Counterfeit Conservative

The American Conservative ^ | Doug Bandow

[G.Mason]

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

My yawn signifies more of the feigned surprise that GWB is somehow not what he puported to be. That suddenly his record from two terms as governor of Texas was kept in a secret vault.

" Five years later, the traditional conservative agenda lies in ruins. Government is bigger, spending is higher, and Washington is more powerful. The national government has intruded further into state and local concerns. Federal officials have sacrificed civil liberties and constitutional rights while airily demanding that the public trust them not to abuse their power."

Those are Doug Bandow's words, written as though he was blindsided and having no idea of the mechanics of why.

As far as my apathy to surging socialism, and my blind eyes toward the fact BOTH parties are the culprits" goes, you are rather presumptuous.

On the otherhand, you best be getting some troops mobilized to take back the federal government from those culprits, as it will only keep getting fatter and larger, [now hang on to your hat] because that is what the people want.

[Conservative Coulter Fan]

I don't agree with the myth that more principled conservatives or libertarians are completely unelectable in this country, because I think the republicans dispelled it, somewaht, with Reagan and more so with the elections in 1994 and Contract for America. I think this myth great political victory for modern liberalism, which has beaten a strkly contrasted opposing ideology with a psychological weapon that is really not that sophisticated..."you can't win!"

[MineralMan]

"What do you call politicians who ignore their constitutional duty to secure our borders against enemies foreign and domestic? "

Are you calling President Bush a traitor? Are you really doing that?

[Conservative Coulter Fan]

Newt is politically savvy enough....and conservative enough and unlike a lot of politicans he is capable of sustained argument and he has a clear vision as opposed to a laundry list of "for and against."

[MineralMan]

"On the other hand you'll vote for whoever has an R next to their name, effectively making you useless in deciding party politics. Republicans cannot win without conservatives, its time they find it out the hard way.
"

You assume to much about how I vote. Bush won because conservatives voted for him. It was a close call, and in both elections. Consider the alternative.

Now, I see more and more self-styled conservatives claiming they'll never do that again, and that they'll only vote for a hard-line conservative.

Again, consider the alternative.

[weegee]

Treason requires providing aid and comfort to the enemies.

The politicians you cite are derelict in their duties. We could remove them for office for that. We can execute traitors.

[MineralMan]

"Newt is politically savvy enough....and conservative enough and unlike a lot of politicans he is capable of sustained argument and he has a clear vision as opposed to a laundry list of "for and against.""

Indeed. He is all those things. You can add to that list that he is 100% unelectable, due to personal issues. Nobody who was more or less forced to resign from Congress is electable as President. Look elsewhere.

[G.Mason]

Thank you for remembering and stating the obvious that many, here, seem to have forgotten.

"Some conservatives always had reservations about Bush as a conservative but held fire because they feared Gore/Kerry more. With Bush no longer running, there is no more need to hold fire. The issue is not about being anti or pro Bush, it is about defining conservatism."

That needed to be said again!

Perhaps it will help clear the fog, for those that seem lost and wandering on these highways, before they crash.

[jpsb]

and he now has a cute wife!(at least that is what I've heard). Newt's got one of the best minds in the USA, I intend to support him. He been there, his solid and he can lead.

[Conservative Coulter Fan]

Be warned, my friend, the GOP prospects in 2008 are looking very dim...the media is going to give Romeny and McCain a lot of looks and attempt to make these the leading men while trying to knock down a Gingrich before he can rise. Romney, at least for me, is a lot like Jim Jeffords, and he might adopt some lipservice for the base, but he's pretty much a liberal on social issues. On the fiscal side, expect to maybe talk tax cuts, but his agenda won't reflect any serious conservatives proposals either.

[Conservative Coulter Fan]

That's what I'm going to do...to me, Newt has the conservative values and political vision to win the presindetial election in 2008...I'm going to get behind him early on and attempt to squash the liberal media's attempts to foster a McCain nomination or a Romney nomination.

[jpsb]

Gingrich is the man to get behind. He knows the belly of the beast better then anyone.

[Dont_Tread_On_Me_888]

My yawn signifies more of the feigned surprise that GWB is somehow not what he puported [sic] to be.

Bush "purported to be" a conservative.* He has been anything but, as evidenced by the accurate comments of Bruce Bartlett, and the proof positive facts of spending from the Office of Management and Budget data tables.

*SOURCE: The BIO of George Bush on the White House Website, where it is stressed he believed in "limited government".

PS: Our mistake, as conservative activists, happened when we heard that first use of "compassionate conservative", a convoluted term that we now know means "socialism from a Republican". Our failure to recognize that "conservatism" does not need an associated adjective like "compassionate" tied with it has dealt the conservative cause a fatal blow.

[MineralMan]

"and he now has a cute wife!(at least that is what I've heard)."

Well, that's enough to change my mind, fer shure! Seriously...do you suppose that the events that led to this new wife will not be news everywhere? Do you remember them? You'll be reminded...again and again.

Newt is unelectable. We need a squeaky-clean conservative if there is any hope of getting a conservative elected. We don't need Newt.

[jpsb]

I fear a repeat of 2000, Forbes was a much better conservative candidate but all I heard was "he's not electable" BS, this time either the GOP nominates a conservative or I'll just vote CP on the top of the ticket.

[JTN]

Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list, freepmail me or post a message here.

[BufordP]

BOING!

[jpsb]

Cool enjoy hillary because I will not vote for a Bush clone. Newt gave us 94 and you give him the back of your hand? Shame on you.

[Conservative Coulter Fan]

I find the Constitution Party has a very appealing platform and I have flirted with joining it...

[Hank Rearden]

Well, let's see how far he goes down the road of making it easy for foreigners to sneak in, first. If his conscious refusal to enforce border security results in an al Qaeda attack, where would you affix the blame?

He's more interested in securing Iraq's borders.