Posted on 11/11/2006 8:51:14 AM PST by Graybeard58
Rumsfeld is out, and the dream of a permanent Republican majority is over.
Call it political pragmatism, if you wish, but President Bush was simply breathtaking in his ability to discard a position he took as recently as last week - that he would retain Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who was doing a "fantastic job." Asked about that statement at a news conference this past Wednesday, Mr. Bush explained that he didn't want to "inject a major decision about this war in the final days of the campaign."
After sig- nificant Democratic gains in Congress, the president acted like a candidate who had lost his own election and was now trying to come to terms gracefully with his defeat. In a sense, he was publicly abandoning hope that his presidency would fulfill conservative hopes of ushering in a permanent Republican majority.
He may also have been trying to head off a Democratic move in Congress to conduct searching investigations of issues such as military contracting. It is generally expected that there will be subpoenas flying when Democrats take over committee chairmanships.
What the election may have also brought home to Bush is how little support he enjoys from American voters. In a recent Wall Street Journal poll, 56 percent of respondents said that America is on the wrong track and 57 percent disapprove of the way Bush is doing his job.
The president said today he was aware that many Americans had voted to express their displeasure.
What remains to be seen is whether Bush's conciliatory move will extend to heeding his generals and changing his policy on Iraq. The Iraq Study Group report is due to be presented to him next week, providing him with an opportunity to review the course of the war. Two great unknowns are the
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
What an awful week. I fear for this country now that the RATS have taken over.
Immediately seek legislation extending the tax cuts, revoking all 'earmarks' not alredy spent, no new participants in Social Security - new employees will get self-directed, portable IRAs - keep pouring out the initiatives - make the Democrats say no again and again, let the Dems investigate away...make the Dems produce a 'plan of redirection' for the troops...be pleasant but go the offensive - veto every spending bill presented which have clear and unambiguous to specific authority in the Constitution...
insert "shich does not have clear and..."
magoo70804 wrote: "Immediately seek legislation extending the tax cuts, revoking all 'earmarks' not alredy (sic) spent, no new participants in Social Security - new employees will get self-directed, portable IRAs - keep pouring out the initiatives..."
Great concept, except it isn't going to happen. Our Republican leaders had six years to do this and didn't. Do you really think they will grow a spine now?
Well, start demanding the voting fraud be exposed. Remember ALL the media hype about screwed up voting machines.
They ain't saying squat about them now...
If they had done that earlier they wouldn't be in the position they're in.
I would have kept Rummy and in fact would have had him by my side at the press conference.
More like they didn't vote...
The idea of taking the iniative is good. Something like this worked for Harry Truman. He then ran against the "do-nothing" Congress that fall---and won.
You mean when Dubya says you're doing a "great job" it's time to start sending out your resume?
What an awful week. I fear for this country now that the RATS have taken over.
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You are not alone. Something has to be done to restore a government for and by the people. The problem is really alot bigger than just this election. But you can be assured the socialists will be working hard to make sure you cannot have control over your government...
Truman wasn't a lame duck.
They ain't saying squat about them now...
The MSM is and always has been in the pocket of the RAT party. Don't expect they will expose any voter fraud anytime soon!
I agonize, therefore I am.
--Heidegger
Over the next two years, or maybe more, the RATS social programs will flourish and taxes will soar!
RobbyS wrote: "The idea of taking the iniative is good. Something like this worked for Harry Truman. He then ran against the "do-nothing" Congress that fall---and won."
First off, President Bush is unlikely to run again, at least, not as president.
Second, political posturing is the problem, not the solution. It isn't about winning elections. It's about standing for something right and good (smaller government) that will keep this country great and provide the greatest good for the greatest number of citizens! The elections will go our way if our leaders stop worrying about keeping office and start believing in the conservative ideals that made this country great in the first place!
Right. Conservatives began abandoning hope some time ago. Bush started moving the GOP leftward after taking office in 2001. After 5-years 10-months of shifting domestic policy away from the conservative agenda, Bush's task has been completed and he has been rewarded. The Dems control the Congress and the budgetary purse strings. Tactical incompetence over the battle for Iraq lost the Independents back in 2005. Dismissing Don Rumsfeld after the election was a severe error in judgment and served no good purpose. The Bush fatigue factor began to reach critical mass in 2006. If Bush wasn't a lame duck before the election, he definitely will be now.
John Kasich, filling in for O'Reilly on Friday night was irate, frustrated with the President for his 24 hour turn-around.
Kasich strikes me as a man of his word and no politician's politician.
His aggravation over Rumsfeld's belated departure was visible on screen.
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