Conservatives Need to Get Real

The Intellectual Conservative ^ | 02 February 2004 | Scott Shore

[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.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Sure, night night Jr.

Go Kerry Go!

[tpaine]

H'ruper, me boyo..

You forgot to ping me, and your reply almost slipped into that big everwidening FR miasma of puerile posts from puffed up over the hill soccer moms..

As usual, your words of wisdom flew right over their heads.. Keep up the good work, kiddo.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Go take that blue pill and stroke your ego.

[Howlin]

Obviously one of your cherished "beliefs" is that condescending attitude of yours.

We have beliefs, too. We can't help it if they're just not as obnoxious as yours.

[ohioWfan]

It's what I AM.

[ohioWfan]

Here's the question BigSky........are these guys all as totally egotistical as they seem, or are they all just insecure, short and ugly? ;o)

[harrowup]

Sorry, but not only am I not on anyone's ping list, I don't know how to ping...that's the work for those short guys who listen to whales.

Nobody seems to be listening anyway...just like 98.

[BigSkyFreeper]

I get the feeling they are insecure. Berating others continually is a common trait of those who are insecure, it's what I would call "John Kerry Syndrome".

[tpaine]

"OWK, -- speaking of jackals, you have now officially been yapping and sniping at people on this thread for 15 hours."
697


_______________________________________


I agree, owk, enough is enough.. ANY attempt to equal Mojos records on marathon posting would subject us all to a fate worse than death..

[Joe Hadenuf]

Why can't they see that Bush's explosive growth in government social programs is really just a brilliant political ploy to keep the democrats from getting elected and pushing their agenda of explosive growth in social programs? It's a brilliant strategy. And these politically immature bumpkins just can't see it. It's frustrating.

Yes it is. And your above post sums it up pretty well.

[harrowup]

Next to me tpaine is the least egotistical poster around. He is also a consistent, straight up kind of guy from my generation. His only problem is he has lived on the Left Coast so long he gets some funny ideas from the right.

Now, OWK has been known to blow some smoke uppa da chute from time to time but it is really only in chest. He and Howlin used to date.

[prairiebreeze]

I haven't read a more accurrate assessment and description of the "principled conservatives" not voting for Bush, in a long time.

Great post.

Prairie

[ohioWfan]

Very interesting.

You forgot to ping me, and your reply almost slipped into that big everwidening FR miasma of puerile posts from puffed up over the hill soccer moms..

These seem to be the words of an egotist, but, since I don't want others to judge me on their impressions of who I am from a few words..........I'll not draw any conclusions.

As for OWK. I used to teach K-12. I've seen the behavior of 12 year old boys. Same as his.......seriously. Just the same, except for the good kids.........who behaved much better than he.

Thanks for the info. I've spent entirely too much time on this thread. Enough insults for a lifetime from total strangers, some of whom are total idiots.

Why do I do this?

[tpaine]

harrowup wrote:
Nobody seems to be listening anyway...just like 98

______________________________________


Yep, shades of 98..

The Xmas eve massacre, and the resulting coven feeding frenzy where they ate their own in tainted triumph..
-- Gotta love history repeating..

[BigSkyFreeper]

Those "idiots" are wasting their time if they think they'll convince a multitude of FReepers over to their small gathering of fringe whiners. If they want to berate other posters with their overinflated egos to achieve their end game, they've already lost. I don't care if they're old enough to remember Truman, they're obviously not smart enough to know what their doing is futile and will only stir more anger if they vote in a Democrat by sitting on their collective hands at home, in front of the TV, in their motorized scooters.

Age means nothing on the internet, or in real life. It's how you've managed to get through life that really matters.

[harrowup]

...Why do I do this?

That's easy. With a Taft in office, you're bored!

...history repeating

Oh, geez, I hope not; I'm in a really good mood these days and looking forward to spring. I would hate to have to chase all over the internet looking for lost friends....or enemies, wink wink

Way past my bed time. Nightall.

[tpaine]

H'rup.. You forgot to ping me, and your reply almost slipped into that big everwidening FR miasma of puerile posts from puffed up over the hill soccer moms..
-tpaine-

_____________________________________


These seem to be the words of an egotist, but, since I don't want others to judge me on their impressions of who I am from a few words..........I'll not draw any conclusions.

---

Sorry Ofan, but you've already concluded that my words above, to H'rup, somehow applied to you..

How telling.

[TomasUSMC]

Hello Mr. President: You don't want yourself to be characterized as "Dem lite," so instead, you're going to help elect a bona fide hard-left 60's era radical by losing the election.

It is the President who will elect a Democrat. He is the one who - gives us the costly prescription drug benefit, the two thirds increase in education spending, the refusal to enforce our borders, the giving Illegals social security benefits, the extension on the assault weapons ban, The Pro Outsourcing stance, the Pro Nafta job sucking stance, the pro H1b stance and the spending (which exceeded anything Clinton ever asked for). More cash for the nEA. Only one recess appointment. 15 billion to fight AIDS in Africa. .5 billion for retraining American workers.

Mr. President: Right the course of this ship before you are Left out in the cold. The clock is ticking.

No Borders - No Votes

[TomasUSMC]

Some say that, If the Islamofascists are allowed the time we will indeed witness nukes or plagues or poisons released in our cities.

Well, we have been at it for how long now? If 3 years is quick, I'd hate to see what slow is. The present method of compassionate warfare is taking way to long. In trying to protect the civilians of our enemies we are giving our enemies time to develop or buy or steal - nukes or plagues or poisons. Ask this question. Was Hiroshima compassionate warfare? I believe it surely was. It saved many more lives on both sides than it took.

The present conventional warfare/nation rebuilding without dealing with the root cause of Islamist terror - Islam, will result in another Turkey. A country which did what Iraq couldn't do in two wars, stop an entire U.S. Army Division through democratic voting. Democracy and Islam cannot coexist. Islam governs with Islamic law. It has already taken over in Turkey.

We are taking too long.

One can already see what is happening with the spreading of Nuke Secrets by the Pakistani Scientists.

This country is not even being mobilized. Look around, does it look like we are at war? Is there a draft? Have the Armed Forces been increased? Is there rationing? Are we ready to respond to, not 3000 dead but 300,000 dead because of a Nuke blowing up in one of our cities? Will we be able to occupy more countries? With what troops? On the contrary, we are being told to spend our money and expect tax cuts. We are spending 15 billion on Aids to Africa and billions more on drug benefits and we don't have enough body armor for troops who are out there doing "bullet magnet patrols". We don't even have our own borders defended.

We are proceeding at a very slow rate and this IS giving time to our enemies.

Letsroll now. Proactive now or pleading later.

[TomasUSMC]

What is the litmus test for being a conservative. I say Prolife. You can be a fiscal conservative but if your not Prolife, I can't count on you at crunch time when it comes to Prolife candidates for the Supreme Court.

The dems have the same litmus test in reverse. You can't run for any big-time office and be Prolife in the democratic party.

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