Hard Core Republicans Are Fleeing President

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.

No, I do not think you are part of the enemy. I think some here are being used though.

Which ones are being used? Those that are demanding that we capitulate to the demands of the marxist organized marchers - namely amnesty, jobs, benefits, and citizenship. Or those that are opposed to giving the marxists what they want?

Is it those who are supporting socialist Ted Kennedy's plan to give illegal aliens amnesty, jobs, benefits, and citizenship? Or is it those who are opposed to the socialist Democrat's plan?

Is it those who support the efforts of the 91 members of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus which is open to all but which has 89 Republicans on it and only 2 Democrats? Or is it those who oppose them and defame and smear the Chairman of that caucus at every turn?

In my opinion, if someone is going to side with the marxists, socialists, and other Democrats, they're going to get the heat. And it doesn't matter to me if they're a Republican or a Democrat, a congressman, or even the President. If they join the enemy's battle line, I'm not going to adjust fire.

The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 [Farrand's Records, Volume 2]
MADISON Monday Sepr. 17. 1787. In Convention

The engrossed Constitution being read,

Docr. Franklin rose with a speech in his hand, which he had reduced to writing for his own conveniency, and which Mr. Wilson read in the words following.

Mr. President

I confess that there are several parts of this constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them: For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged by better information or fuller consideration, to change opinions even on important subjects, which I once thought right, but found to be otherwise. It is therefore that the older I grow, the more apt I am to doubt my own judgment, and to pay more respect to the judgment of others. Most men indeed as well as most sects in Religion, think themselves in possession of all truth, and that whereever others differ from them it is so far error. Steele, a Protestant in a Dedication tells the Pope, that the only difference between our Churches in their opinions of the certainty of their doctrines is, the Church of Rome is infallible and the Church of England is never in the wrong. But though many private persons think almost as highly of their own infallibility as of that of their sect, few express it so naturally as a certain french lady, who in a dispute with her sister, said "I don't know how it happens, Sister but I meet with no body but myself, that's always in the right" -- Il n'y a que moi qui a toujours raison".

In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution with all its faults, if they are such; because I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of Government but what may be a blessing to the people if well administered, and believe farther that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in Despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic Government, being incapable of any other. I doubt too whether any other Convention we can obtain may be able to make a better Constitution. For when you assemble a number of men to have the advantage of their joint wisdom, you inevitably assemble with those men, all their prejudices, their passions, their errors of opinion, their local interests, and their selfish views. From such an Assembly can a perfect production be expected? It therefore astonishes me, Sir, to find this system approaching so near to perfection as it does; and I think it will astonish our enemies, who are waiting with confidence to hear that our councils are confounded like those of the Builders of Babel; and that our States are on the point of separation, only to meet hereafter for the purpose of cutting one another's throats. Thus I consent, Sir, to this Constitution because I expect no better, and because I am not sure, that it is not the best. The opinions I have had of its errors, I sacrifice to the public good -- I have never whispered a syllable of them abroad -- Within these walls they were born, and here they shall die -- If every one of us in returning to our Constituents were to report the objections he has had to it, and endeavor to gain partizans in support of them, we might prevent its being generally received, and thereby lose all the salutary effects & great advantages resulting naturally in our favor among foreign Nations as well as among ourselves, from our real or apparent unanimity. Much of the strength & efficiency of any Government in procuring and securing happiness to the people, depends. on opinion, on the general opinion of the goodness of the Government, as well as well as of the wisdom and integrity of its Governors. I hope therefore that for our own sakes as a part of the people, and for the sake of posterity, we shall act heartily and unanimously in recommending this Constitution (if approved by Congress & confirmed by the Conventions) wherever our influence may extend, and turn our future thoughts & endeavors to the means of having it well administered.

On the whole, Sir, I cannot help expressing a wish that every member of the Convention who may still have objections to it, would with me, on this occasion doubt a little of his own infallibility-- and to make manifest our unanimity, put his name to this instrument." -- He then moved that the Constitution be signed by the members and offered the following as a convenient form viz. "Done in Convention, by the unanimous consent of the States present the 17th. of Sepr. &c -- In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names."

Giving power back to the Marxist rats is the very worst thing we could possibly do for ourselves and our posterity.

But giving power or keeping in power the rats in Republican clothes is that much better? I don't want to give anything to the Dems. I don't want to give anything to those Dems pretending to be Republicans either.

“A nation [or political party] can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation [and political party], he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city [and party platform], he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear.” - Marcus Tullius Cicero

"The division was caused when a number of Republican Party leaders, Republicans in Congress, and the President himself abandoned grassroots Republicans on this issue and started doing things and saying things that helped the marxist enemy. That division can be eliminated as soon as they recognize who they're really helping, figure out whose side they're supposed to be on, and they return to the values shared by the vast majority of the Republicans and conservatives who elected them and of Americans in general - respect for our laws, protection of our sovereignty, security for our nation, preservation of our traditions and culture."

Spiff, please read back because I didn't use the word 'republican' either. I am just trying to get clarification on this and, lol, I think I am more confused! I would be surprised to hear that those who are supporting President Bush on this issue, agree with that statement as it seems to me, the way I read it, to place blame squarely on the divisiveness of Bush's position. Which is what I've been told is wrong.

Aside from the immigration issue, when 'we' aren't getting attacked by those who agree with Bush, for blaming Bush, and visa versa, I think we all basically want the same thing, keep the majority in November and a win in '08, but fear has taken over! Short of changing Bush's mind on this issue, I'm not sure how the party can be mended? But something needs to be done, and fast.

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