Hard Core Republicans Are Fleeing President

The Washington Post ^ | May 11, 2006 | JIm VandeHei and Peter Baker

[Dems_R_Losers]

Disaffection over spending and immigration have caused conservatives to take flight from President Bush and the Republican Congress at a rapid pace in recent weeks, sending Bush's approval ratings to record lows and presenting a new threat to the GOP's 12-year reign on Capitol Hill, according to White House officials, lawmakers and new polling data.

Bush and Congress have suffered a decline in support from almost every part of the conservative coalition over the past year, a trend that has accelerated with alarming implications for Bush's governing strategy.

The Gallup polling organization recorded a 13-percentage-point drop in Republican support for Bush in the past couple weeks. These usually reliable voters are telling pollsters and lawmakers they are fed up with what they see as out-of-control spending by Washington and an abandonment of core conservative principles more generally.

There are also significant pockets of conservatives turning on Bush and Congress over the their failure to tighten immigration laws, restrict gay marriage and to put an end to the Iraq war and the rash of political scandals, according to lawmakers and pollsters.

Bush won two presidential elections by pursuing a political and governing model that was predicated on winning and sustaining the loyal backing of social, economic and foreign policy conservatives. The strategy was based on the belief that conservatives, who are often more politically active than the general public, could be inspired to vote in larger numbers and would serve as a reliable foundation for his presidency. The theory, as explained by Bush strategists, is that the president would enjoy a floor below which his support would never fall.

It is now apparent that this floor has weakened dramatically and collapsed in places.

[KJC1]

The seminal issue for me regarding the Republican Party is immigration.

Apparently. You are willing to throw so many things (and people) under the bus for YOUR "seminal issue." The Rats taking over is not some temporary spa treatment like you seem to make it out to be, we could be facing a nuclear showdown with Iran and will still be fighting the overall WOT on many fronts...all while the CiC is facing impeachment hearings. That's GREAT for this country, eh? Do you have any positive things to say about President Bush, and the positive things he has done?

[Earthdweller]

"OhioWfan has set the standard down, while reposing from battle, and it needs to be picked up by another loyalist."

Why not hear it from the main Bush cheerleaders themselves...

The House legislation, billed as a border protection, anti-terrorism and illegal immigration control act, includes such measures as enlisting military and local law enforcement help in stopping illegal entrants and requiring employers to verify the legal status of their workers. It authorizes the building of a fence along parts of the U.S.-Mexico border.

The White House said in a statement that it strongly supported the House bill.

Bush praised the House for approving the bill. "America is a nation built on the rule of law, and this bill will help us protect our borders and crack down on illegal entry into the United States," he said in a statement. "I urge the Senate to take action on immigration reform so that I can sign a good bill into law."

[Recovering_Democrat]

Earned amnesty?" The illegals are laughing! They broke the law to get in here in the first place--there's no real-world incentive to make them obey the law to become citizens. They'll just keep screaming "Gimme!" until they're given citizenship with no strings attached. This is an invasion, plain and simple, and the government doesn't care.

Whether you like it or not, Vlad, we have to deal with these people. There is a difference between how the two parties are going to approach the problem...neither party is going to go deport all 11 million.

Here's how I see the difference:

The Democrats are going to bust their butts to make them legal voters asap...Bush wants them to earn citizenship and make citizenship worthwhile to them--something I believe makes people appreciate their status. And, over time, that earned citizenship is more likely to produce better citizens. And better citizens means, in all likelihood, conservative voters.

The instant amnesty idea the Democrats are likely to push will cause a "handout" mentality to take even deeper root--and turn the illegal aliens into Democrat voters for a generation or more. I think that would be a tragedy for America and for those people.

[Kimberly GG]

"I'm willing to let you try again....."

You're 'willing' to let me try again? I don't know why you're saying it like that, but maybe a third time will help you to understand where I'm coming from on this. This issue, thanks to the position taken by President Bush, has clearly divided the party. The consequences of which may be (and this time you correct me where I'm wrong, ok?).............

1) loss of majority in November

2) loss of elections in '08

3) a democratically forced withdrawal/surrender from Iraq.

4) and an end to effectively fighting the war on terror.

We shouldn't even have to be discussing the consequences of Bush's position on this issue, the whole thing sickens me and I am so very disappointed when I know that his poll numbers would be skyrocketing and the party would be united had he taken the right side of this issue. I really do think the world of him and I feel very betrayed.

[Plutarch]

Provide your solution to the immigration and border problem.

AmericaninTokyo, si excolo requiris, circumspice

(AmericaninTokyo, if you seek a policy, look around you).

How about adopting Japan's immigration solution, lock, stock and barrel? The Japanese wouldn't brook 12 million Mexicans illegally invading , do you think?

[Tammy8]

The border trolls who go thread to thread are already visiting this one, I see.

This might have been an appropriate post if the article discussed in the thread had nothing to do with immigration or border issues.

However, please note from the first line in the article:

Disaffection over spending and immigration

I had great respect for you on the Schiavo threads a couple of years ago; your posts were well thought out, and you had done your homework before posting a counter to another post. On this issue, you are acting more like the disruptors we saw on those threads that did not bother to do proper research in order to counter a statement- but did so anyway. I am disappointed, I know you can do better. There are "out there" people on both sides of any issue- that is nothing new. Just please don't paint everyone with the same brush when they don't happen to agree with you.

[KJC1]

But, but, but...I thought President Bush wasn't doing anything about illegal immigration.

[Peach]

I'll try to be nicer; I'm just pretty sick and tired of the outrageous posters who are suggesting impeachment, that Bush doesn't care, etc. You've seen the posts I'm talking about.

I serious doubt those posters are genuine Republicans because in real life, I don't know a single Republican who is talking that way. Turning things over to Democrats is not going to help the country and that's what a lot of these posters seem intent on doing.

I think we have a lot of paid opinion shapers on these threads, the usual trolls, third party lovers and just plain trouble makers. It gets tiresome.

But point taken.

[Paul Ross]

For the sake of justice and the sake of border security, the President firmly opposes amnesty.

A lip-moving political nothingism.

He completely GUTS these assertions when with the very next breath... he rejects putting up a proper, effective border fence [which he could do now on his own authority without waiting for Congress], ("sending the wrong signal"), and then he talks about giving them the privileged position of "GUEST WORKER" and "REFORMING" immigration laws...laws which aren't broken.

Enforcement IS the only thing broken. With Executive Branch negligence and outright complicity.

[Earthdweller]

"I think we have a lot of paid opinion shapers on these threads, the usual trolls, third party lovers and just plain trouble makers. It gets tiresome."

Why can't we get rid of them?

One small voice cries out in the wilderness to the powers that be....Uhhh hey guys...WE GOT ANTI-REPULICAN TROLLS EVERYWHERE! I MEAN EVERYWHERE!!

Can we do something about it...pretty please?

[trubluolyguy]

Hello there. Thank you for the first "thoughtful" reply to my post.

---

Oh I wasn't agreeing with much of what you had to say....but I do think it's important to always keep in mind that conservative does NOT equal Republican and liberal does NOT always equal Democrat.

I tell you right now that if 2004 had been Zell vs Bush, I would have voted Democrat for the first time in my life. Without hesitation. Because Zell would have been the conservative in the race.

[AmeriBrit]

"We've all seen this show before."

---

I've seen it before, but not here like this. There's been many disagreements but not the epidemic of hatred and hijacking of every thread with the same unreasonable chant. I keep coming back and reading because I'm trying to figure out what it is they're trying to achieve other than completely destroy the Republican party.

[sissyjane]

Well, we might think you are a ringer as you call it, I prefer troll.....

You signed up to bash Bush at every opportunity...JMHO

[Kimberly GG]

" I mostly come to FR to enjoy the company of like-minded people who understand the importance of keeping the Democrat party out of power. Lately, all I find here is foolish anti-Bush rants. I can think of a several things I'd do differently if I was President, but I'm not, and by and large, I am very happy with W - I'm glad he's my President."

I'd like to keep the democratic party out of power too. And I'm certainly not a 3rd party type. How do we do that though and still enforce our immigration laws, effectively enforce the border and deny earned amnesty to illegal aliens? Believe me, I would very much prefer not to be seen as anti-Bush, but unless he changes his mind, I've got to start finding other Republicans who I can support, because I've written mine here in Ohio and believe me, I could write 'bite me' and I'd still get back the same form letter. They're just not listening.

[democrats_nightmare]

Wow, name calling, that contributes mightily to constuctive discussion. Respectfully, Howlin, what specifically did I say that was inaccurate or illogical? Do you really believe that Republican Party leadership--particularly in the Congress--is conservative? Republican and conservative are no longer synonomous. In my view, the Republican Party is more accurately described as moderate-liberal. Do you disagree? If you do disagree, how would you propose to change it? Chuckyd2

Chuckyd2 I admire the job of trying to disuss conservative principles with Howlin but believe me you are wasting your time. Everytime you point out the truth to this member he just gets shreaky, shrill and acts like a leftist. Its basically a symptom of deep seated denial in behavior of this fashion.

But keep up the good fight for its important that we stay loyal to conservative principles despite BUSHBOT AD HOMINEM ATTACKS!

[SUSSA]

These usually reliable voters are telling pollsters and lawmakers they are fed up with what they see as out-of-control spending by Washington and an abandonment of core conservative principles more generally.

There are also significant pockets of conservatives turning on Bush and Congress over the their failure to tighten immigration laws, restrict gay marriage and to put an end to the Iraq war and the rash of political scandals, according to lawmakers and pollsters.

It's way past time. Bush and the knee pad RINOs brought this on themselves.

[altoid]

"..that would be a heck of a conundrum for many Republicans"

Is that what you want - a conundrum for Republicans?

Zel Miller probably wouldn't run as a Democrat or Independant anyway, because he knows he'd lose. I'd like to see him enter the fray as a Republican though.

I was pretty young when Goldwater ran as a third party candidate, but we kids were enlisted when my normally Republican parents and all the other conservative Republicans worked incredibly hard to make that happen.

It just doesn't work - it only serves to ensure victory for the Democrats.