Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

George F. Will:President Bush has turned conservatism on its head, infuriating many supporters
The Union Leader, Manchester, NH ^ | July 24, 2003 | George F. Will

Posted on 07/24/2003 4:00:40 AM PDT by RJCogburn

Edited on 07/24/2003 4:39:12 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]

THIS IS THE is the summer of conservatives? discontent. Conservatism has been disoriented by events in the last several weeks. Cumulatively, foreign and domestic developments constitute an identity crisis of conservatism, which is being recast ? and perhaps rendered incoherent.

George W. Bush may be the most conservative person to serve as President since Calvin Coolidge. Yet his Presidency is coinciding with, and is in some instances initiating or ratifying, developments disconcerting to four factions within conservatism. The faction that focuses on foreign policy has four core principles: Preserve U.S. sovereignty and freedom of action by marginalizing the United Nations. Reserve military interventions for reasons of U.S. national security, not altruism. Avoid peacekeeping operations that compromise the military?s war-fighting proficiencies. Beware of the political hubris inherent in the intensely unconservative project of ?nation-building.?


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bushdoctrine; conservatism; georgefwill
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 141-160161-180181-200 ... 341-348 next last
To: Dane
Reagan had the guts to veto 22 bills in his first three years. Remember how he did in his re-election bid?

Yep, he still had big deficts and won re-election

So what has Bush got to fear from cutting discretionary nondefense spending and vetoing bad bills?

When are we going to see the JPEG and Gif from you with Reagan in tar and feathers, for his "political impurity".

When you admit that Bush could be much more conservative and still be politically successful.

161 posted on 07/24/2003 8:13:41 AM PDT by MrLeRoy (The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. - Jefferson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 155 | View Replies]

To: Area51
Ask Papa Bush how that attitude worked out for his reelection bid. You piss on the Right they WILL send you packing

It seems that you "purest of all the purest right" like to get pissed on like urine coming from a race horse by the demos.

I am not surprised.

162 posted on 07/24/2003 8:14:46 AM PDT by Dane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 156 | View Replies]

To: MrLeRoy
When you admit that Bush could be much more conservative and still be politically successful

Oh you mean as successful as Harry Browne or Howard Phillips.

163 posted on 07/24/2003 8:15:59 AM PDT by Dane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 161 | View Replies]

To: Dane
I never voted in an election where a Dem won by a single vote.

Hey the dem still won, such as in 92 when Perot took away votes.

Sure he got 19%

If I cast 19% of the ballots, I'd be in a very different position. As it is, I cast only my own.

164 posted on 07/24/2003 8:16:01 AM PDT by MrLeRoy (The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. - Jefferson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 159 | View Replies]

To: Dane
When you admit that Bush could be much more conservative and still be politically successful

Oh you mean as successful as Harry Browne or Howard Phillips.

No, I mean as successful as Ronald Reagan.

165 posted on 07/24/2003 8:17:40 AM PDT by MrLeRoy (The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. - Jefferson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 163 | View Replies]

To: Area51
Ask Papa Bush how that attitude worked out for his reelection bid. You piss on the Right they WILL send you packing.

Were you one of those fools on the Right who enabled and empowered the Clintons in '92. You know who I'm talking about: the ones who voted Democrat and the ones who didn't vote for Bush and the ones who voted for Perot and the ones who didn't vote. They all screwed up this country for years to come. Were you one of...THOSE?

166 posted on 07/24/2003 8:18:17 AM PDT by Consort
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 156 | View Replies]

To: MrLeRoy
If I cast 19% of the ballots, I'd be in a very different position. As it is, I cast only my own

Whatever LeRoy, go off into your own la-la land. That is your right as an American citizen.

167 posted on 07/24/2003 8:18:41 AM PDT by Dane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 164 | View Replies]

To: Dane
If I cast 19% of the ballots, I'd be in a very different position. As it is, I cast only my own

Whatever LeRoy, go off into your own la-la land. That is your right as an American citizen.

No substantive rebuttal, I see.

168 posted on 07/24/2003 8:19:42 AM PDT by MrLeRoy (The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. - Jefferson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 167 | View Replies]

To: Dane
unlink you, when someone is pissing down my back and telling me it is raining, I don't believe them.

Your no more a conservative than Hillary Clinton.
169 posted on 07/24/2003 8:21:27 AM PDT by Area51
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 162 | View Replies]

To: MrLeRoy
No, I mean as successful as Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan was successful in his quest for the Presidency, but lacked coattails.

In 82 the pubbies lost 26 seats in the House, while during Bush's first midterm election he actually gained seats in the House and the Senate(and the Senate should have been a blowout for the demos since there were only 14 demos up for re-election and 19 pubbies).

Also BTW, Reagan's deficits were bigger in % of GDP terms than Bush's.

170 posted on 07/24/2003 8:24:02 AM PDT by Dane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 165 | View Replies]

To: Dane; Area51
It seems that you "purest of all the purest right" like to get pissed on like urine coming from a race horse by the demos.

There seems to be a lot of that going around.

I would avoid buying am umbrella from Mr. Thomas.

171 posted on 07/24/2003 8:24:22 AM PDT by LTCJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 162 | View Replies]

To: Area51
Your no more a conservative than Hillary Clinton.

LOL! I am the one who will vote for the political party that has the best chance to keep Hillary out of office.

You are the one who wants her to waltz right into the oval office.

172 posted on 07/24/2003 8:26:21 AM PDT by Dane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 169 | View Replies]

To: Consort
Ask Papa Bush how that attitude worked out for his reelection bid. You piss on the Right they WILL send you packing.

Were you one of those fools on the Right who enabled and empowered the Clintons in '92. You know who I'm talking about: the ones who voted Democrat and the ones who didn't vote for Bush and the ones who voted for Perot and the ones who didn't vote. They all screwed up this country for years to come. Were you one of...THOSE?


166 posted on 07/24/2003 8:18 AM PDT by Consort




Oh now it is the voters fault Papa Bush shit on his supporters? And allowed his support to go from 85% to under 40 in less than a year?

It was the voters fault he defended the Murder of Vicki Weaver and the tactics they used to do it? It was the NRAs fault that he returned his Life membership?

It was the voters fault that Bush went against a tax pledge?

Okay. And Bill Clinton was only doing what men do, when he raped Juannita. Nice clear logic.

And FWIW no, I did not vote for Perot. I cast mine for a lieing, chickenshit NWO RINO. Papa Bush.
But it was The LAST time I will cast a vote for someone I have to hold my nose for, when I enter the ballot booth.
173 posted on 07/24/2003 8:27:27 AM PDT by Area51
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 166 | View Replies]

To: Dane
In 82 the pubbies lost 26 seats in the House

Which is the standard result for off-year congressional elections.

during Bush's first midterm election he actually gained seats in the House and the Senate

Are you claiming that's a result of his big spending?

Also BTW, Reagan's deficits were bigger in % of GDP terms than Bush's.

Bush's could be even smaller if he'd show Reagan's courage with the veto pen.

174 posted on 07/24/2003 8:29:31 AM PDT by MrLeRoy (The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. - Jefferson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 170 | View Replies]

To: Area51
Good list, thanks
175 posted on 07/24/2003 8:30:45 AM PDT by Protagoras (Putting government in charge of morality is like putting pedophiles in charge of children.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: billbears
Regarding standards: individual school districts are not strong enough to stand up to the NEA by itself. When on one side you have the massive teachers' union, and on the other side individual, strapped for cash school districts, guess who gets their way?

Bringing the force of the federal government to bear on who gets money gives local school boards some clout.

You may not agree with this, and I certainly had hoped there would be a better way to do this that didn't cost very much money, but that is the rationale behind the bill.

As far as your comment about the flight suit, I made no comments about the president's appearance nor his relationship with his wife. I am speaking about public civility, which apparently is a concept lost on you.

176 posted on 07/24/2003 8:32:11 AM PDT by Miss Marple
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 136 | View Replies]

To: RJCogburn
I have been trying to stick to other subjects, although I felt the need to denounce the Administration on another thread, two days ago. It has been my hope that Bush would wake up, ditch the dysron Karl Rove, and his self-destructive approach to politics, and begin to act more like a Conservative. It appears less and less likely that that it is going to happen.

Since we do not know what other options will be open, it is pointless, really to speculate on the next election. But if I had to quote an early line--much as happens in the racing world months before a coming Kentucky Derby--I would bet against Bush being reelected. I don't like the likely alternatives, but the pieces are coming together far better for those who want to defeat him, than they are for him.

I realize that this will be seen as a form of heresy by many, who are wed to static rather than dynamic political analysis. But the signs are increasingly there, that Rove has led the Administration into a politically untenable position, and those who understand the vulnerability--and all Democrats are not idiots--are licking their chops to unfurl the attack. I am not being specific, and as a Republican I do not intend to ever be more specific on how the Democrats could exploit that vulnerability--do not want to give free advicd to the Democrats who are idiots. But things really look very, very bad, right now.

In the meanwhile, I think that we actually help Bush's chances by making things as hot as possible for him, on his increasingly severe deviations from traditional American values. The only chance he may have, is if we scare him into moving in our direction, and it is essential that that move be sooner, rather than later. By the first of the year, it will no longer be credible to anyone.

William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site

177 posted on 07/24/2003 8:32:23 AM PDT by Ohioan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MrLeRoy
Bush's could be even smaller if he'd show Reagan's courage with the veto pen. 174 posted on 07/24/2003 8:29 AM PDT by MrLeRoy (The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. - Jefferson)

-----------------------------

Iam telling you, Hillary stole it. It is the ONLY reason a Conservative wouldn't veto all the non discretionary pork.

178 posted on 07/24/2003 8:32:35 AM PDT by Area51
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 174 | View Replies]

To: Protagoras
Good list, thanks


175 posted on 07/24/2003 8:30 AM PDT by Protagoras (Putting government in charge of morality is like putting pedophiles in charge of children.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]




Your welcome. But evidently around here facts play no part in the blinded support of the Ole Mighty King Dubya.
179 posted on 07/24/2003 8:33:59 AM PDT by Area51
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 175 | View Replies]

To: MrLeRoy
Are you claiming that's a result of his big spending?

Could be or it could be that his lack of vetoing didn't give the demos a hammer to hit him with.

Bush and his party vetoed this, blah, blah, blah, ad nauseum.

But what the hey you probably didin't vote for Bush anyway. With your well known pro-illict drug stance on FR, my bet is that you voted for Harry Browne.

180 posted on 07/24/2003 8:34:32 AM PDT by Dane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 174 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 141-160161-180181-200 ... 341-348 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson