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Hard Core Republicans Are Fleeing President
The Washington Post ^ | May 11, 2006 | JIm VandeHei and Peter Baker

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 ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: adolescents; borderlist; bush; bushbots; conservatives; gopcheerleader; sickofrinos; wetoleratenodissent
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To: RasterMaster
Plus, I can't wait to see this again:
361 posted on 05/10/2006 8:41:45 PM PDT by RasterMaster (NO MORE "BIG TENTS" - ALL YOU GET ARE CLOWNS AND CIRCUS FREAKS!)
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To: Bobbisox

Exactly so and excellent post.


362 posted on 05/10/2006 8:41:48 PM PDT by Peach
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To: Cringing Negativism Network
Much as I like Fox News (and that's a LOT). Much as I like and respect Brit Hume (even more). Lou Dobbs is about to beat him, from CNN, in the timeslot.

The judges wanted you to know that yours has been awarded "The Dumbest Post of the Day." We'll be in touch to tell you of the fabulous prizes you've won.

363 posted on 05/10/2006 8:41:56 PM PDT by sinkspur ( OK. You've had your drink. Now why don't you tell your Godfather what everybody else already knows?)
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To: RasterMaster
Hell will freeze over before I pull a lever for a Dem....unless it's attached to gallows.

Ditto

364 posted on 05/10/2006 8:42:26 PM PDT by A message ( Just say no to the Donner Party, VOTE GOP)
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To: sinkspur

I think I should get the prize, myself.


365 posted on 05/10/2006 8:42:44 PM PDT by Torie
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To: burzum; Howlin


Dude, Howlin is NOT a dude, but thanks for your kind remarks.


366 posted on 05/10/2006 8:42:58 PM PDT by onyx (Deport the trolls --- send them back to DU)
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To: RasterMaster

That's a good lineup, but I can't be envious because I have Eric Cantor and George Allen :).


367 posted on 05/10/2006 8:43:01 PM PDT by Doohickey (Democrats are nothing without a constituency of victims.)
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To: RasterMaster

Excellent link there; just excellent.

My father calls me Atilla the Hun so I'm a little farther right than most Republicans, and I'm not delighted with our congresscritters half the time either, but I wouldn't vote for a democrat if someone put a gun to my head. Or for a third party candidate.


368 posted on 05/10/2006 8:43:12 PM PDT by Peach
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To: RasterMaster
Hell will freeze over before I pull a lever for a Dem....unless it's attached to gallows.

I couldn't agree more!

369 posted on 05/10/2006 8:43:16 PM PDT by Randy Larsen (THE MUSIC CANTEEN ROCKS MY WEEKENDS!)
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To: steel_resolve
why don't you get the hell off the site?

Children and adolescents never seem to learn, you really do need a time out.

370 posted on 05/10/2006 8:43:35 PM PDT by jazusamo (-- Married a WAC in '65 and I'm still reenlisting. :-)
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To: Conservative Goddess

I'm absolutely terrified of what's going to happen with Social Security. And I've written all of my representatives multiple times, especially my spineless senator Lindsey Graham. But it was the rats who blocked the legislation, not the Republicans.


371 posted on 05/10/2006 8:43:46 PM PDT by ilovew (Democrat enablers are not conservatives.)
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To: Dems_R_Losers

This is the Washinton Post wet dream, but it's a long time until November.


372 posted on 05/10/2006 8:43:57 PM PDT by lawnguy (Give me some of your tots!!!)
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To: CedarDave
No matter the answers to the math questions, the answer to the actual problem is a wall, not high tech gadgets that won't work in an Arizona dust storm, or subject to lightning strikes in summer, or power failure by a coyote who knows how to sabotage the system. It's obvious, obvious, obvious to all but those who won't see.

yep -fences are better - but which ones? The ones they climb over, the ones they cut and crawl thru, or the ones they tunnel under?

You are either a troll or a dum- a*s...

Oh, no difference

373 posted on 05/10/2006 8:43:58 PM PDT by maine-iac7 ("...but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." LINCOLN)
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To: Bobbisox

Good post


374 posted on 05/10/2006 8:44:23 PM PDT by MJY1288 (THE DEMOCRATS OFFER NOTHING FOR THE FUTURE AND THEY LIE ABOUT THE PAST)
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To: Conservative Goddess
...nothing but action will persuade me now.

Here, here!

375 posted on 05/10/2006 8:44:42 PM PDT by luvbach1 (More true now than ever: Near the belly of the beast in San Diego)
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To: Doohickey

I don't know what happens with people when they get in Washington. There must be something in the water.

I've said before and I'll say it again - America is moving leftward and capitalism is all but dead. When Republicans started talking about taxing oil companies at a higher rate, I almost fainted.

Socialism here we come.

But, I'll still work within the two party system because a third party vote is a waste of my time.


376 posted on 05/10/2006 8:45:08 PM PDT by Peach
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To: ilovew

Are we, or are we NOT in the majority? The Republicans can twist arms when they want to....they didn't on this issue. That the kicked the can down the road is absolutely inexcusable.


377 posted on 05/10/2006 8:45:08 PM PDT by Conservative Goddess (Politiae legibus, non leges politiis, adaptandae)
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To: maine-iac7; Peach

You guys are unbelievable. If you can't stifle the opinions of those you don't agree with you, then you insinuate they are trolls. Why don't you debate the issues and quit calling names?


378 posted on 05/10/2006 8:45:29 PM PDT by antceecee (Hey AG Gonzales! ENFORCE IMMIGRATION LAWS NOW!!!)
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To: antceecee
If you can't stifle the opinions of those you don't agree with you, then you insinuate they are trolls. Why don't you debate the issues and quit calling names?

Pot kettle black.

379 posted on 05/10/2006 8:46:19 PM PDT by Texasforever (I have neither been there nor done that.)
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To: Conservative Goddess
Are we, or are we NOT in the majority?

Republicans, yes. Conservatives, no. Not all Republicans are Conservatives.

380 posted on 05/10/2006 8:46:29 PM PDT by You Dirty Rats (I Love Free Republic!!!)
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