It's not a coming collapse- it already happened when Congress passed the new Medicare drug entitlement and Bush fell in love with illegal aliens.
Whatever might be left that could be called conservative largely involves largely symbolic issues like the Schiavo controversy. Just a little symbolic red meat to throw to the unsuspecting conservative masses while this country turns into a debt-ridden suburb of Mexico.
I care very little who wins the next election, unless the Republicans nominate someone who will do something about illegal immigration. I already know nobody will be a serious fiscal conservative- those don't exist in Washington with the possible exception of renegades like Coburn.
I agree.
I came across a post the other day, by a freeper that appears to have been around for a long time. His post stated, "Conservatives don't care how big government is".
I see comments like this here all the time.
This was posted by a long time guy, that's been here since '98.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1484812/posts?page=58#58
Well I agree that there has been a REAL betrayal by the republican (party) leadership, but there are a few sane fiscal conservatives left in D.C. Take Mike Pence leader of the RSC (basically the COnservative Caucus) in the HoR. He was on television yesterday trying to persuade the President and congress to cut back on big government intitatives and pork-barrel to pay for the Katrina aid :)! Now that is something that is needed! Plus there was a core that voted against the spending bill :)!@
So things are not totoally helpless, especially if we elect someone like Pence, Coburn, Tancredo... to POTUS. In fact my friends are running the -draft Pence- campaing for 08!!
Fiscal conservatives? There's a few. Coburn is one great example as you cited. Also:
Mike Pence
Jim DeMint shows promise
James Inhofe
SC Gov. Mark Sanford
The most important tenants of modern day conservatism reside in social issues, not economic.
In fact, I have always resented those people who smugly say "I'm a fiscal conservative and a social liberal." (They're just afraid to admit they are liberals)
Fiscal conservatism, after all, is virtually impossible without some semblance of social conservatism.
Withholding $$ from the less fortunates in society while watching that same segment live disfunctionally is not only destructive to the American quality of life, it goes against the grain of what it means to be a good citizen.
As for the govt. plans to spend a lot of $$ in Louisana, Mississippi and Alabama, what are we supposed to do? Tell the victims to just live in the mud and filth until the federal government has a surplus??
C'mon. President Bush is doing exactly the right thing. He has struck the right chord in the wake of a national tragedy, and I am hopeful that he might even convert more than a few "former" Democrats to a new vision of social conservatism while he's at it.
I've been voting since the Richard Nixon/George McGovern election in 1972, and I'm about ready to say the same thing.
I earned $10,800 so far in September.
I'll probably have $4,000 deposited in my checking account.
I don't give a darn who wins the next election either, unless they allow me to keep more of what I earned!