That's why I said he's playing with fire. He's leaving it to the court to dispense with the unconstitutional parts.
As to purists, I refer to the people who expect pure as the wind driven snow performance from the president.
I've been seeing the posts, saying they wish they had voted for Gore, or Nader or Buchanan. Or the Constitution Party, or the Libertarian Party. Horsefeathers. Like it or not, this is the best we could get in 2000.
Think about it. The dems circled the wagons and maintained popularity through EVERYTHING. Who among our choices could have beaten Gore? McCain? Keyes? Bauer? Forbes? There wasn't enough outrage; the recession hadn't happened yet, we'd had (relative) peace and quiet for eight years, there was no reason for the 'mushy middle' to go Right. This is illustrated by the 49/49 split. If we had all stuck by the 'right man' and voted Pure Conservative, we could have what? Gotten ten percent? And given the election and a mandate to Gore.
"That would have been the best possible lesson?"
I seriously doubt that. I think, rather, that faced with a loss after eight years of Clinton, the RNC would have decided that the nation really did want Democrats, and all the tax cuts and pro life rhetoric in the world just wouldn't get you the White House.
This is politics. And I do believe someone once compared politics to sausages, in that while the end result may be palatable, the makings are disgusting. Well, we're stuffing ground up pig into pig's intestine, right about now. Hopefully the SCOTUS will fry it up with a side of hotcakes, and turn it into something I can swallow.
I'm hoping this all turns out in the end. Will it? I have no idea. But I've been posting for four years, lurking for more. I watched the 'Dole's winning' predictions, I watched the predictions of disaster for Clinton. A good many of us are complaining because Bush isn't playing by our rules. The only problem is, in DC, people who play by our rules seem to lose.
Am I wrong? Possibly. Am I disappointed? Definitely. It would be far easier if I could read Bush's mind, and KNOW whether he does this from fear, or tactical consideration. Is he a coward, or a budding Machiavelli? Which is worse? If, in the end, we are triumphant, is it a prerequisite that our victory be spotless?
Questions, questions, questions.