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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: You Dirty Rats

And this is why I am absolutely flabbergasted, frustrated, by the fact that the PRESIDENT cannot twist enough REPUBLICAN arms to get this done. Again, I ask, are we, or are we not in the majority? And if we can't even get modest reform through a congress where we hold the majority....I ask you, what good is holding the majority? This is why the prospect of turning over numeric "control" doesn't scare the tar out of me. We can't get anything done when we're in the MAJORITY. What makes you think the rats will be able to get anything done when they hold a majority? I think it is far more important to concentrate on building a CONSERVATIVE base...than on maintaining a numeric Republican majority. The numeric majority that we have are ineffective wimps. Who needs them. We need conservatives. Rino's need not apply.


441 posted on 05/10/2006 9:03:07 PM PDT by Conservative Goddess (Politiae legibus, non leges politiis, adaptandae)
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To: Cringing Negativism Network
Don't tell me you don't actually believe Lou Dobbs is about to do to Fox, what Fox did to CNN?

He's not even close.

442 posted on 05/10/2006 9:03:20 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

Hi back at ya! Getting to be time to be headin' for my beddin' tho.


443 posted on 05/10/2006 9:04:09 PM PDT by Fudd Fan (DemocRATs- the CULTURE OF TREASON!)
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To: onyx

Hey O, did you see my post #188?
These trolls have hijacked a real issue to bash Bush.
I resent it because they take away the importance of this issue.


444 posted on 05/10/2006 9:04:18 PM PDT by SoCalPol (Hey Congress - We need the BORDER FENCE NOW)
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To: WOSG
The good news is that for Al Qaeda, their own internal documents reveal that they consider themselves losing. They are weaker month by month

I firmly believe they would've already crawled back under their rocks long ago were it not for the traitorous libs ad MSM giving them comfort and hope to just hang in there - we;ll get the American people against the war...just keep bombing and killing and we'll report it - and only it - and get the American people to demand the troops come home.

It used to be called aiding and abetting and that used to be called treason...

445 posted on 05/10/2006 9:04:43 PM PDT by maine-iac7 ("...but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." LINCOLN)
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To: M203M4
Constipation / hysteria alert

Indeed. And fully aligned with the leftist media..........AS USUAL!

(Get on the RIGHT side of things, guys........this is getting OLD!)

446 posted on 05/10/2006 9:05:02 PM PDT by ohioWfan (PROUD Mom of an Iraqi LIBERATION Vet! THANKS, son!!.)
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To: SoCalPol


No, I didn't see your post.
I'll go have a look.


447 posted on 05/10/2006 9:05:36 PM PDT by onyx (Deport the trolls --- send them back to DU)
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To: Junior_G
Secure the border FIRST. Then discuss the guest worker BS.

I know! It is SO easy. All the Admnistration has to do is come out and say,

"After further review, this issue is much more complicated and serious (hugh and series too) than we had previously thought and we are asking for a 12 month delay on any immigration reform while the borders are secured and the current laws are enforced in full."

Bush's poll numbers would sky-rocket overnight and he would provide "cover" for all the spineless RINOS in the Congress who didn't have the guts to do the right thing and, consequently, he would increase our chances of holding the Congress in November.

I am hoping that is the plan.

448 posted on 05/10/2006 9:05:36 PM PDT by redgirlinabluestate (Stop national suicide by liberalism)
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To: Conservative Goddess

I suppose you forget about "Jumpin' Jim" Jeffords and the DUmocrats attempt to subvert the results of an election? How many RINOs vote with DUmocrats?

I really don't consider it a majority until RINOs are gone and there's a filibuster-proof majority.


449 posted on 05/10/2006 9:06:08 PM PDT by RasterMaster (NO MORE "BIG TENTS" - ALL YOU GET ARE CLOWNS AND CIRCUS FREAKS!)
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To: Dems_R_Losers
Don't have time to read all the replies but as far as I'm concerned I'd find it very difficult, make that unthinkable, to act or vote in any way that would help the election of today's Democrats to any high office, including the White House.
They are simply unsuitable and unfit for command.
450 posted on 05/10/2006 9:06:12 PM PDT by 1066AD
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To: SoCalPol

To: Peach; All
These Donner Party folks or probably should say, DU trolls,
have hijacked a real problem, one I see and live through everyday being at ground zero.
I don't and won't bash Bush and it make me angy that these trolls have taken the illegals & border issue and have turned others away from the seriousness of it.
San Diego taxpayers are paying out tens of millions of dollars a year on illegals with their health care, food, etc.
The corruption, kidnappings, murders by the drug cartells and street gangs are out of control.
Since Clinton let it go on in the 90s it has been more difficult to deal with now.
What we see and live here will be coming to flyover country very soon. We have here over half a million Mexicans and thouuands of illegals. They say to your face, go back to Europe gringo this is ours, while wearing their Che t shirts.
Some of us are dealing with a war on terror on two fronts.



188 posted on 05/10/2006 10:03:15 PM CDT by SoCalPol (Hey Congress - We need the BORDER FENCE NOW)
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451 posted on 05/10/2006 9:07:03 PM PDT by onyx (Deport the trolls --- send them back to DU)
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To: Fudd Fan

Same here! Just having way too much fun watching noobs and trolls jump up and down like spoiled little children.


452 posted on 05/10/2006 9:08:00 PM PDT by RasterMaster (NO MORE "BIG TENTS" - ALL YOU GET ARE CLOWNS AND CIRCUS FREAKS!)
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To: Conservative Goddess

So you begrudge the relief the senior citizens have been given through the prescription plan because of your 16 and 18 year old but you don't say one word about the WW11 bonds that each and everyone of us are still paying for today. #1 I wasn't born then and #2 up until recently I wasn't a US citizen but I still have to pay.

If you'd care to do a little research you'd find out that every generation pays for something from generations before. That's the way it's always been and will probably always be that way.



453 posted on 05/10/2006 9:08:01 PM PDT by AmeriBrit (ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION, IT INCLUDES TERRORIST SLEEPER CELLS!!)
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To: ilovew
The only way we lose this current war is if we let the rats take over

The only control we have to avoid letting the rats take over is the power we have to let our representatives know when they are out-of-touch with the American Voters.

Bottom line: Only our leaders and the actions they take (or not take) now can allow the rats to take over. The conservative-bashers try to claim that the voters need to conform to the ideas of our representatives but the average American knows that it is the representative that must conform us.

454 posted on 05/10/2006 9:08:05 PM PDT by MaineVoter2002 (http://jednet207.tripod.com/PoliticalLinks.html)
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To: Dems_R_Losers

This has to be the biggest media assualt on an administration in US history. Really, Nixon didn't withstand this much for this long.

The guy aint perfect, he didn't veto Mcinsane Fiengold, he doesn't force budget discipline in Congress, the illegals have proven amnisty a bad idea for him...but hey, the economy is rocking (even under nasty energy prices) and he is keeping 1.5B idiots from NUKING OUR A$$E$.

Beats the shite out of any Democrap, ever.


455 posted on 05/10/2006 9:08:05 PM PDT by Dead Dog
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To: KJC1
You missed my point. If we do not control illegal immigration the other shyte won't matter much. I guess you don't believe that. If you are young enough you may live to see the change and I don't think you will like it.
456 posted on 05/10/2006 9:08:40 PM PDT by luvbach1 (More true now than ever: Near the belly of the beast in San Diego)
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To: Armedanddangerous
Yep, what are we gonna do? Stay home and let the damn commies have America for eight years? A bunch of conservatives had that bright idea in 92, and look what that got us..

Yea, it got us some real conservatives for a minute that took the congress in 1994. Maybe that is what we need- a real wake up call. I am voting constitution party unless the Republicans start acting conservative again. I say that with the exception of the house republicans.
457 posted on 05/10/2006 9:09:15 PM PDT by nckerr (Proud Christian Conservative Soldier)
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To: Howlin

Some people can't grasp that it isn't "ONE ISSUE" that we're talking about here. Immigration is tied to the H1 and L1 visa issue which is tied to Offshoring which is tied to trade whichi is SCREWING the majority of America while a few (VERY FEW) profit madly from selling us all out. Wages and benefits are falling, Buying power has been lost in vast numbers from the economy that will not return. Billions of local dollars that didn't need to be loaned to us yesterday now have to be loaned to us because the paychecks that once spawned that money locally no longer exist. It now must be borrowed from overseas where the jobs went. There are more jobs being created; but, they're all low level no-experience
jobs as opposed to the mid and high level no-experience jobs that we've sent abroad. But you guys like the number of jobs rather than the worth of them because you can't argue the worth and win.. so you do everything to avoid that focus while trying to distance yourselves from any responsibility for the outcomes and pretending it isn't your job to create jobs as though that were an argument with any bearing to begin with.

It's a complicated mess. And it's a mess you guys thrive on because you think people get lost in the details. They don't. They get P.O.'d in the details and want even more to oust you. And your answer to that is - what - again.. to whine that another Clinton might get in if you're told to do your job or get out... One thing about frauds - they are emboldened on their own BS. And you guys display that to the teeth!


458 posted on 05/10/2006 9:09:39 PM PDT by Havoc (Evolutionists and Democrats: "We aren't getting our message out" (coincidence?))
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To: Fudd Fan
No "perhaps" about it.

Agreed. It was sort of a "no duh" kind of statement.

459 posted on 05/10/2006 9:09:42 PM PDT by Chena (I'm not young enough to know everything.)
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To: maine-iac7
You are either a troll or a dum- a*s...

It's tempting bait but I won't bite -- I note you're another signup from back in September-October '04, sort of like the cicadas who bury themselves in the ground for a few years then come out for a few short weeks in the heat and do nothing but make loud annoying noise.

However, in answer to your question, one size doesn't fit all. But I live down here and in lots of places there are no fences worth noting. A few broken strands of barbed wire, continually replaced by a rancher to keep his cattle on this side of the border, for example. Here some concrete barriers and heavy steel mesh with wire on top might do the job. It can be cut you say? Likely, but with a backup of actual patrols, regular maintenance and some sensors it should do the job.

In San Diego you may need an Israeli type wall -- double high concrete walls with wire on top. I think we can skip the mine fields.

In El Paso, some years ago they completed a long fence and illegals and crime both have decreased in the city proper. What bothers me more when I work there are the Anglo "homeless" people who panhandle at the traffic lights at the freeway access points. They all speak English. But out to the east along the river, you can drive a four wheel drive vehicle back and forth and US agents and local sheriffs have been shot and shot at. Again, a virtual wall with no one around to apprehend those who cross the border will not help. A physical barrier will at least help even the odds.

Now its past time for you to go back into hibernation.

460 posted on 05/10/2006 9:11:48 PM PDT by CedarDave (Gen. McCaffrey: "There is a rapidly growing animosity" among U.S. troops in Iraq toward the press...)
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