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Conservatives Need to Get Real
The Intellectual Conservative ^ | 02 February 2004 | Scott Shore

Posted on 02/11/2004 11:00:20 AM PST by Lando Lincoln

While President Bush may not be a conservative’s perfect president, the alternative should shake any discontents to active support of the President.

As a conservative, I agree with most of the criticism that has been leveled at President Bush amongst Republicans and conservatives. While I support the President’s foreign and defense policies, I think that the Administration has tried to do the impossible—preempt the Left on their own issues. Republicans were not put on this earth to increase the size of government, create massive new programs like Medicare, spend billions of dollars on AIDS in Africa, fund the UN renovation, expand the Federal role in education or pursue a reckless policy of granting amnesty to illegal foreigners working in the US. None of these initiatives by the President will, in the end, take votes from the Democratic core base. Democrats are much better and far more willing to outspend any Republican program that expands the Welfare State. The strong suit of Republicans is limited government, lower taxes, individual responsibility and strong national defense. Karl Rove may be right that some of the President’s big government initiatives may neutralize some independents. In any case, conservatives could have hoped for much more in a Washington where Republicans control both the White House and Congress.

Having said all that, I intend to do whatever I can to reelect President Bush. The reason is simple. The alternative is unthinkable. A tax increase by rolling back the President’s much needed tax relief will not go to reduce the deficit but to fund massive new social programs, especially some form of universal national health care system. The stimulus of tax relief will be gone and the deadweight of new taxes and government program will lead to a much larger deficit. Moreover, the hue and cry over the deficit is only logical if the deficit grows as a percentage of GDP over a period of years. Economic recovery can shrink the deficit in a relatively short time -- provided there is no new spending. A Democrat will give us the worst of both worlds -- higher taxes and higher spending.

A Democratic economic policy is also lethal to the American middle class and small business. The repeal of most taxes to the “wealthy” proposed by the Democrats are really to two-income families that are just getting by and are clearly the backbone of the middle-class and small business owners who pay income tax; their business is not a corporation but a family business that is a sole proprietorship. An increase in dividend taxation or capital gains will put the financial markets in a tailspin and further retard the growth of new or expanded business activity.

Universal health care has an interesting twist that few seem to be discussing. If people are concerned about possible invasions of privacy because of the Patriot Act, imagine the access to private information available to Big Brother when he gets his hands on your medical records. Once the government is subsidizing our health, how long will it take before certain health lifestyles or diets become a matter of government concern over its citizens? Should we expect a universal health care system to deliver the same value as our compulsory educational system? In fact, the Democrats are likely to create an even greater rift between the Haves and Have-Nots in healthcare by allowing only the wealthiest Americans to pay for private services. Besides this, universal health will either bankrupt the economy since the demand for healthcare is virtually without limit or it will require the government to ration healthcare. Do we really want the delivery of healthcare to become a matter of political bargaining? Imagine the hypocrisy of those who are adamant that the relationship between a doctor and patient is sacrosanct when it comes to abortion, but would make almost all medical procedures a matter of public policy mandates in the future. Imagine your worst nightmare of an HMO and then increase that exponentially and you begin to get the real meaning of Universal Health Care. As for the eventual bill for this service, look to the past at all other federal entitlement programs. To make matters worse, no Democrat is going to support Medical Practice Tort Reform which is contributing to the skyrocketed growth of healthcare costs.

How will Democrats deal with other issues of free market choice for individuals? No Democrat supports any level of privatization of Social Security for retirement. There is no support for school vouchers or alternatives to the monopoly of the public school system. Finally there is no support for private Health Savings Accounts among the Democrats. While Republicans will at least look for market-based solutions to public policy issues, the unions and bureaucratic constituencies of the Democrats virtually insures no such innovation.

On the matter of illegal immigration, the Democrats are more likely to pass a liberal new amnesty program than any GOP administration. The reason is that the Hispanic community seems to be “in play” and this is one constituency the Democrats really need to lock up in order to strengthen their position on the West Coast and in the Southwest.

One can only imagine the kind of social activist judges and Supreme Court justices that would be appointed by the Democratic nominee. The Federal Judiciary will begin to resemble the lunacy of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. Can any responsible citizen sit home and allow the judiciary to lunge to the Left? This alone should energize conservatives. The dismantling of all religious tradition or symbolism in public life is likely to continue with a Democratic President and a liberal judiciary.

The final issue is one of national security. Certainly no one can believe that a Democratic administration will strengthen our intelligence and defense capabilities. It was under Democratic administrations that the CIA and other intelligence agencies became decimated and hand-tied. The Democrats have almost unanimously voted against nearly all major new weapons systems. At a time when we are in fact living in a Third World War, we can not go from a Churchill to a Chamberlain. It is disingenuous for the Democrats to glob onto intelligence deficiencies when they are largely the culprit for lack of human intelligence or material resources in the important area of espionage. In fighting a terrorist enemy, preemption is the natural policy and that requires intelligence first and foremost.

While President Bush may not be a conservative’s perfect president, the alternative should shake any discontents to active support of the President. Moreover, in the area of determining the security threat to the West and taking action, the President may go down as one of our greatest leaders. For the sake of the hope of more prudent domestic policy, judicial restraint and national security, there is really no choice. As for much of the domestic agenda, can we afford to sacrifice the good for the perfect?

Scott Shore is a political commentator and management consultant in Providence, Rhode Island.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: bush; conservatives; gop; gwb2004; leftwing; liberals; rightwing; vichycons
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To: Protagoras
I used to post as Admin Moderator, but I got tired of all the bickering.
541 posted on 02/12/2004 9:20:09 AM PST by OWK (Have you accepted George as your personal president?)
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To: My2Cents
Your cock-suredness about the public's reactions to Bush's policies is the result of your narrow, and self-centered view of the real world.


Not really. Just haven't talked to anyone except the cheerleaders on this board that agree with you.
Most are like me. Bill Gates father really doesn't need regular folks paying for his drug coverage. But, he qualifies. The few seniors I know don't support it.
Not scientific, but they do vote. And they aren't Dems.
542 posted on 02/12/2004 9:22:30 AM PST by Bogey
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To: OWK
Hey, I'm in better company not fearing the Patriot Act than you are in condemning it based on your ignorance of its provisions. In the 98-1 vote for the Patriot Act in the Senate, you are in a select group with that uber-conservative (/sarcasm off) Russ Feingold, although that other uber-conservative (/sarcasm off) Bernie Sanders has been making noises against it similar to yours. Of the Democrat Presidential candidates, only Kooky Kucinich shares your views strongly enough to vote against the Patriot Act. Oh, and Al Gore is against it too, which means it MUST be conservative, right? (Please see: http://www.moveon.org/gore/speech.html, if you have the stomach for it). Some "conservative" you are, LOL!

543 posted on 02/12/2004 9:23:31 AM PST by alwaysconservative (There are choices by good people, and excuses from the rest.)
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To: Mo1
I ignore points ??

I repeat phrases that mischaracterize positions. ???

Yes and yes. You'll do it again before the end of the post.

I have been attacked .. I have been called names .. I have been slandered and I have been insulted in more ways then I care to count from some ... and yet I have always tried my best to put that all aside and discuss the issues at hand

No matter how hard I tried .. it didn't work

I've given you the benefit of the doubt on many occasions, and have defended you on others.

And here comes the strawman:

I give up .. you want Kerry FINE!!

GO KERRY GO!!!

That is not my position, and you know it.


544 posted on 02/12/2004 9:23:48 AM PST by Sabertooth (Sharpen your Long Knives lately?)
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To: bayng
I WILL do my best in Ohio.

The damage that could be done to this country by a Kerry administration is frightening.

We cannot let this happen! The left has NO prinicples, NO values, NO morals. They must be defeated for the survival of this great nation!

545 posted on 02/12/2004 9:24:26 AM PST by ohioWfan (BUSH 2004 - Leadership, Integrity, Morality)
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To: Howlin
That (post 539) was a repost on the post you excised and called an endorsement?

Geez...

How fundamentally dishonest are you willing to be to score a cheap point...?

That's really sad.

546 posted on 02/12/2004 9:24:33 AM PST by OWK (Have you accepted George as your personal president?)
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To: OWK
You didn't get the point of my post, which is, I don't care what you think. You and your ilk have proven you are incapable of seeing the big picture, so I've decided not to pay attention to your whining. Don't vote for Bush. Who gives a rat's patootie what you do. I'm sick of people around here trying to reason with unreasonable people. Go off to "El Pee" and sulk.
547 posted on 02/12/2004 9:25:17 AM PST by My2Cents ("Well...there you go again.")
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To: OWK
Glad to see you still putting up the good fight. :)

I wish I had your self control. I can't argue with these bozos for very long before I get the urge to choke them. They rabidly defend their president as being a conservative savior, despite the fact that he is more Marxist than any president since FDR, and most surprisingly, more so than Clinton, if judge by accomplishment alone.

Since both major parties have gone commie on us, I will be voting 3rd party again, and secretly hoping for a gridlock between the white house and congress. A least when the two branches are at odds with each other, nothing gets accomplished, which is better than the alternative.

The Bush bots promised us thsat once they had a majority in both houses, we would see years of tyrannical government regulation evaporate in a storm of conservative house cleaning. I'm still waiting for someone to break out the Tidy Bowl.

The New American ranks congressmen on a conservative index. My republican congresswoman is a 0%er. Only Ron Paul is a 100%. More democrats (47) than republicans (28) meet or exceed 50%.

I wish these morons would show me where the record proves that I should give a republican my vote? Only an idiot could look at the numbers and think that Republican = Conservative = Constitutional restoration and smaller government.

Stay well,

Jim

548 posted on 02/12/2004 9:27:03 AM PST by Critter (Have you accepted Critter as your personal president?)
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To: Bogey
Bill Gates father really doesn't need regular folks paying for his drug coverage.

If you'd read the bill, you'd know there are means tests for the drug benefit. But, as is typical, you folks don't want to be confused by the facts. You're balled up in your Bush-hatred, and nothing is going to convince you otherwise.

549 posted on 02/12/2004 9:27:31 AM PST by My2Cents ("Well...there you go again.")
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To: My2Cents
You didn't get the point of my post, which is, I don't care what you think.

Which is of course why you keep jumping up and down and waving your hands in front of my face telling me how little you care with these inane posts.

Gotcha...

550 posted on 02/12/2004 9:28:35 AM PST by OWK (Have you accepted George as your personal president?)
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To: Sabertooth; Howlin
Notice how Howlin missed the conclusion of my remarks to kuma:

GWB, #289: I'm not trying to steer you one way or the other. Given your two major criteria, you may need to give Bush the benefit of the doubt. Or look at ways to elect more conservative congressmen to help him govern better.
I virtually endorsed Bush to kuma, based on kuma's two main issues. But even that's not good enough for Howlin. Wow, what a vicious bushbasher I am!
551 posted on 02/12/2004 9:29:10 AM PST by George W. Bush (It's the Congress, stupid.)
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To: My2Cents
If you'd read the bill, you'd know there are means tests for the drug benefit...

Means testing?

Well hell son... why didn't you say so..?

Everyone knows that conservatives are supposed to support big fat leftist social programs as long as they have means testing..

Geez... what was I thinking?

552 posted on 02/12/2004 9:31:53 AM PST by OWK (Have you accepted George as your personal president?)
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To: Critter
Good to see ya, Critter.
553 posted on 02/12/2004 9:32:25 AM PST by OWK (Have you accepted George as your personal president?)
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To: Sabertooth
I've given you the benefit of the doubt on many occasions, and have defended you on others.

And I have done the same for you

As for my stating you want Kerry .. Yes you are correct you didn't say that

As for the strawman ... I don't care any more ... I REALLY don't care!! ... what's the point of caring if as you state is true .. those voters will sit out and throw the election

They will have screwed us over in more ways then Kerry

554 posted on 02/12/2004 9:32:45 AM PST by Mo1 (" Do you want a president who injects poison into his skull for vanity?")
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To: Joe Hadenuf
Never in recent memory has so many, been so fed up with the two party system.

Who gives a flip what you think. Go off in a huff and vote third party. You're a pimple on the arse of the body politic. The only thing that gives you any sense of self-worth is that people around here get upset with your stridency. Well, I refuse to let you and your negativity ruin my day. You're opinion isn't worth squat, as far as I'm concerned. Do what you feel you must do in this election. I really couldn't care less, because in the end, you and your fellow-malcontents won't merit a footnote when the history of this election is written. I, for one, hope you and the rest of the coercive naysayers who haunt these fine discussion threads never darken the door of the Republican Party again. I'm asking you to storm off and vote for your flippin' third party! Please! Leave the rest of us alone so we can actually fight for the big issues facing this country.

555 posted on 02/12/2004 9:35:50 AM PST by My2Cents ("Well...there you go again.")
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To: My2Cents
You and your ilk have proven you are incapable of seeing the big picture,

That's pretty good! The "ilk" think the same things about you.

556 posted on 02/12/2004 9:36:28 AM PST by Protagoras (When they asked me what I thought of freedom in America,,, I said I thought it would be a good idea.)
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To: OWK
You're attitude is pathetic.
557 posted on 02/12/2004 9:36:29 AM PST by My2Cents ("Well...there you go again.")
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To: My2Cents
Who gives a flip what you think.

That whole "I don't care what you think" schtick, would be a lot more credible if you weren't jumping up and down with your hair on fire trying to get everyone to see how little you care what they think.

Just an obseravtion.

558 posted on 02/12/2004 9:37:41 AM PST by OWK (Have you accepted George as your personal president?)
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To: My2Cents
"What makes you think I directed this at you, personally? "

Well let's see, you put my name in the To: box and repeatedly used the word you. That would lead me, and the others, to believe it is directed towards me.

"You should feel glad that you're on somebody's list...."

I have been on someone's list since I was born, so I do not feel glad, priviliged or otherwise. It has become common, in fact I could care less if I am on a list (sh!t list or otherwise).
559 posted on 02/12/2004 9:38:15 AM PST by looscnnn (Tell me something, it's still "We the people", right? -- Megadeth (Peace Sells))
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To: My2Cents
You're attitude is pathetic.

Ya got me there..

560 posted on 02/12/2004 9:38:39 AM PST by OWK (Have you accepted George as your personal president?)
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