Measuring conservatism is a lost art...In the insular FR environment anyone who shouts I am more conservative than you seems to rule the day.Once night falls a new game is started.
I think the whole RINO meme is a stupid waste of time.
Compared to a lot of Republicans Romney and McCaine ARE on the right and compared to others they ARE on the left ..so who is the Republican in name only?
Bush was a decent honorable man (that followed Bill Clinton who was pond scum) whether you or anyone liked this or that policy means nothing. He did what he thought was right and you cannot ask for more from any human.
The big “TRUE CONSERVATIVE” everyone on FR seeks is a fantasy...Once you find him and coronate him you will find lots people on here who don’t think he is conservative enough
With most politicians, you aren't privy to their thoughts and don't know what their motives really are, so all you can honestly go on is their policies. Since I don't know any of them on a personal basis, I base my like or dislike of elected officials solely on the policies they support.
By all accounts Jimmy Carter was also a well-intentioned man who did what he thought was right while in office, and everyone who knows him personally finds him likable and decent. So what? Good intentions and a pleasant personality don't change the fact that Carter was a lousy President. Similarly, Bush may or may not be a decent person, I can't say because I don't know the man. I can say that many of the policies he supported were terrible.