An illusion ripped wide open

The Washington Times ^ | October 19, 2005 | Bruce Bartlett

[ovrtaxt]

It isn't that Bush is a liberal. It's that he's an inconsistent conservative.

Exactly, although being inconsistent makes you, by definition, neither conservative or a liberal. He could have called himself a "sensible liberal" as easily as a "compassionate conservative". Both terms mean the same thing, but one isn't as marketable.

[ovrtaxt]

You are also downplaying the role congress has in government as well.

One important point: criticism of big government policies needs to be laid at the feet of the GOP as an organization, not just Bush. This is their PR strategy at work.

[Alas Babylon!]

I just don't see that the way you do. Even his most ardent supporters here acknowledge that he's not perfect. Take his immigration policies. Most here (and we've had numerous polls here on it) disagree.

I think the Bush-bashers constantly exaggerating the Bush-bots as being totally in lock step with Bush makes them look foolish. On the other hand, the Bush-bots accusing the Bush-basher as being Buchananites makes them look foolish.

So heres' my take. I support President Bush. I disagree with his immigration policies, and wish he'd fight back aggressively against the Dems and MSM. Really kick @$$. I wish he'd start cutting federal departmental spending. But I'm not the President, so he doesn't listen to me.

Tell me if I'm wrong, but politics requires compromise. Is that wrong? If not wrong, then the argument boils down to how much compromise? If wrong, should we ride over the MSM and Dems like a bulldozer (I'd like to)? Can that be done? Could that fail?

[SkyPilot]

George Bush is not the enemy, he is a good man.

It is, however, abundantly clear that he has made some terrible decisions on spending, border control, and now the Miers debacle.

I remember hearing Doro Bush comment once that around the dinner table, Jeb Bush was know as the family's staunch Conservative. She said the rest of the family considered him "a righty right wingo" or something like that.

[wolfcreek]

I'm guessing this will lead to a new political party, perhapes the Ultra-conservative party. If not, then what?

[ovrtaxt]

The GOPs main goal is to stay in power. A strong DNC threat keeps the GOP coalition going. It's not in their interest to really kick @$$.

[Gaffer]

The internal workings of the federal government are infested with liberal professional employees who have been entrenched there for years. Simply replacing the head of the department cannot root out the rats. It takes a decade to find them, trap them, and erradicate them.....

[Always Right]

But a lot of conservatives seem to be wanting a fight for the sake of fighting, and that mystifies me.

Why? Sumprme Court Judges sit on the bench for 20-30 years and just one Judge can swing the balance of the court. You must pick you battles, and this is a battle worth fighting. Conservatives have watched and watched Bush compromise on many things and have gone along. You do not compromise on Supreme Court picks.

[bboop]

Beats Clinton all to smitherines. Beats JOHN KERRY too. And that was the other choice. What about 'binary' do people not understand? Two parties, two choices, neither are perfect. Gee, what do you know.

[uncbob]

So what about COMPASSIONATE CONSERVATISM didn't ya understand


problem is the dems keep running insane wack jobs

I couldn't stand Nixon by the time 1972 came around but then the dems ran McGovern

Sad affair

[AmericaUnited]

What about 'binary' do people not understand?

They don't. That's why they're always having such a hard time.

[yarddog]

I voted for Bush twice. I knew he was not the man for me but I kept hoping he would surprise me.

Well he has surprised me alright, by being more to the left than I thought.

He has done a few good things but basically is a Northeast elitist liberal, despite growing up in Texas.

[R. Scott]

I already had my morning coffee.

[johnny7]

Causes one to wonder just who he would pick... if Senate conservatives send the old woman packing. If you think things look bad now...

[Rudder]

...the fact that Dubya is no conservative.

And he's no John Kerry, either.

[EQAndyBuzz]

"Bush's record contains very little for conservatives to support, yet conservatives continue to support him. It's nice to see an ever increasing part of the movement catch on to the fact that Dubya is no conservative."

Bush isn't a Conservative. Bush is a Republicrat in the mold of Zell Miller and John F. Kennedy. Everything in America has moved left with the exception of the Religious right. Republicans are now Democrats, Democrats are now Liberals and Liberals are now Marxists. The only constant is the Religious right or Moral Majority.

This evolution towards moving to the left will continue until this generation of leftist politicians, college professors and editorialists are dead. Basically, the Vietnam era must be finally laid to rest.

[mosquitobite]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/18/politics/18bartlett.html

In Sign of Conservative Split, a Commentator Is Dismissed

Bartlett fired

[redgolum]

I'll say it again: It's in the GOPs best interest to keep the Dems strong- not strong enough to win elections, but strong enough to keep conservatives voting against their threat. They're playing us.

True. But it is starting to wear thin. The era of small government GOP is ending, and a lot of Republicans are waking up sticky, broke, and confused wondering just what happened last night.

[irons_player]

"There's a right way to show dissent"

Enlighten us.

[Always Right]

Causes one to wonder just who he would pick... if Senate conservatives send the old woman packing. If you think things look bad now...

We may be stuck with accepting Harriet as our best option at this point. But I really think Bush misplayed his hand to get us to this point. Harriet may end up passing because the left-wing fears the next candidate may be more conservative, while the right-wing fears the next candidate may be more liberal.