A Few Questions For Die-Hard Bush Supporters

Toogood Reports ^ | June 5, 2002 | Lee R. Shelton IV

[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.

[Registered]

FLAME SUIT TOGGLE ON!

[truthkeeper]

The same goes for those of you who voted for Bush and insist on holding his feet to the fire on the important issues

Whew! That's a relief. I'll go get my popcorn now...

[Southack]

"What one thing has Bush done that sets him apart from the Democrats?"

GWB killed the Kyoto Treaty on Global Warming, for one.

GWB pulled the U.S. out of the CCCP-U.S. ABM Treaty, for another.

GWB backed and got our National Missile Defense program funded.

GWB Killed the International Criminal Court.

GWB repealed Clinton's CO2 rules that were choking off electricity production in California and causing electricity rates to spike.

GWB repealed OSHA's new ergonomic regulations that were about to put every home-based business in America out of commission.

GWB appointed Ashcroft and Ted Olsen, who just wrote to the Supreme Court that the 2nd Amendment is an INDIVIDUAL right, not the "collective right" that liberals have maintained for decades.

GWB signed the bill into law that gives pilots the right to arm themselves with firearms, a pleasant pro-gun victory on a national level (currently being obstructed by a DOT bureaucrat).

GWB killed the Left-Wing ABA's role in vetting federal judges for Congress.

GWB instituted the first top-down review of our military in years, which concluded (prior to 9/11), that asymmetric attacks were our biggest future threat.

GWB killed the $11 Billion Crusader artillery boondoggle.

GWB killed federal funding of foreign "family planning" activities.

GWB ordered the Justice Department to finally enforce the SCOTUS Beck decision, giving union workers the right to recover any of their union dues that are used for political purposes with which they disagree.

Frankly, if you aren't aware of all that GWB has done to advance the Conservative movement (including implementing steel tariffs in order to encourage European nationalism via trade wars), then you simply aren't Conservative.

Only a liberal could be so blind as to not realize what all GWB has done for our cause (oh, did I mention that GWB got taxes cut twice, once for individuals and another for businesses).

[lakey]

keep bumpin' to the top

[Alberta's Child]

What one thing has Bush done that sets him apart from the Democrats?

He has yet to engage in any activity that would land an ordinary citizen in prison.

Case closed.

[garv]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say you will be flamed like the fire of a thousand suns and you won't get any answers for your trouble to boot. I applaud your effort.

[Stand Watch Listen]

lol...isn't that the truth.

But if it's worthy of debate on this forum I post them. Emperor's new clothes or not.

I voted for President Bush, I support him. Yet, for me, there does exist a odd apprehension where this country, our Government is headed.

[William Tell]

Stand Watch Listen said: "...he was simply a slightly more palatable choice than Al Gore."

Here's your problem right here. The conservative I wish was in the White House is a 100. Bush is a 40. Gore is a minus 100.

We are stuck with the fact that MORE people voted for Gore than Bush. That is a sad statement about what the American people want and will tolerate. Kalifornia has Feinstein and Boxer as Senators. That is one of the most telling indicators of just how screwed up the situation is.

If we had the Supreme Court that we have never had in my lifetime, then much of what has been legislated would have been struck down as being outside the reach of Congress.

The only way to achieve that Supreme Court is to win back the Senate majority by more than just a single vote and place Constitutionalists on the Court. ( Young ones in good health who have family histories of living into their late nineties. )

[claptrap]

Ask yourself why Bush flat out lied by saying immediately after 9/11 " Islam means peace" this was a flat out lie, Islam translated from arabic means submission, wouldnt we have been happy to know this was he worried about scattered mosque burnings? dead Arabs in the streets? I submit to you that the Muslim religion and its adherents mean to see all progressive societies dead! Moderate muslims dont exist if they claim to be moderate its a lie my proof is in their own terrorist training manual the Koran!

[colorado tanker]

Bump your #4.

[bybybill]

What on earth are you trying to do? The next thing you and Rush will do is call for GWB`s impeachment. Why did you ignore the tax cut,9/11, and Bushs poll numbers? You have an obvious agenda and it is distructive. Time for you to go back to your rat buddies.

[Clara Lou]

That "thud" we just heard was the limb you went out on that just fell off the tree. See post #4.

[lakey]

So talk about immigration, borders, sovereignty, FOX.

[billybudd]

All good points, except I'm confused by this one:

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"?

[rdb3]

Lee R. Shelton IV, I have a question for you: What have you done to convince voters to take up the conservative cause?

[Poohbah]

Well put.

America didn't get into this condition overnight.

We're not going to get OUT of this condition overnight.

This is a long-term project, and it's going to require a lot of patience, hard work, and an understanding of tactics.

[warchild9]

But he's soooo stealing issues from the liberals!!!

[Geezerette]

This should be interesting!

Popcorn coming up!

g

[GSWarrior]

• What do you think about Bush's position on granting amnesty to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants?

This is the worst offense. Al Gore wouldn't even have tried that one because he knew that Conservatives would have shot him down. And now a 'conservative' does just that.