Who says George W. Bush has done "nothing" for conservatives?

WhiteHouse.gov; various news sources ^ | 1/27/04

[MEG33]

Very interesting.

[Wolfstar]

Anyone care to tell me what type of conservatism this represents?

Good question. What exactly is "conservatism?" Mirriam-Websters defines it this way:

Main Entry: con·ser·va·tism
1 capitalized a : the principles and policies of a Conservative party b : the Conservative party
2 a : disposition in politics to preserve what is established b : a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change
3 : the tendency to prefer an existing or traditional situation to change
4 : tending to resist or oppose change

Many (not all) of those who describe themselves as "real" conservatives on this forum are, in fact, 1930's-style reactionaries.

Mirriam-Websters defines "reactionary" as ultraconservative in politics. "Ultra" is defined as "goes beyond others or beyond due limit : EXTREME."

Such folks also tend to forget that the Republican Party and the Conservative Party are not one and the same. President Bush is not a member of the doctrinaire CP, but of the Republican Party. While there are many self-identified conservatives in the Republican Party, it doesn't follow that all Republicans are conservatives. Nor should they necessarily be so.

Because the Republican Party is one of the two governing parties in this country, it not only does, but must accommodate a much broader coalition of constituents.

In contrast, by their very nature, the minority parties attract narrow constituencies.

[PhiKapMom]

Think I am going to choose "D" -- all of the above.

[PhiKapMom]

Anyone who favors the state department over Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld is no Conservative

That's exactly what I said when I read this on their website. Between that and going after Ashcroft on Hollywood -- they gave themselves away! LOL!!!

[PhiKapMom]

It is to bad that President Bush cannot authorize a wholesale purge of these career apologists and appeasers.

Would agree with that! It definitely needs a wholesale purge!

[PhiKapMom]

The minute I saw that about the State Department I knew it was RATs. No conservative would advocate the State Department!

[RiflemanSharpe]

There are many agencies that need to be purge, and many need to be cut out all together. Save money and reduce the size of government.

[onyx]

Can we etch Wolfstar's two sentences in stone?

Because the Republican Party is one of the two governing parties in this country, it not only does, but must accommodate a much broader coalition of constituents.

In contrast, by their very nature, the minority parties attract narrow constituencies.

[Tempest]

Strange, your conservativesagainstbush.com website brought me to a Pat Buchanan website where ole Pat himself was dressed up as a martyr.

I'm sorry that you can't make a real arguement and are only capable of directing people to a website that does all your thinking for you.

[Wolfstar]

Most people who self-identify as Republicans are like most Americans when it comes to politics. That is, on any given issue, they might hold a libertarian, or a conservative, or a slightly Right-of-center point of view. A comparative minority of Republicans tend toward Left-of-center positions. It bears repeating: while many self-identified conservatives are Republicans, not all Republicans are conservatives. Nor should they be.

The biggest problem I see with many who self-identify as "real" conservatives is that they simply do not seem able to wrap their minds around the concept of building a coalition. Their very self-description as "real" excludes everyone they see as "not real."

[b9]

It bears repeating: while many self-identified conservatives are Republicans, not all Republicans are conservatives. Nor should they be.

What an unselfish statement.

[Wolfstar]

Let me just add that President Bush is, without any doubt, a bona fide Right-of-center Republican on a whole host of issues. I fail to see why some "real" conservatives are disappointed now, when our Dubya told us right up front who he is when, on declaring his candidacy in 1999, he called himself a "compassionate conservative."

Many have misunderstood that term and taken it as something of an insult to conservatives. But that's never the reading I got from what he meant. Rather, I've always understood it to mean that our Dubya is more of a centrist than many Republicans on some issues, but a definite conservative on others. He's governed precisely that way — true to who he told us he was from the start.

[b9]

Well, Bush is not my daddy and he's certainly not God.
But he's my President and I trust him.

Thank you again for compiling the list of reasons why we can.

[Wolfstar]

Thanks doodlelady. But perhaps it's not unselfish so much as it is having a practical grasp of what it takes to build a winning coalition no matter where one is on the political spectrum.

[Wolfstar]

You are most warmly welcome, doodlelady.

[b9]

wow...not only unselfish,







but humble!
Here's to a winning coalition!

[MEG33]

Well said.

[MEG33]

Amen!

[onyx]

When President Bush reminds us he's president of all American, he's not just whistling Dixie, a fact many here overlook or care not to see.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Look who's talking, all you do is bash Mexicans.

Huh? Where did I bash Mexican's? Some of my best friends happen to be Mexican's, as is one of my good neighbors and several of my co-workers. The difference is my friends and neighbors are legal American citizens. Don't you know the difference?