I do? What I quoted was a pretty broad statement of general principles. If Bush can't live up to that, it certainly isn't because it's too "narrow" a standard.
Hasn't he cut taxes ?
Of everything you mentioned in that long post, that's the only thing that would begin to qualify as a step in a conservative direction. The problem is, however, that the tax cuts are temporary, and far from being accompanied by spending cuts, they've been followed by drastic increases in domestic spending well outstripping what happened during the Clinton years. That means the cuts have almost no chance of becoming permanent, and with federal spending taking us deeper into the hole, it makes it pretty unlikely that taxes could be cut at any time thereafter. So in terms of any solid, lasting moves, even small ones, that have taken us in a direction that any reasonable person would describe as conservative, there's precious little if anything.
[[You seek to adhere to a narrow definition of conservatism
I do? What I quoted was a pretty broad statement of general principles. If Bush can't live up to that, it certainly isn't because it's too "narrow" a standard.
Hasn't he cut taxes ?
Of everything you mentioned in that long post, that's the only thing that would begin to qualify as a step in a conservative direction. The problem is, however, that the tax cuts are temporary, and far from being accompanied by spending cuts, they've been followed by drastic increases in domestic spending well outstripping what happened during the Clinton years. That means the cuts have almost no chance of becoming permanent, and with federal spending taking us deeper into the hole, it makes it pretty unlikely that taxes could be cut at any time thereafter. So in terms of any solid, lasting moves, even small ones, that have taken us in a direction that any reasonable person would describe as conservative, there's precious little if anything.]]
You only prove my point. Ideological entrenchment with no wiggle room. A total lack of big picture perspective and little, if any, grasp of economics. The tax cuts have increased government tax receipts, the deficit is decreasing as a percentage of GDP, the only relevant statistic. Personal retirement accounts, tax reform, personal health accounts are all things Bush has proposed that are in line with conservative principles. Bankruptcy and tort reform are conservative accomplishments. Don't get me wrong, Congress has not lived up to their end of the bargain and reigned in spending, they control the purse strings, not Bush. Without the line item veto, it is politically impossible for Bush to exercise economic restraint, because to veto bad spending in bills, he also has to veto good spending, and the republicans would get hammered and hand the democrats ammunition to use in elections.
Give Bush the line item veto, and if he refuses to use it, then I will join you in criticism of his fiscal policies. Until then, you are merely showing political naivete. Political reality and ideological entrenchment will always be at odds.