Posted on 05/10/2006 7:15:13 PM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
For the second time, I don't "hire" illegals, because I don't have a business.
I contracted out the remodeling of my house two years ago as a homeowner. And I took the top bid on the remodeling because of the across-the-board positive references I got.
It wasn't about the money.
Either you knew that, or you just ignored it so you could spew.
"All because of Bush". That's your whole story, isn't it?
Amnesty, you say? The President said, and I quote: "I oppose amnesty -- placing undocumented workers on the automatic path to citizenship," he said. "Granting amnesty encourages the violation of our laws and perpetuates illegal immigration. America's a welcoming country. But citizenship must not be the automatic reward for violating the laws of America."
What is your problem with that?
One thing these pollsters never mention is the political bent of those who disapprove. I would bet that a large plurality of those people who disapprove is conservative. There are many issues in which the president has let us down. But 0% of those people would ever vote for a Kerry, Gore, Clinton or any of the other lefties who will fill the Dem primaries-cum-sideshow.
Okay, I did. While the Senate was busy producing an Amnesty bill on April 5, the President was cheerleeding their efforts: President Urges Senate to Pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform
THE PRESIDENT: The United States Senate is debating a very vital issue for our country, and that is immigration reform. I urge the senators to continue to work toward getting a comprehensive bill; a bill that will help us secure our borders; a bill that will cause the people in the interior of this country to recognize and enforce the law; and a bill that will include a guest worker provision that will enable us to more secure the border, will recognize that there are people here working hard for jobs Americans won't do, and a guest worker provision that is not amnesty, one that provides for automatic citizenship.
This is a vital debate. I thank the members who are working hard to get a bill done. I strongly urge them to come to a conclusion as quickly as possible and pass a comprehensive bill.
Bush's entire emphasis was and is on a comprehensive bill, one that provides for what he eumphanistically calls guest worker provision, but which in the bill is tattered fig leaf amnesty.
He defines Amnesty in this statement as automatic citizenship. Provide a wet paper towel of hindrance to citizenship and it is no longer automatic in Bush's construct, and thus is not amnesty.
Bush was immensely pleased with the horrific Senate Amnesty bill, and you cannot deny he would have signed it in a heartbeat, with a huge White House ceremony.
I submit that amnesty for illegals is a leftist goal, that Bush supports amnesty, and thus that Bush's position on illegal immigration is leftist.
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.
I absolutely agree completely with every point, and so does Hugh Hewitt, because he makes them also.
I would add that I believe the "splitting of the base" is far larger than just the immigration issue however. It, along with the abhorrent Harriet Meiers nomination, then the Dubai Ports Debacle, now covering for and pretending we aren't being eviscerated by China's economic warfare, collectively have had the role of being "the straw that broke the camel's back".
Conservatives now know that GWB is not only not conservative, but will actually try and do conservatives and the conservative movement harm.
It has been an ongoing process where the Base on issue after issue domestically, and in some foreign policies and defense policies realized that Bush was not merely playing at being a little liberal (or "moderate" in the RINO parlance) he was actually liberal...and to hell with any conservative who got in the way of his liberal agenda...they would be summarily ignored...and worse...vilified in the strongest liberal opprobriums.
We are only now seeing the "Establishment" awakening to the fact that they have already erased their political credibility with the very group on which EVERYTHING DEPENDED. We warned them the Emporer had no clothes. Now, when it is too late...they are finally panicking:
Hard-core GOP flee Bush, pollsters findMichael Franc, a top official at the Heritage Foundation, said his organization hosted 600 of its top conservative donors last week and heard more widespread complaining about Republicans than at any point in the past 12 years. "It begins with spending, extends through immigration and results in a sense that we have Tweedledum and Tweedledee for the two parties," Franc said.
I enter this into evidence that this is a third party advocate...BIG TIME. (and he just signed up too...surprise, surprise, surprise)
BUMP!
Of course, what we needed to do was get Zell to switch parties, and maybe get Bush to go over to the other side as well, then that would be LESS CONFUSING to the average voter. Notice how much Better the President treats the RATS, like Bubba and Teddy, and Reid than he does the conservatives in the GOP? Its disgraceful.
But of course both parties have been playing 3 Card Monty for so long with the voters, they are justifiably reticent to trust any politicians who's lips are moving.
The guest worker program is not included in the bill that Bush wants passed...sorry no cigar.
I will submit to you what I have submitted to others who share your view that Bush is a leftist (including the Kennedy connection.....the picture of whom WAS irrelevant).
You have to say that he is lying, and you have to jump from A to C without the link of B to come to the conclusion that he supports the leftist view of illegal immigration. You also have to deny what the leftist view of illegal immigration, in its entirety, really is, and how President Bush isn't even close to them.
You obviously have chosen to do those things, for whatever reason. I have chosen to take President Bush at his word, because he is a man of character who does not lie. I can disagree with him on aspects of his positions, and I do, but I understand that his views are consistent with what he believes to be the right thing.......and he is NOT a leftist.
Therein lies the distinction between you and me.
btw, your comments 'while I was away' were enjoyable. :)
....but don't call him a ringer, or a troll--it messes with his little mind(sarc.)
Uh, then who was I quoting there who was pining for a Guest Worker provision? I thought that was President Bush.
I had the same issue with Arlen Specter here in PA, so believe me, I do sympathize. I actually split the ticket in '04, so as not to vote for Spector. But I don't think I'd do it again - especially when there is a real risk of putting the Dems in control of the Senate.
IMHO, if you have a RINO senator or rep who won't listen, the best solution is to get in there early and really work hard in the primaries and encourage guys like Toomey to challenge the encumbant RINO for the Republican nomination. If they are as tone deaf as you say, then sooner or later they'll lose a primary. Every RINO everywhere saw how close Toomey came to beating Spector (within a point) and as the election draws near - I think they will start listening.
I think the key question is - do you really believe that the Republican party, taken as a whole, is no different than the Democrat party? I think there is still a huge difference.
LOL
Tell me, how many incumbent congressional RINOs do you think have ever been defeated by conservative primary challengers? Heck, name just one.
Guess that little political "slip" by the President when he supported a bill that had no guest worker program just went right over your head.
oh well, you will catch on someday.
One thing that is not helpful in any discussion is expecting the President to be able to do things he cannot do, nor blaming things for which he is not at fault.
He is not 'siding' with the leftists. His position on illegal immigration has been consistent from day one. He has not betrayed us, nor abandoned us. He is not causing the dissent, because every conservative and Republican who was paying attention knew exactly where he stood on this issue 5 years ago.
You can't have supported and voted for him, knowing his views, and now condemn him and accuse him of causing division because he hasn't changed his views.
It does NOT make sense.
As for your fear that he will be the cause of any loss in November.....I'm sorry, but it's nonsense. The Republicans in Congress need to do the right thing, and the conservative voters need to do the right thing..........and as far as I'm concerned, voting third party, or staying home and pouting, thereby risking giving this country to the RATS, is irresponsible. And it's not Bush's fault if the self-aborbed, tunnel visioned third party pouters get their way, and the country is turned over to traitors.
Sorry, no cigar right back at you.
Here in fact is the President's own statement:
"I urge the senators to continue to work toward getting a comprehensive bill; a bill that will help us secure our borders; a bill that will cause the people in the interior of this country to recognize and enforce the law; and a bill that will include a guest worker provision that will enable us to more secure the border, will recognize that there are people here working hard for jobs Americans won't do, and a guest worker provision that is not amnesty, one that provides for automatic citizenship."
Note, the President is explicitly mis-characterizing what amnesty is. It is not "automatic citizenship." Amnesty is:
Main Entry: am·nes·tyBy not enforcing existing law and sanctions...and letting them stay on as "guest workers", he is explicitly seeking to issue clemency. E.g., AMNESTY.Pronunciation: 'am-n&s-tE
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -ties: an act of clemency by an authority (as a government) by which pardon is granted esp. to a group of individuals
Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc
Ya done good! :)
Look for my thread in the next couple of days.....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.