Posted on 06/05/2002 1:20:54 PM PDT by Stand Watch Listen
Let me just say up front that I am not addressing you if you voted for George W. Bush in 2000 and regret it. The same goes for those of you who voted for Bush and insist on holding his feet to the fire on the important issues. If, however, you cast your vote for Bush, still believe he is the only hope for America and intend to support every move he makes without so much as a raised eyebrow, this is for you.
It has been nearly a year-and-a-half since George W. Bush, the savior of conservatism, descended from on high to begin his earthly reign in Washington, D.C. Republicans assured us that he would restore integrity to the White House and would be a marked improvement over the promiscuous Bill Clinton. Well, in all honesty, that could have been accomplished by electing a neutered chimp to the office of president.
During the 2000 presidential campaign, George W. Bush the man proved to be a nice break from Bill Clinton and Al Gore. Unlike Gore, Bush had a more likable...well, he actually had a personality. He also possessed the unique ability to address the American people without the smug and condescending vibe Clinton exuded. However, when it came to policy, George W. Bush the candidate failed to demonstrate that he would govern any differently than his Democrat counterparts.
Still, throughout the campaign, there was a loyal group of Bush supporters who would take offense at even the slightest implication that their candidate was anything but a staunch conservative. Even now, they continue to stand by their man, and I find this to be rather perplexing.
Perhaps those who have pledged their undying allegiance to President Bush could answer a few questions for me, in no particular order of course:
• How would you have reacted if Bill Clinton had signed the Patriot Act into law and given the government sweeping new surveillance powers?
• Would you have criticized a Democrat president for signing a $26 billion education-spending bill?
• Did you feel betrayed when Bush signed Campaign Finance Reform into law?
• What do you think about Bush's position on granting amnesty to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants?
• Would you have tolerated a Democrat proposal for federally funded faith-based initiatives?
• What would your reaction have been if a Democrat had said, "No one should have to pay more than a third of their income to the federal government"?
• What do you think about the president's granting of Permanent Most Favored Nation status to China?
• What's the difference between Bush and the Democrats on the issue of farm subsidies?
• How would you react if a Democrat president sent a $2.13 trillion budget to Congress?
• Would you have stood for a Democrat saying "No!" to arming airline pilots?
• What would your reaction have been if a Democrat had pushed for the federalization of airport security?
• Are you willing to stand by and let the Bush administration cater to the environmentalists on the global warming issue?
• What do you think about Bush's call for a Patient's Bill of Rights?
• What one thing has Bush done that sets him apart from the Democrats?
• It's been a year-and-a-half since Bush took office. When do we start to see a decrease in the size and scope of government? For that matter, when do we start to see even a remote indication that this administration will think about doing anything to try to limit the federal government?
This list is by no means exhaustive, but I would really be interested in some answers. Perhaps it would help shed some light on the mindset of modern compassionate conservatives.
The fact that a Republican president is governing like a Democrat isn't surprising. What's amazing to me is that there are a few select Bush supporters out there who cannot—or will not—utter one word of criticism against their president for any reason. In their minds this man is the epitome of conservatism, and to question his actions would be to question their own beliefs and cause them to wonder why they supported him in the first place.
The way I see it there can only be two explanations for this: 1) these people really and truly believe in what Bush is doing, or 2) they do not wish to face up to the real reason they voted for him — he was simply a slightly more palatable choice than Al Gore.
However the Bush administration is a heckuva lot LESS damaging than say a Gore administration would have been.
What conservatives SHOULD be focusing on isn't whether W is towing the conservative line or not, but rather the DAMN MID TERMS! I've preached about this until I'm blue in the face, and no one seems to be getting it.
What we have to do now is try to >stabilize< the house and senate, even if the republican party is populated by RINOS. Then in next year's local elections we put the BIG push on to start running REAL conservative candidates.
We most likly won't win a majority of local elections, especially in places like my area - Western PA. But we elect as many as we can, and even in the races we lose we point out the difference between conservatices, republicans, RINOS and democrat/socialists.
Drive the points home and aim for more infiltration in the next off year elections.
Let W spew globalism, and whatever he wants. We aren't going tp change things from the top down, it has to be from the people to the top.
Hold W's feet to the fire as much as we can. Don't let him forget there IS a conservative movment he's indebted to. But for the most part ignore his failings, applaud his strengths, and over the next 12 years work to elect true conservatives to local and state posts. Only after that is accomplished can we be assured a conservative congress and White House.
prisoner6
How, exactly? We were attacked. America cried out for blood. Bush heeded the call. Do you really think Clinton or Gore would have done anything differently?
Should be: When the congress loses billions of dollars...
He has yet to engage in any activity that would land an ordinary citizen in prison.
Not true.
Helping to cover up a crime would land most of us in jail. Isn't that what Bush and Ashcroft are doing by simply ignoring the many crimes committed by the democRATS the last 9 years? Take the Riady Non-Refund as a case in point. No question that serious laws were broken when Riady gave the democRATS millions in campaign contributions. Even the democRATS admitted that. No question that democRATS told us the money was returned. Its a matter of public record. No question that Riady stated in his sentencing hearing that he had NOT had any of those "contributions" returned. So either Riady lied and should loose his plea bargain (a fact discussed right before he disclosed the non-refund) or those campaign officials lied and KNOWINGLY keep perhaps MILLIONS in illegal dollars ... and used them to STEAL a Presidential and perhaps several Congressional races. Finally, there is no indication that the Bush administration even bothered to investigate this allegation. Instead, they swept it under the rug ... which is a crime.
Right?
Could you amplify please on these.....South Korea, for instance......how do they improve US security--I believe we still have a ton of our troops there; and as I recall, just a few short years ago, Congress authorized spending tons of money for second generation housing there {the original being 50 years old, or near so].
Thanks....
dittos
When I see the "Stop Global Whining" posters I think it now applies to Bush bashers here at FR. You dingalings will drive off the cliff with the conservative banner plastered to your face.
And the only way that is going to happen is if the word "democRAT" become antithema to most Americans.
And that is only going to happen if they are told the truth about what the democRATS did the last 9 years.
And that is only going to happen if the Bush DOJ does it job and investigates/prosecutes the crimes that were committed by the democRATS.
Never on both counts if we do something stupid that lets the Dems take control of the White House or increase their votes in the Senate and the Congress.
Their is a certain amount of faith that must be given here. I have faith in the Republicans (they insisted on sunset clauses on several of those bills - don't forget). I have no faith in the Democrats, independents, libertarians, or any other party.
People need to stop demanding the unrealistic from the Current administration. If not, profer a better choice that stand a chance in November.
Conservatives want a moral government.
Confusing those two positions is what Socialists hope all right-wingers do...
If you think there will be a mass conversion to conservatism after driving W from office, you're on drugs.
W wasn't about stopping the slide into socialism. It was about slowing it down and giving conservatives the opportunity to FIND a way to stop it. Do you visit local watering holes and argue with dyed in the wool socilists, especially the older ones who've been through the depression and wars? Try to present the conservative line to them. Get them to vote it. Ain't gonna happen, and trust me in the inner cities and union areas, they are teh ones we have to defeat.
prisoner6
Then you are one of the people to whom the author was writing. Rather than read the Constitution and judge the president's actions by how they measure up to that document, you would rather sit back and trust him in everything he does. After all, if you can't trust a Republican, who can you trust?
So... until they say we can all build bombs in our garage and mount M-60's in the beds of our pick-ups, you're not going to be satisfied. How to you feel about convicted felons owning firearms? For your interpretation to stand, you have to agree with everything in this paragraph - otherwise the 2d Amendment is "conditional" and not absolute.
Don't get me wrong though. I agree with the "theory" but as a practical matter, I'm not sure I want my neighbor practicing applied nuclear physics in his basement.
Lastly, whether you think what they said meant anything or not, tell me which administration in the last 50, 60 or 70 years which has even bothered to reinforce the 2d Amendment at all, however weakly.
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