Counterfeit Conservative

The American Conservative ^ | Doug Bandow

[TypeZoNegative]

Because he's not acting like the conservative we voted in. Duhh.

[Blackirish]

Are you suggesting that the only real choice for conservatives, those of principle, that there only true choice is the liberalism of one party or the liberalism-lite of the other party

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Nope but at this point the choices are going to split FR into a flame war like we've never seen.

You'll have a choice between another big spending, inarticulate, social conservative George Allen...or a articulate, tight fisted social liberal Rudy Gulliani.

As much as I like Pence or Newt ...he is not electable at this point

[MineralMan]

"Bush is going to get impeached. The Dems are going to win the house and then let the hearings begin.
"

No, he is not. Even if the Dems win control of the Congress (and that's in question), Congress has lost the taste for impeachment, given how the last one worked out for them.

No, they'll just block the President for the last couple of years of his second term and make him look like a fool. Then, they'll manage to get a Dem President elected in 2008.

Wishing ain't winning.

[weegee]

I would not want to have seen Algore or John Heinz-Kerry's America. 8 Years of the co-presiduncy of Billary Clinton was enough.

Want to see another Jimmy Carter in office?

Things can always be worse (and that is not the "lesser of two evils" argument).

[Cyber Liberty]

Look, I'm not going to have this philisophical discussion. We'll just end up with another pie-fight, like the thread I linked earlier.

We'll just have to decide when votes are asked of us, what we want to do.

[unixfox]

[brytlea]

You know, you have a point. Things could be worse, however, at least when it was Carter we could say, "Hey, not our fault!"
I'm pretty frustrated right now. I am afraid I am having an epiphany of sorts about Bush.
susie

[MineralMan]

"Because he's not acting like the conservative we voted in. Duhh."

President Bush did not disguise who he was, nor did he dissemble regarding his positions on things like immigration. He campaigned pretty much for what he has done while in office.

Then we had this 9/11 thing, which diverted President Bush's attention a bit. Suddenly, he's a wartime President, and a lot of stuff got moved to the back of the stove. Now, it's back on the front burner again. Immigration? President Bush wanted guest workers in 2000. Didn't you hear him say so?

You got exactly who you voted for.

[weegee]

And the Left knows this and will fuel the flame war.

Trolls will be out, as well as those who left FR (and the party).

[Conservative Coulter Fan]

I disagree with the "mixed bag" interpretation, because on the size of government, we've been completely defeated. On federal spending, half a trillion dollar deficits, new entitlements, and new government programs & departments - we've been defeated. On illegal immigration, Bush/Frist/McCain are paving the way for amnesty and yet more illegal immigration to the tune of millions a year. You'd think wildly popular conservative legislative efforts like a constitutional amnedment protecting marriage would have at least been attempted, but I suppose the Dick and Lynne Cheney can put a stop to that for the sake of their lesbian daughter..

I disagree with the vigorous prosecution of the war, although I supported both the war in Afghanistan and Iraq...because we've done things like drop more food than bombs on Afghanistan during the onset, we've left al-Qaeda a sancturary in the Western portion of Pakistan, Iran continues just like the Koreans did while we futilely seek diplomacy after it fails over and over, and we've been largely diverted by trying to build "Islamic Democracies" with billions of our tax dollars so that we can drag backwards Middle East Countries into the 20th and 21st Century.

[dljordan]

"The last 2 times the RNC called me asking me for money I told them that I'd start giving money again when they grew a pair. The only reason I have for voting this November is to keep the President from being impeached. Period."

Lately, when I get a request for a donation I print out one of the Bush Peso's and send it back. My congresscritter (who I had high hopes for) when to Washington and immediately began voting for whatever the leadership told her to.

[marron]

Since you and I aren't running for office, or at least I'm not, we are forced to choose among those who are. Sadly, none of them are as smart as I am, or as dedicated to my principles.

But, then again, as "centrist" as Bush is, he only just barely managed to get elected, thats running against a certifiable nutcase like Gore in the first instance, and a Jane-Fonda-Democrat in the second instance.

I doubt seriously if a true classic-liberal-classic-conservative could get elected dog-catcher in this country.

Still, given the choice, I am very glad it wasn't Gore or Kerry sitting in the White House, on security issues alone.

That doesn't mean that we have to sit silent while he tries to out-Kennedy the Kennedys. We are quite capable of walking and chewing gum, we can support him when he deserves support, and scream when we need to. Screaming when he back-slides should give no comfort to the Democrats, since we are screaming when he is too much like a Democrat.

This is what is deceptive about Bush's low ratings. His loss of support does not in any way translate into support for Democrats.

[Dont_Tread_On_Me_888]

Pitty poor Mr. Bandow.

Pitty your inaccurate read--this article is about Bruce Bartlett's analysis of Bush, not Doug Bandow's opinions.

The points raised are all glowing examples of what conservatives find wrong. Bartlett is correct about the Medicare Drug Bill. There was total dishonesty to how this was presented. No independent think tanks were commissioned to detail the cost of the program before the vote on the bill, and the cost went to mult--TRILLIONS as soon as the ink dried from the Bill signing, after it was represented as a $400 billion program.

You can "yawn" all you want, but true conservatives do not "yawn" as Republicans go liberal and lie to us about costs and budget numbers. Bruce Bartlett has been a true conservative for many, many years. Bush has been a liberal (fiscally) for five years. Bartlett has a far more respected track record of conservatism than most commentators.

Your "yawn" signifies your apathy to surging socialism, and your blind eyes toward the fact BOTH parties are the culprits.

[weegee]

"Not our fault" but Carter was (and is) our problem. What's more, Carter continues to be a problem. What other 1970s governors are still on the national stage meeting with foreign leaders and trashing a Republican administration's foreign policy?

[Methadras]

excuse me... i see no contradiction in liking the man as a president and as a person, which i do... i supported his ideas and ideology, but what i stopped supporting was the apparent execution of those policies because they weren't in line with what he was saying... you can go back and look at why i've stopped my support of the president...

i've made a very distinct distinction on why i've stopped supporting the presidents policies domestically and it's because they aren't good for me or my children economically or politically... his international policies i'm okay with and don't have a problem there, but unfortunately they are being steamrolled by a very active leftist/liberal kook base that is getting face time on the MSM... if you want to call that schitzophrenia, you can, but it still makes your assessment inaccurate about my stance with the president and his policies... maybe i wasn't being clear to you about it, but hopefully this post and some of my previous posts on the subject may shed some light and clarity on it...

also, i'm no longer a member of the GOP... the illegal immigration issue has driven me away from them as a party... i'm still a conservative, but not a party member any longer...

[Conservative Coulter Fan]

I made my peace in 2003, during the latter part of the year, because I couldn't in good conscious advocate my conservatism and on the other hand sacrifice it for the corrupted politics of Washington D.C. I've pretty much resigned myself to looking ahead to 2008, because I don't see Bush or the republicans magically reversing course, and we can hope that someone like Newt Gingrich defeats the likes of Romney or McCain or Pataki.

[EveningStar]

Read the thread that's already been posted.

Posted a week ago. Damn!

[rob777]

There sure seem to be plenty of anti-Bush screeds being posted lately. What's that about?




It depends on the angle, not all have the same purpose. This one seems to be about recapturing the centrality of limited government to the conservative message. That was lost when Bush came to be seen as the conservative/GOP leader. With Bush about ready to exit the political arena, the battle is joined to define conservatism.

[G.Mason]

If you remembered right, you would have understood that GWB never showed any signs of being a Conservative as governor of Texas.

Bawling now, about something all of us should have been aware of, is rather pathetic. Hopin and a wishin is best to be done in private.

[weegee]

Wouldn't be a problem if the rest of the world was united with us to defeat international (and state sponsored) terrorism.

Pakistan and Syria not doing enough to apprehend the terrorists in their midst? Take the war to them.

The United Nations and some European nations have been exposed as being in Saddam's pocket. That should have discredited their criticisms of the US led war effort.

It's like we are in 1942 and still arguing if the Nazis pose any real threat outside of Germany.

And I oppose giving money to the Middle East. Too much wealth there already. They don't use their money wisely (it goes into the pockets of "kings"). Poverty isn't what causes their holy war (Bin Laden is a billionaire). And I'll believe we are striving for "Islamic democracies" when they accept the freedom of man to choose NOT to be a muslim.