While the entire political process has been dragged to the left over the past 30 years by democrats, I wouldn't call Bush's policies leftist. For example, the following policies are not leftist:
1. Tax cuts for productive, upper-income people. 2. Support for National Missile Defense (instead of passively hoping that terrorists never fire a nuclear missile at us.) 3. Oil drilling in ANWR. 4. End to rediculous DOJ effort to break up Microsoft.
I can go on for a while longer but I've made my point. Beyond his policies, Bush is infinitely superior to Gore in character. (Just look at the way Gore attacked the military voters last Fall.) The most disturbing thing about the Democrats these days is how flagrantly dishonest they are. They'll say anything, no matter how untrue, to win a political fight and gain power. They don't care about truth any more, only power. That's the frightening reality of the Democratic party. Bush is far more honest and genuinely patriotic than Gore and the democrats.
We happen to have surplus. Where's the spending cuts?
2. Support for National Missile Defense (instead of passively hoping that terrorists never fire a nuclear missile at us.)
3. Oil drilling in ANWR.
4. End to rediculous DOJ effort to break up Microsoft.
All great. I agree.
However now what about Bush's support of...
1) A new prescription drug social entitlement.
2) The federalization of educational standards.
(nationalized testing) What happened to shutting down the Department of Education? Why a proposed $45 billion budget increase for this useless department? That's worse than even Clinton! 3) Federal funds for stem cell research.
4) Federalization of private charities. I thought the intent was to defund public programs. This is actually a new program with NO cuts in existing programs.
In all honesty what you list above that I agree with are 1 time decisions with immediate impact. What I list above are things that have awful long term repercussions. It seems to me that Bush is still playing the bread and circuses game.