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.

[Howlin]

That's the best you can do?

That's about all it takes for the likes of you.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

OK enough.

Hasta mañana. :)

[sefarkas]

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.

Fortunately, congressional elections are every two years. There is little point of putting RINOs in place for another term so they can try to out-RAT the RATs. After the RATs gain the majority, and two years go by with no legislative accomplishment we can have a good debate in 2008 about policy, leadership, and vision. The nation survived eight years of Clinton, it will probably survive in the period from 2006 to 2008. The GOP needs to earn loyal conservative support by passing and having the POTUS sign appropriate legislation. If the GOP can't manage this feat with Congress and the White House in hand, then there is little hope for this bunch. Surely a different group of 535 folks in a country of 300 million can be found to replace the current bunch. Reagan managed to accomplish much in his first term with large RAT majorities in Congress. We are witness to a huge failure in leadership.

[ilovew]

**He's being a true conservative**

If you think Dobbs is a conservative, you're delusional.

[heat02]

I think we have such a "wall", a heavily fortified border however, it's in South Korea. It works over there. Time to employ similar ideas over here.

South Korea's defence ministry is considering deploying robots armed with guns along its border with North Korea.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4425689.stm

[onyx]

Misplace your happy pills again?

Here's yours, little girl. Take some before you going whining to Jim like you did last night.

[danamco]

Build a WALL or bye bye...



Is President Bush running again in 08???

[EternalVigilance]

Well, if you aren't taking happy pills, maybe you should.

[Howlin]

We will find someone who will control these borders.

Yeah, sure.

These people are dying to help you out.

[maine-iac7]

Third party is a good way to get the rats elected.

Voting third party IS a vote for the rats and I suspicion these posters are rat sleepers who are here expressly to sew dissension and disinformation - one by one, they make a slip on rhetoric that 'outs' them

[onyx]

KC, I'll ping you if I find a link or a report.

[EternalVigilance]

Yeah, you and Howlin own this place. We know.

How many conservatives you PO'd enough to stay home today?

[Howlin]

Your office called; they want you to pick up your new sign.

[KC Burke]

Bowtie boy on msnbc claiming AP source just breaking

[RasterMaster]

It's not going to be a DUmocrat, that's something you can be certain of!

[NewLand]

Please! Lou Dobbs is a washed-up has been and no friend of ours. Not to mention that watching CNN (i.e. supporting with $$$) is close to treasonous!

Why would anyone here support anything CNN does?

[onyx]

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ilovew]

I think you're right.

[Oliver Optic]

You phrased that as though a Bush "loyalist" is separate from a "patriotic" conservative.

That was not my intent.

Referring to someone as a Bush loyalist is not an insult in my book.

[Howlin]

YOu mean NON-BOWTIE boy?

I'll check it out.