HOW CONSERVATIVE IS PRESIDENT BUSH?

The Cato Institute ^ | August 3, 2002 | By Veronique de Rugy

[Uncle Bill]

How Conservative Is President Bush?

The Cato Institute
By Veronique de Rugy
August 3, 2002
Source

Veronique de Rugy is a fiscal policy analyst at the Cato Institute.

President Bush may be repeating the sins of his father. Although elected on a Reaganesque, tax-cutting platform, the White House has veered to the left. President Bush has signed a bill to regulate political speech, issued protectionist taxes on imported steel and lumber, backed big-spending education and farm bills, and endorsed massive new entitlements for mental health care and prescription drugs. When the numbers are added up, in fact, it looks like President Bush is less conservative than President Clinton.

It makes little sense to discourage one's core supporters prior to a mid-term election. Yet that is the result when a Republican president expands government, which Bush is doing. Also, academic research on voting patterns shows that a president is most likely to get re-elected if voters are enjoying an increase in disposable income. Yet making government bigger is not a recipe for economic growth. After all, there is a reason why Hong Kong grows so fast and France is an economic basket case. But you can't tell that to the Bush administration.

Administration officials privately admit that much of the legislation moving through Congress represents bad public policy. Yet they argue either that everything must take a back seat to the war on terror (much as the first Bush administration treated the war against Iraq) or that compromises are necessary to neutralize issues such as education. But motives and rationalizations do not repeal the laws of economics.

In less than two years, President Bush has presided over more government expansion than took place during eight years of Bill Clinton. For instance:

• The education bill expands federal involvement in education. The administration originally argued that the new spending was a necessary price to get vouchers and other reforms. Yet the final bill boosted spending and was stripped of almost all reform initiatives. And there is every reason to believe that this new spending will be counter-productive, like most other federal money spent on education in the past 40 years. Children and taxpayers are the big losers.

• The farm bill is best characterized as a bipartisan orgy of special interest politics. Making a mockery of the Freedom to Farm Act, the new legislation boosts farm spending to record levels. Old subsidies have been increased and new subsidies created. Perhaps worst of all, the administration no longer has the moral credibility to pressure the European Union to reform its socialized agricultural policies. Taxpayers and consumers are the big losers.

• The protectionist decisions on steel and lumber imports make free traders wish Bill Clinton were still president. These restrictions on world commerce have undermined the productivity of U.S. manufacturers by boosting input prices and creating massive ill will in the international community. American products already have been targeted for reciprocal treatment. Consumers and manufacturers are the big losers.

• The campaign finance law is an effort to protect the interests of incumbent politicians by limiting free speech rights during elections. The administration openly acknowledged that the legislation is unconstitutional, yet was unwilling to make a principled argument for the Bill of Rights and fair elections. Voters and the Constitution are the big losers.

• New health care entitlements are akin to throwing gasoline on a fire. Medicare and Medicaid already are consuming enormous resources, and the burden of these programs will become even larger when the baby boom generation retires. Adding a new prescription drug benefit will probably boost spending by $1 trillion over 10 years. A mandate for mental health coverage will drive up medical costs, making insurance too expensive for many more families.

Those policy decisions make government bigger and more expensive. They also slow the economy and hurt financial markets -- read the headlines lately? For all his flaws, President Clinton's major policy mistake was the 1993 tax increase. Other changes, such as the welfare reform bill, NAFTA, GATT, farm deregulation, telecommunications deregulation, and financial services deregulation, moved policy in a market-oriented direction.

Perhaps most importantly, there was a substantial reduction in federal spending as a share of gross domestic product during the Clinton years. Using the growth of domestic spending as a benchmark, Clinton was the second most conservative president of the post-World War II era, trailing only Ronald Reagan.

To be sure, much of the credit for Clinton's good policy probably belongs to the Republican Congress, but that is not an excuse for bad policy today. And on one positive note, President Bush has "promised" to fight for partial privatization of Social Security. Yet, so far, President Bush has not vetoed a single piece of legislation. Needless to say, this means it will be rather difficult to blame "big-spending" Democrats if the economy continues to sputter.

---

Compassionate Conservatism Means Big Government

No To 'Compassionate Conservatism'
"Marvin Olasky, the former Marxist journalism professor who coined the term. But he and George W. Bush are barking up the wrong tree if they think "compassionate conservatism" is going to rally popular support necessary to effect the real change needed to turn this country around."

President Highlights Compassionate Conservative Agenda for Inner Cities

---

If You Want Increasing Huge Government, Vote Bush

BUSH SPENDING BILL LARGEST EVER

U.S. quietly OKs fetal stem cell work - Bush allows funding despite federal limits on embryo use

Bush Signs Largest Family Planning Bill In U.S. History

Un El día En El la vida de Jorge W. La arbusto

OPEN BORDERS

Bush's 'open door' slammed

"I told the Congress that I want to make sure that the Mexican citizen here is well-respected," Bush said. "And one way to do that is to pass 245I."

CFR - "I Believe In Free Speech"

Meanwhile, Back On The Farm

Bush Urges Congress To Deliver on Prescription Drugs For Medicare

• AARP Likes Bush's Prescription Drug Plan

GOP Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Advances in House - Another Trillion Dollars

Pig Book - 2002

Orgy At Federal Trough

Bush and House Republicans Push Legislation For Full Drug Subsidies For Low-Income Elderly

Bush Prepares 'Big-Time' Response To African Famine

Government Spending - War Against The Stock Market

Bush signs debt-limit increase

Bush Pushes Minority Homeownership

Bush's Food Stamp Plan Called Ethnic Pandering

Bush Wants Food Stamps For Non-Citizens

Worse Than Drunken Sailors!

Senate Clears Way For Trade Bill - More Spending

BUSH AND THE BIG GOVERNMENT GOP

Security Bill Loaded With Wasteful PORK

Senate Ok's $31.5 Billion Anti-Terror Bill Loaded With Pork

How Bad Can Things Get?

George W. Bush and Gun Control

Bush Pushes Gore Plan For Orwellian Government

Bush Backs Down From Immunity Demand - Caves Again

Bush administration has been "as bad, if not worse" than the Clinton administration when it comes to the transfer of sensitive technologies to the People's Republic of China

BUSH, G7 to pay $20 billion to get rid of Russian nuke stockpiles

George W. Bush - The Global Warming Sell-Out

• George W. Bush Told Americans Before Elected That He Was A Global Warming Wacko

• Conservatives Angered by Environmental Provision [Bush pulls another Al Gore]

Dubya's New Deal - The New FDR

• Roosevelt -- Man Of The Century?

Bush Won't Label Arafat A Terrorist

George W. Bush's Terrorist Buddy

"When peoplelose faith in their institutions they trust to enforce the law, justice is no longer possible."

Bush Caves On Airport Screeners

Bush's Latest Srategic Mistake

BUSH: NINE FORMER PRESIDENTS WRONG; CLINTON RIGHT!

CRISIS? WHAT CRISIS? GEORGE BUSH'S NEVER-ENDING DOMESTIC BUDGET BUILD-UP - Father Like Son

Bush Appoints Four More Homosexuals

Dr. James Dobson Criticizes Bush Appointment to the CDC

Bush Pushes $500 Million HIV/Aids Funding For Africa

Bush to Propose Another $100 Million Over Five Years for Education in Africa

Are You Fat? No Problem, George W. Bush Will Help

House Conservatives Budge on Arts Spending

Bush Cheers Government Support For Art

Bush to Name Justice Dept. BUILDING After Kennedy

GOP Right In Iowa Fear Purge

GOP Leaders Spurn Right in Key Races

Laura Ingraham's analysis of yet another Bush betrayal

Bush decisions rankle conservatives

BUSH PROPOSES LARGEST EXPANSION OF GOVERNMENT SINCE TRUMAN

Bush's Record Calls into Question His Conservative Label

Conservatives Question Dubya's Direction

Conservatives not satisfied with Bush's record

Bush, Ashcroft Run Roughshod Over Bill Of Rights, Study Says

Republicans: Big Government Addicts

A Few Questions For Die-Hard Bush Supporters

Are Republicans losing their constituency?

Ann Coulter: BUSH PAYS HOMAGE TO THE FETISHISTIC RITUALS OF LIBERALISM

Compassionate conservatism is about socialism, not Americanism

Bush is jettisoning his principles for what?

Bush: stop the runaway federal spending and regulating!

Mark Levin Hammers Bushbots

Was Clinton More Conservative Than Bush? - Fox News

Bush: A Democrat in Republican clothing?

Bush continues Clinton Agenda

GEORGE W. BUSH: CLINTON'S THIRD TERM ©

---

Bush's Court Jester

---

"Another way to make sure that we foster growth and restore confidence is to hold people accountable for misdeeds in the public sector."
George W. Bush - University of Alabama at Birmingham Alys Stephens Center - July 15, 2002.

NOTE: Do As I Say, Not As I Do.

---

A Bush administration insider has privately leaked word that a deal was struck between Democratic congressional leaders and the Bush White House not to prosecute Bill and/or Hillary Clinton

Bush Administration Lawyers Defending Hillary - Gratis

Bush and Ashcroft Justice Dept. Hamstringing Pardongate Probers.

Bill Clinton broke the law and the Republicans let him off the hook.

What we need is the tough Newt Gingrich back.

"As far back as April 7, 1998, then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich was asked on NBC’s Today if he were going to press for impeachment. His response: "No, we don’t have any evidence."
Source.

Al Gore Broke The Law and the Republicans let him off the hook.

"I don’t care if you have proof that he raped a woman, stood up and shot her dead, you’re still not going to get 67 votes."

Bush Says He Wants to Let Clinton 'Move On'
"Listen, here's my view: I think it's time to get all of this business behind us. I think it's time ... to allow the president to finish his term, and let him move on and enjoy life and become an active participant in the American system. And I think we've had enough focus on the past. It's time to move forward." - George W. Bush.

Bush Won't Dwell On Clinton Affair, "We're Moving Forward"
"B/S, Mr Bush. Clinton is a criminal and a traitor. We demand a thorough investigation and prosecution. Our Republic is dead and our liberty is at stake if the next administration does not clean up this mess for now and forever more. Corrupt politicians must pay the price for subverting our Constitution and using their offices for personal gain."
4 Posted on 01/20/2000 14:17:56 PST by Jim Robinson

---

A Republic If We Can Keep It - Bush Trashing The Constitution

It's About The Republic, Not The Republican

How Big Is The Government's Debt? - $33.1 TRILLION

There Must Be Some Way Out Of Here

---

"Not over my dead body will they raise your taxes,"
George W. Bush - SOURCE.

[Fred Mertz]

I think most folks, who want to know the truth, already know it.

Thanks for the excellent thread Uncle Bill. So many Freepers are in denial that it sometimes amazes me.

[It'salmosttolate]

and the beat goes on

[jla]

One can only be stupefied at how the man who brought conservatism to the forefront of American politics can be misaligned & skewered by some in the GOP.

I myself will vote for Dubya in the next election, only because I don't wish to see our country led by communists.
But I damn sure would never insult the memory of Ronald Reagan in advancing the policies of George W. Bush.

[Luis Gonzalez]

ROTFLMAO!!!


Obscure book?

You claim that the resurgence of the clan happened in the North, I post several sources clearly stating that it made its comeback in Georgia (guess you menat Northern Georgia), gave the name of the individual, and cited the exact date and time, and you can't come up with anything other than an insult to substantiate your load of revisionist crap.

Face it boy, you take a whipping day in and day out in here...hell, you must like it!

[Luis Gonzalez]

Old South...they called all blacks "boy", that's what DeeDee does.

[jla]

...and thank you for respecting not only President Reagan, but also the truth.

[2sheep]

Broken link...try this:  W Clandestinely Campaigning for Hillary Presidency -- original title: "Bush Administration Lawyers Defending Hillary - Gratis"

[Luis Gonzalez]

"Somehow I think you'll be reminded of this post a lot..."

Yeah, we're all still laughing about it.

I picture sort of a Miguelito Loveless in Johhny Red greys to my Jim West.

[HalfIrish]

W Clandestinely Campaigning for Hillary Presidency

On one level, that title is unfair but on another it is poetic and descriptive. It's a shame that W's administration hasn't done one blessed thing to make such titles laughable.

Just imagine trying to pin a title like that on Reagan's administration. Another example of the difference between conservative Ron and squishy W.

[2Trievers]

Yep! The GROWNUPS get to stay up later than the little ones!

[jjm2111]

G.W. works for what all men (and women) in power work for: More power. Money is power. Influence is power. Connections are power. Liberal, Conservative, Libertarian et. al. are all silly labels. Ideology is used to keep people divided. The reason why people in power do not follow the Constitution is because it forbids them precisly what they want the most. Power.

I'm not saying this is bad, as our system of government is far better than most. And people in power tend to want to stay there, no matter what system (or ism) is in place. At least ordinary individuals have a means for removing the powerful and to some degree the rule of law works.

Don't think that any of our leaders (well, maybe a tiny few)actually make decisions based on some sort of a belief system. They do it to maintain or increase, if possible their power base. Bush is doing the same. He realizes that most of us, would vote for him over some Democrat. He counts on the solid right base for reelection. He pulls these lefty moves to gain the votes of the mushy middle; that vast uninformed mass of the American Electorate. He needs that mushy middle to win.

[jjm2111]

good point

[dirtboy]

Yep! The GROWNUPS get to stay up later than the little ones!

I have seen very few grownups on this thread. I see insults, food fights, flame wars ... the issue, as it relates to FR, is not just how conservative Bush is ... it's also how quickly this site turns into a circular firing squad, and how that will keep this site from ever realizing its true potential. But go ahead, keep up the bickering. The DLC and the Draft Hillary! 2004 Committee thank all of you...

[jjm2111]

What's wrong with Ron Paul? What does he have to do? IMO, I would rather politicians do next to nothing. Hell, everytime they, do something, they screw it up.

[2Trievers]

Sweetie, you haven't read my posts here. Chill! &;-)

[jjm2111]

Reagan tell Republicans that the Brady Bill was a good law

HE DID????

[dirtboy]

Sweetie, you haven't read my posts here. Chill! &;-)

I ain't chilling. This thread, IMO, represents the worst of FR. There are a few people here trying to have a heated debate, without insults, but the rest are like a bunch of 3rd graders, slinging insults and pulling hair. And then we wonder why a lot of folks take a look at FR and just mosey away...

[steve50]

You mean like the 1.5 billion he is sending Uruguay?

Not to worry. They are going to repay those US aid taxdollars within a few days of getting US taxdollars from the IMF. We're nothing but slaves for these money changers

[TLBSHOW]

So Bush lets Clinton off the hook and the next one lets Bush off the hook and on and on we go towards Commie America? So the whole thing is a communist takeover of America using idiot Americans to do it? Am I on the right track to your thinking?

Done dare call it treason............

[Moonman62]

Then by all the facts the amount of present spending as percentage of GDP is less than when Reagan left office. But you "doubt" that it will stay that way.

And the reason for that is most of Reagan's economic policies were largely kept intact until a couple of years ago. Now economic growth is stagnant, and government spending is up. Bush's compassionate conservatism and a "new tone in Washington" has made life easier for the politicians, but not for us. Reagan spoke of the unlimited possibilities of the American entrepreneurial spirit, while Bush says of our children that after receiving an expensive, federally directed education, they can go work down at the Honda plant.