Bush reaches out to conservatives to quell revolt

Forbes ^ | Feb. 20, 2004 | Adam Entous

[FairOpinion]

WASHINGTON, Feb 20 (Reuters) - The White House has been reaching out to conservative groups to quell a rebellion over government spending and budget deficits, hoping to shore up President George W. Bush's political base in an election year.

Conservative leaders who have taken part in private White House meetings in recent weeks said on Friday officials have promised to all but freeze non-defense spending, and assured them Bush will follow through on his threat to veto major highway legislation if Congress refuses to scale it back.

The price tag on a six-year highway and transportation bill stalled in the House of Representatives is $375 billion while a Senate highway bill calls for spending $318 billion. The White House has proposed a $256 billion measure.

"Bush has been very attentive to the critique from the right," said Stephen Moore, president of the Club for Growth, a politically powerful conservative group -- offering tentative praise where once he talked openly of a brewing rebellion.

But if the White House does not follow through, said Heritage Foundation vice president for government relations, Michael Franc, "all bets are off."

"This is not something you can address with a handshake, a pat on the back and an invitation to the White House. You address it by actions," he added.

The White House is used to being attacked by Democrats, but it came as something of a shock when fellow Republicans broke ranks over growth in government spending, hurting Bush at a time when his job approval numbers were already falling.

Conservatives from the Cato Institute criticized the president for overseeing a nearly 25 percent surge in spending over the last three years -- the fastest pace since the Johnson administration of the mid-1960s.

Others singled out his failure to lay out concrete plans to reduce the federal budget deficit, projected at a record $521 billion this year. Even some of Bush's Republican allies in the House warned of a backlash against his budget priorities.

In what one administration official called a "concerted effort," senior White House officials have been meeting with Republicans in Congress to smooth over their differences.

Joel Kaplan, deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, has been meeting with conservative groups, an aide said. The effort may be paying off.

"Stung by a lot of the criticism from the right, Bush is going to be steadfast about sticking to his spending targets," said Moore, who warned in January that a rebellion among conservatives was brewing.

Now Moore says, "They clearly are trying to reach out. I think the complaints of conservatives have been heeded."

Heritage analyst Brian Riedl once described the mood of conservatives as "angry."

Now Riedl says, "I think the White House is definitely moving in the right direction," though he added, "There's a lot of work ahead of them."

William Niskanen, the chairman of the libertarian Cato Institute who advised former President Ronald Reagan, said he has personally not seen much of an outreach effort. "We'll have to see" what the White House does, he said.

[FairOpinion]

"The White House is used to being attacked by Democrats, but it came as something of a shock when fellow Republicans broke ranks over growth in government spending, hurting Bush at a time when his job approval numbers were already falling. "

Kerry, Edwards and Terry McAuliffe are very grateful! The Dems couldn't win in November without help from conservatives -- help, which is apparently is on its way. Conservatives seem more intent on defeating Bush, than the leftist Democrats.

[John Jorsett]

I've been noticing a spate of "gloves are coming off" and "Bush looks to shore up his base"-type stories of late. Did somebody in the White House just start reading their email and realize they've got a problem or what? It hasn't been much of a secret that there's a lot of unhappiness out here.

[Tax Government]

I'd like a constitutionality audit of the entire federal government... a position paper, authored by the RNC, summarizing each of the major principles of the constitution, and how the government is [is not] enforcing them.

Of course, requirements like "gold-backed currency" are sure to be met with an interesting, creative, but baldly lying response.

And democRats -- you might beat the RNC to the punch, with a lying, cr*p-filled position paper of your own. (Hoping you sense the opportunity, here, for a show of excellence from your side of the aisle.)

[vbmoneyspender]

Funny, I read the article and drew the exact opposite conclusion from that drawn by you -- namely that when you make valid criticisms with regard to the conduct of political leaders that you support, smart political leaders listen to those criticisms and act on them. Seems that Bush has gotten the message loud and clear that spending has increased too much, and now he is attempting to address that valid concern.

[GeronL]

The highway bill also raises the gas tax and that will ruin Bush's campaign before it starts. They will have to pass it over a VETO but that will still bring some hurt on Bush, 'couldn't control his own people' ya know...

and if he has a brainfart and signs it... remember that everytime he mentions how tax cuts are helping the economy the media will be sure to mention "Bush said tax cuts help the economy and he raised the gas tax".

I don't think he will sign it, but he had better start smacking some guys in Congress around on this issue!

rinohunter.blogspot.com

[FairOpinion]

Yes, but by pushing Bush to the right in an election year, he may be losing the precious middle of the road voters.

Conservative voters should have enough sense to know that Bush is on their side and support him -- after all, as I keep pointing out, to the mentally blind and deaf, if Bush doesn't win, a Democrat will.

[BookmanTheJanitor]

I still think SF mayor Newsom is doing more to turn out Republicans than anyone.

[vbmoneyspender]

Bush is going to lose middle of the road voters by cutting back on spending growth and thereby reducing the deficit?

[Hank Rearden]

Conservative voters should have enough sense to know that Bush is on their side and support him

I think they're still waiting for evidence of that ('free' pills for the Greedy Geezer vote-buying scam, huge increases in spending/debt, steel tariffs, Welfare Farmer subsidies, etc. etc. etc. more more more, spend spend spend), and time is running out for Bush.

[Citizen Soldier]

if Bush doesn't win, a Democrat will.

Exactly! There are no third parties that are going to win and staying home and not voting for Bush on "principle" is just a vote for the democrats.

[Lunatic Fringe]

You so-called "conservatives" better be ready to set aside your threats of staying home on election day... this is not the time to stand by on just one or two principles, like "budget deficits" or "education spending."

We are at war, and the only thing standing between us and victory is John F'ing Kerry. You need to think of the greater good... politics is the art of mixing principles with compromise. We won't get 100% of everything we want. Remember your government lessons on Majority Rule vs. Minority Rights- it's a lesson George W. Bush seems to remember well.

We need to be energized on election day, and give our President 4 more years.

[FairOpinion]

"Exactly! There are no third parties that are going to win and staying home and not voting for Bush on "principle" is just a vote for the democrats."

==

Another intelligent person who gets this simple truth! :)

I don't understand how so many can keep ignoring the obvious, even after it is pointed out to them repeatedly.

[ilgipper]

brilliant, dude.

[Lunatic Fringe]

The highway bill also raises the gas tax and that will ruin Bush's campaign before it starts.

Wow... you'd turn this country over to John F'ing Kerry over a nickel per gallon tax?!

[jungleboy]

Conservative Groups are W's Base?
I thought the big gov/no first amendment/Illegal Aliens were his base.

[SierraWasp]

"I don't understand how so many can keep ignoring the obvious, even after it is pointed out to them repeatedly."

BECAUSE WE'RE PIST AT BEING TAKEN FOR GRANTED! And you... You're just making it WORSE!!! STOP INSULTING everyone capable of thinking for themselves, for once!!!

[GeronL]

No. Seems like the RINO's in Congress are willing to do that.

[kristinn]

Please don't make sense on this thread. It'll spoil the conservative bashing party before it's begun.