Posted on 07/13/2007 5:15:02 AM PDT by Kaslin
Watching a steady stream of Democrats like Harry Reid, Dick Durbin, and Chuck Schumer each take their turn delightedly pummeling President Bush over the war in Iraq today, I couldn’t help but think of fellow conservatives who are starting to give aid and comfort to these Democrat Party loyal oppositionists.
According to Byron York of the National Review, the Republican Party base has simply decided to throw Mr. Bush under the wheels of the bus. Since so many of us disagree with him on things like illegal immigration and Scooter Libby, York opines that a whole bunch of Republican loyalists are practically counting the days until Jan. 20, 2009, when a new commander-in-chief takes up residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Other conservative voices are jumping on the Bush-bashing bandwagon. The other night on Fox News, I saw a radio host proclaim that the president’s soft stance on illegals has cost him support for the war in Iraq.
Just what, precisely, is the point?
Why do conservatives believe that trashing the Bush Administration’s efforts on everything from this complicated war to a commutation of a vice-presidential aide will accomplish anything but give Democrats more ammunition against the GOP in 2008
Look, I’m as disappointed in this administration’s attempted amnesty for illegals as anyone. But I looked President Bush in the eye in the Oval Office and saw a man who truly believes in his heart that giving illegals a “path to citizenship” is the right thing to do.
I believe he’s wrong. But I know that this good and decent man believes he’s right.
So because of this issue, I’m supposed to abandon my president?
I’m expected to go on radio and TV and give miserable attack dogs like Dick Durbin more ways to say, “See -- even Republican supporters of Bush are defecting!”?
From the day the bombs started dropping on Baghdad, President Bush kept telling us that nothing about this war would be easy. Our nation has never attempted something as bold as installing democracy in this troubled part of the world and attempting to make a country like Iraq stable enough so that they can handle their own terrorists without our intervention.
Simply put, the vast majority of Americans supported our country’s pre-emptive strike. The longer this battle rages, the more we see impatient Americans start complaining. I guess that’s what a society in a Tivo/Iphone era does.
And I certainly expect that from Democrats who blame George W. Bush for everything from hurricanes to health care.
But I think it takes some guts to stand behind a president who is doing what he believes to be right, even in the face of enormous opposition.
Liberals are emboldened by Republican-fueled criticism. And if good folks like Byron York aren’t careful, we’ll be handing over the White House on a silver platter to Hillary or Barack. After all, just how far can Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney or Fred Thompson distance themselves from the Bush Administration?
Liberals are emboldened by Republican-fueled criticism. And if good folks like Byron York aren’t careful, we’ll be handing over the White House on a silver platter to Hillary or Barack. After all, just how far can Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney or Fred Thompson distance themselves from the Bush Administration?
Besides, who really wants to be on the same side of the political fence as Harry Reid, Ted Kennedy…or Betty Williams?
Betty Williams won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1976 for creating a group that helped initiate peace talks in Northern Ireland. This week, she was the keynote speaker at The International Women’s Peace Conference in Dallas. According to the Dallas Morning News, during her speech she told the thousand or so attendees, “Right now, I could kill George Bush.” The paper said she went on to demand his impeachment since “the Muslim world right now is suffering beyond belief” as a result of this administration’s foreign policy.
What a woman of peace. That’s some “peace conference.”
I’m not sure what would happen if an American traveled to Northern Ireland and expressed a desire to kill Mary McAleese, the current President of Ireland. I doubt that such an opinion would be met with cheers and a standing ovation, as was reported had occurred when the Nobel laureate said what she said in Dallas.
And when we tracked Betty Williams down and put her on my radio show, I was shocked to hear her claim that any published report that quoted her as saying, “Right now, I could kill George Bush” was lying. I reminded her that according to numerous published reports, she used the exact same phrase in a July 24, 2006 speech to schoolchildren at the Brisbane City Hall. At that point in the interview, she sounded totally defeated and said she not only “regretted” saying it, when I asked her if she was sorry for saying it, she said she was. In fact, the Dallas Morning News sent me the audio of the speech which confirms their reporting of Ms. Williams comments about the president.
You can hear my interview with this awful woman at www.mikeonline.com.
People like Betty Williams and Michael Moore and Nancy Pelosi and Keith Olbermann and so many others on the left have made it quite clear what they think of George W. Bush. They teem with hatred and contempt.
They sure don’t need to get any assistance from us. Now, more than ever, we ought to stand behind President Bush.
But if people on the left OR right don’t want to support him these days, I have a heartfelt reminder: November of 2008 will be here soon enough.
Until then, how about getting off the president’s back?
I have supported him to friends and family all these years. I have defended him to people who could get me fired from my job if they wanted to do so. I voted for him as governer once, and president twice. I ignored the domestic budget-busting giveaways because "don't you know there's a WAR on?"
Then he tried to shove Mexico down our throats. I forgave him that.
Then he tried it again.
Bush, NOT 'President Bush', just plain old 'Bush', has told conservatives to go bugger themselves.
Once might have been misguided. Twice is willful "I-Spit-In-Your-Eye big F*** You."
I'm not sure that even Klintoon would have flagrantly insulted his base this way.
I will never support him again. If he gets impeached that's his tough luck. He abandoned me.
There's been some water under the bridge. You might want to see my post #22 that should make it clear that I have no interest in "dumping" our troops.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm . . . I don’t remember thinking that I had to savage Reagan (and shift my loyalties) in an effort to elect H W Bush.
President Bush will have SEVERAL great legacies: SCOTUS, the economy (which could have easily gone the other way) and framing/fighting our War on Terror (the defining issue of the 21st centuray)!!
I don’t know if the 15 billion was ever approved. The problem is that president Bush talked about sending it to Africa for who know what reason. It may have been compassionate, but 15 billion is not small change. It was not a conservative idea. Amnesty wasn’t conservative either.
Uh, not precisely. Remember, Bush wanted to shove that office hack Harriet Miers down our throats before we revolted and forced him to withdraw her in favor of a truly competent candidate, John Roberts.
And when fighting a war against terror (TM), it is considered folly to give an Islamic nation carte blanche to run our major ports. That's exactly what Bush tried to do with the Dubai ports scam.
So, Bush is not as 'with us' as you might think.
Anyway Bosnia was Secretary Unbright's cause. Clinton probably even regrets that he listened to her. Clinton is solidifying my opinion that he is into his reputation more than his love of this country. Nothing is happening that is changing this opionion. No wonder he's working so hard for Hillary to be our next president.
A couple of things the the pres has done that has disappointed many: McFeinGold and Illegal Amnesty. It’s been obvious since before the 2004 election that the illegal issue would slice and dice the republican party. The President knew better than to bring it up. But he did. That was his choice.
Other than that, I’m moderate to fine with his other weak points.
I fully support his view:
1. That we must win in IRaq
2. That we must have an strict constructionist court
anyone who is a Christian who went to a 2004 campaign event and took the oath to support the President and Vice President should be careful in rejecting the President now
Huh? A what sort of campaign event would someone swear an oath to support the candidate? Was this at some sort of cult?
So your logic about always it being an american duty to support the president when troops are in the field only comes into play when you personally like the president?
You are also forgetting Somalia where US servicemen died.
An oath goes both ways.
1. I swear support to a president.
2. I faithfully support that president in accordance with that oath. I have kept that oath.
3. That president sticks his middle-finger in my eye and tells me that I don't want "what is right for America."
4. That president has broken the oath from his end and I am relieved of my obligation from him before God and Man.
Finally, the only absolute oaths to a MAN (not a god) were found in totalitarian regimes.
The War On Terror, including the Battle Of Iraq, is THE most important issue to OUR COUNTRY. I totally disagree with the President on Immigration (on National Security grounds among others), but he is doing his job by fighting the war in Iraq. For that I support him.
And I urge the rest of you to support him too.
When immigration comes up again, we will fight it again. But don’t be foolish enough to give up one battle for the sake of another.
Bush declared to the world after 9/11, "You are either with us or you are with the terrorists."
Then in 2006, he tries to open the ports of America to an Islamic nation that seeks the destruction of Israel. Is he with us, or with the Terrorists?
In 2007, Bush tries to provide amnesty to millions of illegal aliens and wipe the slate clean for illegals who have committed crimes against the United States. Is Bush with us, or with the terrorists?
The nation was with Bush when he started the war in Iraq. His stock was high. But over the following years he proved himself to be an inept CinC, doggedly clinging to ineffective strategy and defending a DoD who was fighting the wrong kind of war- and STILL leaving the East and West borders of Iraq wide open for infiltration from Iran and Syria. That's the thing when it comes to George W. Bush and borders: He hates having to secure them- to the great peril of Americans.
Yes, I voted for him in 2000 and 2004. And now, having been accused by him of racism and sexism for daring to hold him accountable for his departure from his promises, I deeply regret doing so.
So again. What policy of Bush’s has changed?
Going just by the date you joined, March 10, 2007, I suspect you are just a kkkommukkkrapic troll.
Even so, how is opening our borders, laying down and spreading our butt-cheeks, in a national sense, 'fighting terrorism'?
If you get those open borders you want so much, will your AlQueda boyfriend get in?
And yes we will have to wait and see with Alito and Roberts, but they are looking good so far.
The border is part of the WOT and they should've have begun securing it, the day after 9/11, I agree.
However, President Bush has waged a war against terror in Afghanistan and Iraq, has he not? And there has been no successful terrorist attacks on American soil since September 11, 2001.
See post #435.
Not a very good argument on your part. I was trying to explain that Clinton’s war was dropping bombs from high in the air vs. our current situation. Clinton’s war was fought from fighter pilots (AIR POWER) - no soldiers on the ground. It was a HUGE WE AMERICANS CAN DROP BOMBS, BUT WE HAVE NO BALLS TO FIGHT OUR ENEMIES FACE TO FACE. Somalia is a perfect example where Clinton FAILED!
Actually, I like a MAN who isn’t afraid to address the REAL problems facing this country: the center-left killed the President’s attempt to reform Social Security (and it will have to be reformed, just at a much greater ‘cost’ in the future) and the unions/right killed the President’s attempt to reform our broken immigration system (and it will have to be reformed, perhaps by a Democrat President in conjunction with a Democrat Congress? — pyrrhic victories can be tough).
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THE ANCHORESS ARTICULATES MY THOUGHTS PRECISELY:
[I would have linked rather than post this entire list, but the Anchoress is taking some ‘time off’ and has disabled her website.]
“For a while now, and really, since shortly after the 2004 election, I have gotten emails from folks who say, “Bush forgot that you have to dance with the one that brung you.” They’ve been sending me that message for so long, on so many different issues, that I suspect Bush feels a little like a girl who is invited to a fancy ball - and proves to be excellent company for most of the night, despite being hated by many of the guests – but manages to fall out of step, at which point she is abandoned on the dance floor and told to find her own way home.
Betrayal is such a strong word; did he betray you, really?
—Did he protect us from the reach & province of the International Criminal Court? Yes.
—Did he keep us from the Kyoto mess that is currently tying up Europe? Yes.
—Did he create a workable alternative to Kyoto that other countries have embraced? Yes. Bet you didn’t know that!
—Have US Carbon Emissions decreased on his watch, without Kyoto? Yes.
—Did he submit a comprehensive energy plan that got killed by a weak congress? Yes.
—Has he lowered the deficit ahead of schedule in time of war? Yes. Even the NYTimes admits it!
—Did he cut taxes? Twice? Yes. And yes.
—Did he try to get the cuts made permanent? Yes. Congress dropped that ball.
—Did he stop government funding of EMBRYONIC stem cell research? Yes.
—Has he kept the promises he made as he held a dead cop’s shield before the Joint Houses? Yes.
—Did he go after the Taliban and AlQaeda in Afghanistan barely a month after 9/11? Yes.
—Has he been unflagging in his efforts to subdue terrorism, worldwide? Yes.
—Has be been the consistent voice for human liberty around the globe? Yes.
—After some serious missteps, is the surge working? Yes.
—Has he been a staunch friend to Israel, the only stable democracy in a frantic region? Yes.
—Did he end the farce of world-wide Arafat admiration? Yes
—Did he remove Saddam Hussein, whose state supported terrorists, from power? Yes.
—Did he invade Iraq at a time when the whole world believed Saddam had and “would use” WMD? Yes.
—Did he bring a much-maligned coalition with him? Yes. Some are still there.
—Did he liberate 50,000 people in keeping with the ideals of the 1998 Iraqi Liberation Act? Yes.
—Has he inspired the Iraqi people to finally believe enough in freedom to fight AlQaeda with us? YES!
—Has he figured out that a free and engaged Middle East makes America safer? Yes.
—Has he kept you safe since 9/11? So safe that you’ve almost forgotten to fear? Yes.
—Did he remove “the wall” between the CIA and the FBI? Yes.
—Did he go to the UN before invading Iraq? Yes.
—Did he tell the UN that the US would never ask permission to defend herself? Yes.
—Didd he inspire Libya to surrender it’s WMD without firing a shot? Yes.
—Did he appoint excellent SCOTUS and Federal Judges to the bench? Yes.
—Did he implement the NSA terrorist eavesdropping program? Yes.
—Did he immediately move to freeze assets and make terror funding more difficult? Yes.
—Did he reform Medicare? Yes.
—Did he reform Social Security to give you more power over your money? He tried. See Congress.
—Did he manage an economy thru recession, terror attack & war w/ consistent gains for over ten quarters? Yes.
—Has he kept unemployment between 5.5% and 4.4% for an impressive period? Yes.
—Does he say what he means and mean what he says? Yes.
—Did he try to address immigration last year, when the houses in his party? Yes.
—Does he support the second amendment? Yes.
—Does he support school vouchers and school choice? Yes.
—Did he sign the ban on Partial Birth Abortion? Yes. It went to court, but he signed it.
—Did he reverse Clinton’s intent to kill Reagan’s pro-life Mexico policy? Yes.
—Did he support the Defense of Marriage Act? Yes. That used to be vitally important to you.
—Did he expand the roles of faith-based organizations in social programs? Yes.
—Did he prosecute the white-collar criminals like Ken Lay who ran riot through the ‘90’s? Yes.
—Has he handled himself with enormous courage, dignity and grace in the face of world/media/hate? YES
—Is he a man with a creed before he’s anything else? Yes.
—Did he establish Health Savings accounts? Yes.
—Did he have the Border Patrol installing monitoring devices along the borders? Yes.
—Has he made mistakes? Yes. Some undeniable beauts.
—Has he been an imperfect president? Yes.
—Has he given you most of what you’ve wanted? Actually, looking at the list…yes!
—Has he dared to disagree with anyone to keep his principles, even you? Yes.
Has he really been your Judas? Has he really betrayed you?
Did he ever question your patriotism, or tell you you were a bad person? No, actually, he didn’t. Go read his remarks in context, instead of looking at one sentence blared at you by the very media you distrust. Be intellectually honest enough to admit that in this immigration controversy there are (sadly) some who are using fear to move their agenda, and there are some (only some, but they hurt us all) who reveal bigotry in their rants. You needn’t be offended if you can remember that there are those “somes” in every group; conservatives have no corner of perfection. You actually do have a choice as to how you receive what you hear, see and read, just as you have a choice as to how you receive a good, that is, with “open” or “closed” heart.
http://theanchoressonline.com/page/2/
YES
Words mean something.
He said I did not want "what's right for America".
He can shove that up his @ss.
I did 9 years in the USMC. He has no right to question my patriotism. And he did question my patriotism.
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