Rumbling on the Hard-Right

The Washington Times ^ | December 30, 2003 | Stephen Dinan

[GunsareOK]

President Bush is beginning to anger certain hard-line conservatives, particularly over fiscal issues, the way his father did in the year before he lost to Bill Clinton in 1992.

It's not clear how deep the dissatisfaction goes, and whether it will translate to damage at the polls in November.

[theFIRMbss]

>I'm sorry, but your parents just aren't conservatives

It doesn't matter
what you call people. Voters
are just plain voters

and many of us
see alarming numbers of
voters who voted

for Bush the last time
have bought the media's hype
on this go around.

[Taliesan]

Cool chart.

[Publius Maximus]

I don't know... maybe you're just not very intelligent. Who knows? Must be something like that though.

Very persuasive ad hominem you just hurled, there. :|

Let me try this again: Yes I'm voting for Bush. But no, he's not a conservative in any fiscal sense. The enormous explosion in size of government under him can only fractionally be attributed to war and homeland defense spending. Pure entitlement spending - the stuff we ought to be cutting - is exploding too: No excuse for that.

I'm smart enough to see that for what it is: pure pandering. If it keeps Dean out of office, is it worth it? Maybe. But we need fiscal conservatism now more than ever, and I have no confidence - or any reason to be confident - that Bush will supply leadership there, as he has in the war on terror.

[antaresequity]

I seriously hit my knees and thank God every night that we have a President that does not go out of his way to make people like you happy.

As far as I can tell, he seems to go out of his way and make all of the Big Governement socialists happy...ya thank god for Bush and 'True Conservatives'...

When you find enough time to climb off your high horse, and suck some thicker air down here on the ground with us simpletons...please explain to all of us what a 'True Conservative' is.

After all you seem to throw the phrase around like a hollywood has been at a cocktail party drops names.

If he does not let the AWB sunset, and make it perfectly clear that he will veto any re-introduction...he can kiss my butt.

Now don't tell me how 'True Conservatives' will blindy follow this man, and imply I am other than Conservative.

I doubt you jumped in your car and drove 1500 miles to Texas in 2000 and volunteer for, and get shipped to, Florida as a back up vote counter, nor do I doubt you dug deep into the kitty to pony up multiple large for the legal defense fund for the recount challenges.

If Bush caves on AWB, screw him.

[Zipporah]

Once harm has been done, even a fool understands it.

Homer (800 BC - 700 BC), The Iliad

If YOU were truly a conservative you'd have a clue.

[politicalwit]

You're correct....the REAL conservatives do need a bit of tissue paper. The republican party is nothing more than a pile of **** these days. It's time to clean up.

[Biblebelter]

If one is going to vote for Bush or not, they first must consider what the second Bush term might bring. Obviously, Bush is not going to move on amnesty for illegal immigrants before the 2004 election. But my guess is that if reelected Bush will push for legislation that will open the door even wider to immigration. And if the congress stays Republican, they will give Bush what he wants. If a Democrat is elected and the congress stays Republican, there is a slightly better chance that the Republicans would oppose such legislation on political grounds. For a conservative sometimes divided government is better than one party holding all the power. The founding fathers designed our government with three branches so that there could be checks and balances. The checks and balances for the voter sometimes is insuring another set of checks and balances by dividing the executive and legislative between two parties. Legislative gridlock might have been preferrable to the legislative efforts of the Hastert House, the Frist Senate, and the Bush White House which have not been impressive. As a conservative I would like to see secure borders, less Federal money spent on education, restrained spending on pork barrel projects, all of which have not been present in the last four years. That said, if I vote for President, I would vote for Bush. But sometimes you go to the polls to exercise your voting rights, and you come to an office that you just cannot pull the lever on.

[Fishrrman]

RinaseaofDs writes:
If the democrats had a credible guy on their side, a Sam Nunn hawk with decent fiscal sense, Bush would have a problem.

Actually, the Democrats _do_ have such a guy, who might be considerably more conservative than G.W. Bush. Unfortunately, he's not running. I could even consider voting for him (and I have sworn NEVER to vote for a Democrat again).

His name is Zell Miller.

Cheers!
- John

[At _War_With_Liberals]

"but we don't drink enough "koolaid" to vote for someone else which will ASSURE we have a LIBERAL in office. "

Bush IS a liberal.

And just wait until Bush is a lame duck, and REALLY starts working on his "compassionate conservative" legacy. Just wait.

'Compassionate conserv' was a term to con conservatives into believing he planned on being conservative. Some of us are not buying this time around.

Bush is conservative on religious and moral issues... and uses both as a smokescreen for his agenda.

[rintense]

Again-where is the link to any official announcement of a Bush plan to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants ??

He hasn't. As a matter of fact, didn't he say around a month ago that amnesty was not an option? I, too, am an illegals alarmist, but I also look at what *hasn't* happened so far. For the past three years, the same 'the sky is falling' scenario has been floating around. But will trust that the President will do what is right for America. Maybe that trust will have be misplaced. And I will deal with that if and when the time comes. In the meantime, I continue to fire off emails left and right about no amnesty.

[luckydevi]

There is a reason why every conservative think tank are alarmed at the growth of government under his watch. But hey spin the party line. Not to mention he signed on to CFR

You belong to the camp that are

Republican first
Conservative 2nd

I will vote for the man, but the man is no conservative.

[Texas_Dawg]

define conservatism

As far as the Presidency goes (since that is what we are talking about), it is someone who seeks to keep America safe, strong militarily, open to business and capitalism, reduces taxes, appoints conservative, constructionist judges, promotes a healthier environment for traditional Western religious practice, and, most importantly, seeks to do whatever is necessary to keep the White House from the Left, even if it means giving ground with an electorate that is 50/50 right now.

[!1776!]

Bush will appoint no SC judges in the next 5 years. Not one activist judge, by nature, will step down and allow a conservative justice to be appointed. Not a possibility.

There are other reasons that SC judges step down. Could be health, etc. Even so, are you willing to take the chance that a conservative judge steps down, for one reason or another, with another "Clinton" in office?

[riri]

Just don't kid yourself into thinking you're a conservative or that you represent a large percentage of people

OK, Georgie. Whatever you say.

Me, personally, at this point, I really don't care if Dean wins. I'll just leave the country again anyway. I'm going to start following your philosophy. Get mine and to he** with everybody else.

Soon, I'll be as conservative as you.

[CaptRon]

"I'm hearing a lot of anger," says Richard Viguerie, the guru of conservative political direct mail. "I'm beginning, for the first time, [to hear] people talk about 'it would not be the worst thing in the world if Howard Dean were president,'

I, for one, cannot imagine this passing the lips of a conservative. Not voting for W, yes; this, no.

[goodnesswins]

Yes, the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....the SKY IS FALLING....

[Who is John Galt?]

Come on, T_D! Tell us what a wonderful "conservative" the president is when it comes to 'gun control.' Seems like 'Dubyah' declared that he would sign a renewal of the Clinton/Feinstein 'assault weapons' ban if it were offered to him. Of course, he may not get the chance - if the Republicans in Congress have any balls ( a debatable notion ;>). Or he could (properly, for a REAL "conservative" ;>) change his mind.

Ante up, T_D: tell me (and the other NRA 'lifers' here ;>) what a great "conservative" GWB is on the 'gun control' issue. While you're at it, consider this: about 19% of the voters contributing to the '94 Republican 'revolution' were gun owners. In other words, in '94 one out of every five actual voters was a gun owner voting Republican - and 'Dubyah' has announced that he is prepared to piss on their constitutional rights...

;>)

[At _War_With_Liberals]

"I think Bush is awesome.."

That is what we called rock bands we liked in the 80's. Congratulations.

[princess leah]

I am not a "one issue" conservative and the MOST important issue on the table is who is going to protect America from terrorism and their ilk...NOT Dean, Not any democrat. I happen to be benefitting from the lower tax code that Bush pushed through, I spent my $800 child tax credit which came in very nicely when we needed extra, and, as a Christian I prayed for a strong leader who would lead America with strong Christian morals. No President is ever going to make all the right decisions, nor will he ever completely satisfy his voting base, but President Bush has done a very worthy job in one of the most difficult times in the history of this nation and frankly we NEED his calm leadership for a few years more.

[Publius Maximus]

So according to you, we should keep electing socialists, because that is really good for the Republican party.

Ahem. Let me try this again.

Maybe you missed the part where you said I'm holding my nose and voting for him. Anyway.

Truthfully, when it comes to big spending liberalism, Bush has a serious case to make that he's a bigger socialist than Clinton was. Getting elected is great, and Lord knows Bush has got that formula down, to the Democrat's chagrin. But when it comes to the budget, he is NOT doing what's in the best interest of the country - he's doing what's in the best interest of his re-election campaign. He's completely sold fiscal conservatism down the river in exchange for a majority status that now depends upon dispensing federal largesse to anybody who thinks their entitled to it.

This is not a fanciful charge. Look at the budget numbers and tell me, if the name were Clinton with this kind of fiscal record, that you wouldn't be raising unholy hell about what an uncontrollable spender he is. Be honest.

Yes, Bush is The Man for the war on terror, but its gonna cost us A LOT more than it has to because he simply doesn't take fiscal restraint seriously. The re-election Gravy Train is simply too tempting.