[That Subliminal Kid]

Jim, you make some valid points, however I notice that you totally failed to acknowledge and respond to the fact that the Government has grown more in Bush's two years than in all eight years of Clinton. George W. Bush is NOT doing all that he can to do what is best for the country. Signing legislation that he himself admits is unconstitutional is totally unacceptable, and I cannot, and I will not support a politician who willfully spits on the most sacred document of our nation. He says he is for "local control" of schools, yet his education bill did the exact opposite, swelling the power of the Federal government and reducing the power of local communities to run their schools the way they see fit. The fact that he does not have a "mandate" is totally meaningless. What do you mean he'll "throw away his presidency"? Is his job to lead the nation, or get re-elected? He needs to adhere to the principles upon which he ran, and the simple fact of the matter is that he isn't, and hasn't. He claims to support free trade, and signs a tarriff on steel! The list goes on and on. He says one thing, and then turns around and does the opposite. I'm sorry but he already is throwing away his Presidency, because he repeatedly betrays his base. Sure, most of them will probably begrudgingly vote for him, because the other choice is worse. Will we ever get a real Conservative leader? Doubtful. We get people like Bush who actually give a damn if the media whines about what he does. Reagan pushed his agenda forward with the media wailing all the way, and in the end he accomplished some of the greatest things in this nation's last 100 years. You can say what you want, but George W. Bush is a poor excuse for a Conservative, OR a Republican. I can barely tell him apart from a Democrat.

[Jim Scott]

You can say what you want, but George W. Bush is a poor excuse for a Conservative, OR a Republican. I can barely tell him apart from a Democrat.

This is the kind of statement that causes me to lose interest in discussing the subject with folks who see Bush as 'just like a Democrat'.

A Democrat would cut off funding for abortions, kill the ABM treaty with Russia, dump the Koyoto treaty, nominate conservative, constitutionally respectful judges? Really? I doubt it. Let's be serious here.

George W. Bush can be seen two ways; your way is as a 'conservative leader' who lied and abandoned his principles and so, in your mind, is worthless. This ignores the positive, quite 'conservative' acts and positions he's taken in his 20 months in office.

The other way Bush may be viewed is as a President who was almost defrauded out of his rightful election and beat the defrauders back with aggressive legal actions but will be forever called 'illegitimate' by the hard-core liberal Democrats. This president doesn't have the Reagan mandate and the media is unrelenting in it's hostility. The Democrat leadership in Congress is also obstructionist and unrelenting in it's determination to block Bush from appointing conservative judges and anything else he attempts.

The small tax cut was a major accomplishment for Bush in his first year in office and the liberals still whine about it and attempt to blame it for any economic woes that arise...but you dismiss it as too small.

President Bush never campaigned as a conservative but he did make some poor decisions, already raked over here. They do not render his presidency as 'just like a Democrat'. The expansion of government is partly due to the War on Terror but if that is your benchmark for judging a President, then remember, government has grown - and will continue to do so - under every recent president, including Ronald Reagan.

President Bush has disappointed on some issues but overall, he's a good leader and much closer to my political values than any Democrat could ever be. I'm a realist and don't expect a Republican president to be the answer to conservative prayers. Bush, as I've said, can be faulted but not anywhere near the extent you and some others do, comparing him to a Democrat. That's your judgement and you're free to see the Bush presidency that way but I think it's short-sighted and over-critical.

George W. Bush is a politican, he compromises with a Democratic-run Senate and he has made some policy errors that can be justly criticized but he's also accomplished a lot in a short time under very adverse conditions. Bush is no Democrat and attempts to dismiss him with that term are pointless and wrong.

Being elected is the only way you get anything accomplished in Washington and yes, Bush wants to be re-elected and he wants Republicans to be elected in the Congress this November. That isn't a crime, it's politics. Standing on the outside, shaking your fist at those on the inside making policy doesn't accomplish much. If that's your idea of how to be President, join the Libertarian or some other fringe party. They all do great rants and are invisible on the political radar, just what some folks want. All talk, all criticism all the time, no one ever gets elected so no responsibility for anything. It's fun. Pointless, but fun.

I suggest that if Bush pisses you off so much, please, vote for someone else next election. Maybe a Democrat. There you go! After all, according to you, what's the difference? At least you'll be angry at the right person.