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.
RESPOND to it?! I don't even UNDERSTAND it! I wouldn't respond even if I did. I find this whole discussion tedious.
SCOTUS however found:
"In today's [6/25/01] ruling, Justice David Souter, writing for the majority, said unlimited party spending would undermine the purpose of campaign finance rules. "We hold that a party's coordinated expenditures, unlike expenditures truly independent, may be restricted to minimize circumvention of contribution limits," Souter wrote."
So, clearly, a liberal majority is quite willing under what they consider to be reasonable circumstances, to restrict a freedom to spend money on political campaigns.
I don't see the ad ban in McCain Feingold to be that far a leap for them.
You forgot the cigarettes for votes that I believe was video taped
No, excuse me! I DID conclude that is what you meant, because that is what you said. I take people's words literally. I take what they say seriously. If that is not what you meant, you should have been more careful how you articulated what you meant. It seemed to me that your whole point was based on the notion that the Solicitor General was "re-writing" the Constitution based on an opinion he expressed to the Court. Minus this, I don't know what your point was.
Your challange has been met.
Would you care to see more big mouth?
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LEAVE CALIFORNIA? NO WAY. WE LOVE CALIFORNIA
Culture/Society Editorial Published: 5/20/01 Author: Joe Hadenuf Posted on 05/20/2001 19:18:33 PDT by Joe Hadenuf
Just a note to all those that are suggesting that we Freepers and or conservatives in California be air lifted out or offer us multiple daily warnings about dire consequences if we stay in California because of the evil leftist, socialist and what they will do to us, etc. Some have even suggested that if we don't pick up and leave California, we can't be real conservatives or are somehow not good Americans.
Let me start off by saying that I love California very much. I am a third generation Californian and my entire family lives here and our dead are buried here. None of us would ever consider leaving this beautiful state. I mean, where else can you go from coastal plains to the beach, spend a few hours at the beach and then drive to the mountains and ski if you wish. Like the desert? After skiing you can drive down to the desert and go off roading in your jeep or dirtbike and yes, even go target shooting. Yes you can do all this in one day and, on one tank of gas, even if the tank of fuel cost 45 bucks. Not to many places where you can barbeque on Christmas day. (Our family tradition). Not to many places where you can walk around in shorts in January and eat Oranges fresh off your own tree.
We have been all over the United States and there are some very nice places out there. But California they are not. I feel this needs to be said as the negative and the outright attacks, threats and anger towards California have gone WAY beyond the leftist AH Grey Davis and the energy problem. I think some here need to be reminded once in a while why some of us prefer to stay in California and not flee. I have no time for people that flee trouble or problems. I felt compelled to write this after reading literally hundreds upon hundreds of DAILY post about how bad my state is, accompanied by nasty foul threats, warnings and jokes etc that exceed and go far beyond the current energy problem. One Freeper told me they were tired of my endless bragging about my California after a few times that I boasted about my state. I guess my love for California really hit a nerve with this person. That's to bad, after hundreds of daily slams, jokes, warnings, threats etc I figured someone needed to stand up and say something positive about California.
And for those of you that care, there is no mass exodus here. As a matter of fact as far as real-estate goes there is none in our area available. We have not seen a for sale sign in a long time. A friend of ours in real-estate told us the prices have been driven up partly due to no inventory of existing homes. Folks just aren't selling. We personally know of people that have left California and most return within several years or less. And as I have said before, if a few million did leave, it would not bother us in the least.
We are inordinately aware of our energy problems here and agree most were created by the leftist socialist. We know we have an immigration problem, thanks to the Federal Government. But we would never leave this great, beautiful state.
We have been through earthquakes that occur with absolutely no warning, where we thought the world was coming to an end, literally. So bad, that after the quake was over, there was a line of people waiting to use the bathroom. We have seen fires that looked like the entire planet was on fire, that last for weeks not days. We have had riots that make out of state, big city riots appear as a minor disturbance. Droughts where we have not had a good rain for years, not months. This energy problem is a walk in the park compared to some of the things we Californian's have lived through and experienced. A few blackouts will not scare most of us. Most of us here are pretty tough players and would never consider giving up what we have worked so damn hard for.
PLEASE keep in mind that there are approximately 15 million conservatives, patriots in California. This is our home, and we have no desire to leave. We love our STATE and our NATION and would rather fight than flee.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Posted on 05/20/2001 19:18:33 PDT by Joe Hadenuf [ Reply | Private Reply | Top | Last ] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You are still bent on comparing apples with oranges by trying to equate the MINOR immigration problems of the early 80s with the CRISIS of today. When Reagan signed that blanket amnesty it held a number of conditions. One condition was that it would be a ONE TIME. NEVER AGAIN DEAL. The Amnesty also held provisions that the U.S. would start enforcing its laws on immigration and it didn't take long for the lobbyists and bureaucrats to the whittle those conditions completely away. Should Reagan have known better? Perhaps but I'll tell you this, if Reagan knew that the conditions of the amnesty bill would be thrown out the window and immigration would spin out of control like it has for the last 20 years I seriously doubt he would have signed that amnesty bill.
I hate to argue with you since you have been quite fair on this thread but you cannot hang your hat on the presidential oath. If you take that stance then any president that enforces existing laws based on his public observation that they are "unconstitutional" has also violated that oath. That would mean that every president in history has committed an impeachable offense. It is well settled that if any law can be argued rationally from both sides it is up to the USSC to rule on the controversy. Bush could have vetoed the bill but that veto would not survive past his term in office if another president decides to ask congress to resubmit it for his signature. The USSC can kill it, the veto only delays it.
I've only seen your grade school photo here (wha?) and using the same aging techniques as the FBI I "simulated" what you would look like today, and it was close. You're a 63 year old Samoan, right?
Thanks, I stand corrected < /sarcasm >
Sheesh. May of 2001?!
No, you stand wiping egg off your face.
Who would of ever thought we would witness the latest chapter of "The Glass is Half Full" right here on FR
Can I see a show of hands who think I should wipe the egg off my face?
LOL, Thanks Joe, your so easy
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