about illegal immigration. He is spending like there is no tomorrow. He has chosen to help with the outsourcing of millions of American jobs, and calls it good He never fought for his judges, allowing Orin Hatch to play ball with the Democrats and not putting a stop to it.

Only those who don't care about America's future refuse to speak out.

BUMP!

[Consort]

Bush is never going to make you happy.....so get behind him and support him and quit whining.

[Howlin]

YOOHOO!

[Howlin]

There would be no infighting if Bush had simply acted like a Republican. Contrary to what most bots think, I don't take pleasure in bashing our President. I like and respect him. But enacting policies of the left is something I think is worthy of being critical of. Politics is the art of compromise. But not when its favored to the Rats and espcisally when we have nominal control of all 3 branches of the Fed gov.

Look, whether you like it or not, Bush is Bush; your whining is not going to change.

The Republican Party has ONE CANDIDATE this year, the year of our Lord, 2004.

We ARE going to elect him to the White House.

If you choose not to help, fine.

But, for the love of God, STOP FIGHTING US.

He IS the candidate, period.

And if you don't want to vote for him, fine; go find yourselves another candidate and vote for him.

BUT GET OUT OF THE WAY -- we are NOT going to sit here and let you people hand this country back over to the Democrats so they can destroy our security.

Period.