Posted on 07/10/2003 1:06:07 PM PDT by Constitutionalist Conservative
he news this summer has been rather bleak for conservatives. The Supreme Court first decided to write "diversity" into the Constitution. A few days later, it issued a ruling on sodomy laws that called into question its willingness to tolerate any state laws based on traditional understandings of sexual morality. In neither case was there much pretense that the Court was merely following the law. At this point it takes real blindness to deny that the Court rules us and, on emotionally charged policy issues, rules us in accord with liberal sensibilities. And while the Court issued its edicts and the rest of the world adjusted, a huge prescription-drug bill made its way through Congress. That bill will add at least $400 billion to federal spending over the next ten years, and it comes on top of already gargantuan spending increases over the last five years. The fact that a pro-growth tax cut is going into effect this summer hardly compensates for these developments especially since expanding entitlements threaten to exert upward pressure on tax rates in the future.
Republicans have been complicit in each of these debacles. Both the affirmative-action and sodomy decisions were written by Reagan appointees. President Bush actually cheered the affirmative-action decision for recognizing the value of "diversity." Bush has requested spending increases, and not just for defense and homeland security. He has failed to veto spending increases that went beyond his requests. But let it not be said that the president has led his party astray. Many congressional Republicans have strayed even more enthusiastically. Bush originally wanted to condition prescription-drug benefits on seniors' joining reformed, less expensive health plans. When the idea was raised, House Speaker Denny Hastert called it "inhumane." Congressional appropriators the people who write the spending bills have been known to boast that they would beat the president if ever he dared to veto one of their products.
We have never been under any illusions about the extent of Bush's conservatism. He did not run in 2000 as a small-government conservative, or as someone who relished ideological combat on such issues as racial preferences and immigration. We supported him nonetheless in the hope that he would strengthen our defense posture, appoint originalist judges, liberalize trade, reduce tax rates, reform entitlements, take modest steps toward school choice. Progress on these fronts would be worth backsliding elsewhere. We have been largely impressed with Bush's record on national security, on judicial appointments (although the big test of a Supreme Court vacancy will apparently not occur during this term), and on taxes. On the other issues he has so far been unable to deliver.
It is not Bush's fault that Democrats oppose entitlement reform, or that the public wants it less than it wants a new entitlement to prescription drugs. He should, however, have used the veto more effectively to restrain spending. Had he vetoed the farm bill, for example, Congress would have sent him a better one. We need presidential leadership on issues other than war and taxes. Instead we are getting the first full presidential term to go without a veto since John Quincy Adams. Bush's advisers may worry that for Bush to veto the bills of a Republican Congress would muddle party distinctions for voters. But this dilemma results from a failure of imagination. Why must the House Republican leadership always maintain control of the floor? When Democrats and liberal Republicans have the votes to pass a bill, sometimes it would be better to let them do so, and then have the president veto it. The alternative cobbling together some lite version of a liberal bill in order to eke out a congressional majority is what really makes it hard to press the case against big-spending Democrats.
The defeats on racial preferences, gay rights, and the role of the courts generally reflect a conservative political failure that predates this administration. Republican politicians have never been comfortable talking about moral or race-related issues, and have been eager to slough off these responsibilities to the courts. Their silence is not, however, only an abdication of responsibility; it is also politically foolish. Opposition to racial preferences and gay marriage is popular in every state of the Union. And if the courts are going to block social conservatives from ever achieving legislative victories and Republicans will not even try to do anything about it social conservatives may well conclude that there is no point to participating in normal politics. There goes the Republican majority.
To get back on track will require effort from President Bush, congressional Republicans, and conservatives generally. Bush ought to bear down on spending; we suggest that an assault on corporate welfare, followed by a reform of the appropriations process, would be a fine start. Republicans need a strategy for dealing with the judicial usurpation of politics that goes beyond trying to make good appointments to the bench a strategy that now has a two-generation track record of nearly unrelieved failure. On gay marriage, a constitutional amendment appears to be necessary to forestall the mischief of state and federal courts. But a mere statute can make the point that Congress controls the federal judiciary's purview. Congressman Todd Akin's bill to strip the federal judiciary of jurisdiction over the Pledge of Allegiance has the votes to pass the House, and has a powerful Senate sponsor in Judiciary Committee chairman Orrin Hatch. It should be high on the Republican agenda.
Conservatives, finally, have to find ways to work with the Republicans their fortunes are linked while also working on them. The Pennsylvania Senate primary offers a choice between a candidate who is conservative on both economics and social issues, Pat Toomey, and one who is conservative on neither, the incumbent, Arlen Specter. The White House and the party establishment has rallied behind Specter. But President Bush's goals would be better served by a Senator Toomey. And as recent events underscore, this is not a bad time for conservatives to declare their independence from the GOP establishment.
In a practical sense, yes, unfortunately. The political parties, and particularly the major parties, govern us all and, therefore, they have a much larger influence on our day-to-day lives, and the way the country is heading, and...you name it....then conservative principles or any other single set of principles for that matter. We are dealing with a hodge-podge of principles all competing with each other. I don't know if any one set of principles can dominate in a democracy or a republic where the electorate determines the ideology in power.
Where have the Repubicans gotten us?
Jim, I respect you and appreciate this forum, but trying to convince me that unwavering support of Republicans is the best manner of accomplishing what we need within the judiciary just isn't gonna fly. I'd be much more receptive if the abject SCOTUS failures hadn't occurred, and if this forum didn't appear years behind the curve on this issue.
But they, with the majority, are doing exactly what the Democrats would do if in power..and in some cases...MORE!
Conservatism, when presented with sincerity, with no apologies offered, and with unwavering confidence, can and still will--beat liberalism every time the choice is offered to a reasonably intelligent voting public.
The sad thing is... no one is even offering Conservatism as a choice! Republicans are represented by pusilanimous pipsqueaks with neither a backbone, nor a working knowledge of the Constitution--the document which these pathetic elected officials swore to uphold and defend. Republicans are passing the liberal agenda, and claiming victory for doing so.
What if they do? Will they "do a 180" and actually start fighting for Conservative issues?
(FEARLESS PREDICTION:)Or will they be portrayed as the the "monopoly" party--akin to a bunch of rich, eeeeeevil, greedy 'corporate' white guys intent on "turning back the clock" to the bad old days of Bull Connor, Segregation, women in bondage...etc now that they have a 'monopoly' on Washington.
The Republicans will be forced to PROVE to the liberals in the media, and the 'swing' voters that they are nice guys, so, once again, as not to offennnnnnd anyone, they will pass even more liberal legislation
The key is to DEMAND that our Republican representatives start promoting a CONSERVATIVE agenda. Unfortunately, I don't know how to 'punish' them if they do not. I believe the next few years are going to be some of the most crucial years we have ever faced--do we sit out the next few election cycles and give control to the Socalist Democrats--effectively sealing the country's fate? Or do we hold our nose and vote for the liberal Republicans--and pray they don't screw it up too much?
I figured as much months ago. G'Night.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.