Uncle Bill bump.
Posted on 05/29/2002 8:44:38 AM PDT by Zack Nguyen
Why should Republicans bother to vote GOP next November 5? Inexplicably, President Bush and congressional Republicans are giving their party base myriad reasons to go fishing on Election Day.
Republicans and Democrats have proven to be pigs in a bipartisan pen on pork-barrel spending. While some Republicans still treat taxpayers' dollars with reverence, too many more stand gleefully at the trough, snout-by-snout, with their Democratic colleagues.
This Congress is set to hike federal spending by 15 percent over just two years, more than quadruple the inflation rate. Most of this does nothing to fight terrorism.
On May 13, Bush signed a $191 billion farm bill that boosts agriculture subsidies by 80 percent. Congress even included $100 million to provide rural consumers "high-speed, high-quality broadband service." The Heritage Foundation estimates that this 10-year bill will cost the average U.S. household $180 in new taxes annually.
Bush's education department budget grows from $35.75 billion in 2001 (when he arrived) to a projected $57 billion in 2005. That is a four-year, 59.5 percent increase in federal school outlays. Bush's Leave No Child Behind initiative promotes testing and higher standards, but does little to advance school choice.
Bush signed the McCain-Feingold campaign-finance-reform law. It treats the disease of legal bribery with a prescribed overdose. As if there were no First Amendment, it will restrict political activists from purchasing ads critical of political incumbents within 60 days of elections.
Bush dropped an anvil on free-marketeers this spring when he imposed 30 percent tariffs on imported steel and a 27 percent tax on Canadian softwood lumber. This has created throbbing headaches among world leaders who have grown weary of Bush's self-mocking free-trade rhetoric.
Bush has applauded a Senate bill by liberal Republican Pete Domenici of New Mexico and arch-liberal Democrat Paul Wellstone of Minnesota that would force company health plans to insure mental illness and physical ailments equally. Costs will soar as employers underwrite medical care for anxiety atop angina.
Enough.
A popular conservative president should steer Congress starboard. A May 14 - 15 Fox News poll of 900 adults found Bush's job approval at 77 percent (+/- 3 percent). Alas, like his father (who achieved 90 percent favorability after the Persian Gulf War), G. W. Bush guards his political capital like an heirloom rather than invest it for even greater gains.
When Democrats smeared appellate-court nominee Charles Pickering as a racist, Bush, for instance, should have held a press conference with Pickering and his prominent black supporters from Mississippi. As Charles Evers, the brother of slain civil-rights activist Medgar Evers, said: Pickering "was standing up for blacks in Mississippi when no other white man would." Bush avoided such bold action. A thousand cuts later, Pickering's nomination fatally hemorrhaged in the Senate Judiciary Committee last March.
Bush could have enhanced the prospects for petroleum exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He could have invited local Eskimos to the Rose Garden and let them explain how oil development would lift them from poverty. Better yet, Bush could have taken the White House press corps to ANWR to unmask its potential oil acreage as a barren mosquito farm. Bush avoided the ANWR fray, thus clinching that proposal's Senate demise.
Beyond speaking softly in his bully pulpit, Bush never has touched his veto pen. Had he threatened to reject some of this absurd legislation, fence-sitting GOP congressmen would have yielded and defeated (or at least improved) these bills. Absent Bush's leadership, they climbed atop the gilded bandwagon rather than fall on their laissez-faire swords. Republicans should worry that their demoralized stalwarts will do what they did in the last midterm election: Stay home.
The proportion of self-described conservatives at the polls fell from 37 percent in 1994 to 31 percent in 1998, Voter News Service reports. Frustrated with a "Republican Revolution" turned free-spending self-parody, the party faithful sat on their hands just enough to cost Republicans five House seats.
If they don't reverse this parade of white flags, Washington Republicans similarly may shrink or lose their House majority and dash their plans to capture the Senate — not because they advanced their free-market principles but because they betrayed them and thus surrendered their claim to power.
UB! back again. One day you must tell me the reason for your intermittency at this site, which has been going on since you first logged in.
Uncle Bill bump.
First out of the bag was Clinton’s demand that Gays be allowed to openly serve in the military. It was the Republicans, in the minority, that stopped that fiasco dead in it’s tracks.
Next came Hillary Care. The largest expansion of Government since the New Deal. Once again the Minority Republicans aborted this monstrosity. Do they get credit from the 3rd parties? I think the answer is obvious.
Once the American people saw the consequences of having total control of the Government by the liberals they gave both Houses to the Republicans. To hear 3rd parties tell it the Republicans took this golden opportunity and just sat on their thumbs , or worse yet acted more like Democrats than Democrats. But once again you need to look at the reality
First there was that little thing called the “Contract with America”. Do any 3rd parties ever mention that? It consisted of 10 items 8 of which were pushed through congress over the steady howls of the Media and Democrats. The most important of those 8 items were the “End of Welfare Entitlement”, and the “balanced Budget requirement”.P> The ending of welfare was the greatest reduction of domestic spending in history. Does that not count for advocating smaller government and doing something about it? I guess not to a 3rd parties.
The Balanced Budget requirement led directly to the surpluses we have now and hopefully in the future given the economic expansion since the mild recession in 1992 and the now extinct 2001 recession..
Then the democrats made somewhat of a comeback in 1996 and Clinton decided to flex his muscles a little by another little gem the “patients bill of rights”. It was not the democrats that stopped it was once again those “Republicrats” as the 3rd parties like to call them..
But the “Columbine Massacre” gave the democrats and Clinton another opening on gun control. An entire flurry of draconian gun control bills were put forward in the congress and once again it was Republicans that stood up and took the “bullet” from the soccer moms and the media and made sure those bills never passed out of committee. But I guess 3rd parties can’t believe a Republicrat could ever stand with the Constitution.
As to the Republican “cowardice in pursuing Bill Clinton the CROOK. I guess the 3rd parties forget a little thing called IMPEACHMENT! Yes a few Republican Senators did not do their duty, but 90% of them did, I am sure you can find 10% of “3rd parties” that would have voted not to remove also.
3rd parties take an almost perverted pleasure in pointing out to Republicans that they have been duped. I would have to say that 3rd parties are the ones being duped by their perpetual candidate. He knows he will never be elected but if every Brigadier gives him just one dollar a year to write his angry rants and pretend to campaign once every 4 years, that five hundred grand a year makes a pretty comfortable lifestyle. Pat Buchanan caught on to this very quickly.
Now we are 14 months into the first term of a Republican president in an election the likes of which we have never seen before and according to all the “experts“ installed the first 1st term lame duck with NO political power at all. In his first week in office, Bush nullified 6 Clinton Executive orders and put all of them on indefinite hold.
In the first two months he told the EU to go to blazes on the Kyoto accords that would have raised the cost of doing business a minimum of 20% for every company in the United States which in turn would have been passed directly to each and every one of us in the form of price increases on every item we purchase. He then itold the senate that he would NOT sign the ridiculous “ergonomics“ regulations that would have added another 10% cost of doing business and resultant pass through to us
He then pulled funding from the UN in programs that pushed abortion. He told the UN to go to blazes on their little “conference on racism” that was nothing more than a bash Israel orgy.
He then started pushing for his tax cut, and once again, the “experts” including many on this sites, started snickering. He would never get it done, but step by step he, GASP, won over enough democrats to get the EXACT tax cut he promised
Once John Ashcroft survived his Senate confirmation hearings his first action was to completely reverse the Reno DOJ stance on the 2nd ammendment from encompassing only the militia (National Guard) to the individual right to bear arms of all law abiding citizens.
He then started pushing for military budget increases. He was not asking for massive new weapons systems, just the funding to at least change the spark-plugs in the Humvees and to try to give our military men and women a raise that would allow them to someday fight a war without being on food stamps. Once again, the “experts” scoffed. We are at PEACE they sneered let’s enjoy the “PEACE DIVIDEND”.
Then came Sept. 11 2001, 9 months into this man’s first year of his first term. The United States of America was delivered the most stunning wake-up call in our history and all eyes turned to this “lame duck” president. The yokel from Texas. For just a brief moment the “experts” were left speechless but not Bush. What would he do? He told us quickly that he would not send a 3 million dollar missile to hit a camel in the butt. That one little Texas bit of humor cloaked a final message to the world. There is going to be hell to pay, and we are seeing the results in real time.
Now the “experts” , feeling secure again, have found their voices and it is business as usual. The left, scared to death, that 80% of this country is approving of this “boob” even when they have so very patiently tried to tell them they should not are in full throat.. Those on the right that hold themselves out to be the arbiter of all things “conservative” are once again ready to bring down this “CINO” and are completely willing to pull just enough support away to get a democrat elected in 2004. While you 3rd parties are beating up on the GOP for being Repulicrats, stop and think just exactly what would have happened in just the last 10 years had they not been there to stop the real enemy. Then stop and ask yourselves where have you been? What have you done in the last 14 months? Where are the tax cuts that you are responsible for? Where are Federal Government regulations that you have repealed? Where are the actions you have taken since 911 to make a constructive contribution to the war effort? Where have you been?
I reckon I oughtta feel mighty honored that such an omniscient ol' veteran as yerself sees fit to spend so many paragraphs tutoring such an Ignoramus as myself, hunh? Still, I believe your impassioned argument for triangulation is a recipe for the continued deterioration of our individual rights and the future success of America as a whole.
"Mudboy Slim thinks about only in terms of what pleases him. The name of the game is to get enough support from the 2/3 of the population that does not and never will support your position."
Actually, I'm thinking about what is best for the Country, and that is not to continue our unceasing slide towards Socialism as we make excuses as to why a collectivist future is inevitable. You can claim that "2/3rds of the population does not and never will" support the devolution of Power from the Federal Bureaucracy back to the States, Localities, Neighborhoods, Families, and Individuals, and I will admit we've got a lot of educating to do. However, you seem to cynically discount the fact that Centralized Decision-making has been demonstrated to be a failure whenever and wherever it has been tried. Sure, the Left controls most of the Mass Medyuh, the Education System, Hollyweird, the lion's share of the non-profits and philanthropic foundations, and of course the huge Federal Leviathan, but we've got the Truth on OUR side and that still matters. Increasingly, we've seen the impact of alternative sources of media (talk radio, some periodicals, and the Internet) have in getting this Truth out to the masses. We need to build upon this, not throw in the towel and aggressively implement our adversaries' agenda until we somehow get 60 GOP Senators!!
"If Bush were to fight Daschle, guess what happens in the fall elections? Such a fight causes the middle to say the hell with both sides. When the middle see both the Democrats and Republicans as bickering fools, who wins?"
Who says we need to be "bickering fools"? What we need to do is pick issues that we can win on and differentiate ourselves from the RATS, then debate the issues shamelessly and tirelessly. Allowing a percentage of our Social Security to be invested--at our option--in Personal Retirement Accounts is one such issue. Medical Savings Accounts are another such issue. School Vouchers are another issue on which we can gain voter share. Each empowers the Individual over the Collectivist Bureaucracy. For those who favor the supposed security of the Federalized option, they should be insured that they can keep with the same system they now use. This is the way to advance the Right's Agenda AND gain Voter Share; instead of fighting over who can be the most "compassionate" in spreading around Government Largesse.
"The only victories that the right enjoys is when the public sees them as the party trying to get along and the Democrats as those wanting to make trouble."
Sir, with all due respect, this is absolute moolarkey!! Dubyuh's daddy attempted this strategy in '92 and we got Clinton. Then, in '94, the GOPers used the "Contract with America" to differentiate ourselves from the RATS and we won a huge victory. After we chickened out in the Government shutdown and buckled, we nominated the "Tax Collector for the Welfare State," Bobdole who is the quintessential go-along-to-get-along candidate and we got whupped by a demonstrably-corrupt Billzabubba who was ripe for the pickin'!! The GOP gets our heads handed to us when we try to be DemonRats II.
"When the Democrats attack the Republicans and the Republicans fight back, the media helps the Democrats."
So it has always been, but increasingly the Sheeple have come to understand this bias and account for it.
"When the Democrats attack and the Republicans don't fight back, the media first comes down on the side of the Democrats. Then they see the middle is rooting for the underdog. So they take on the Democrats. It seems that even very stupid people could figure out the game is stacked against them."
Since you've already pointed out my "ignorance", I must assume this "very stupid" comment is addressed to me as well...but I have always known the game is stacked against us. The National Media needs National Issues to be addressed by an ever-expanding National Government. State, Local, and Individual Solutions to problems do not Expanding Ratings Shares make!! But to claim that the Media and the Sheeple are "rooting for an underdog" when the Left is rolling over Right is ridiculous...when the Right shows no spine, the jackals smell blood and pour on the vitriol all the heavier.
"The only time this nation has moved from the right to the left or vice versa is when one party controls 60 votes in the senate, a majority in the house and the presidency. When that is the situation the nation is moved one way or the other. The only game worth playing is trying to get to that position."
So, the right should continue growing the Federal Government as desired by the RATS for as long as it takes to get 60 GOP Senators?! Sorry, sir, but that could take forever if the voters perceive the GOP to be weak step-sisters to the RATS. I do think we can gain a 60-seat majority because I believe the ever-expanding Federal Leviathan has become increasingly-indefensible, but we will only be successful if we show the voters how the right would accomplish scaling Collectivism back and how it will benefit--and empower--them!!
"Nixon gave a little to the left hoping for approval. He never got it."
Actually, Nixon gave quite a lot to the Left (wage/price controls, the EPA, etc.) and the Left sensed weakness and pounced. I fear Dubyuh could be walking into the same trap.
"Mudboy demands that Bush squander this chance by fighting over small items in the near term. But the long scheme to win the senate by 60 working votes is all that really matters. Mudboy wants Bush to do what Reagan did which is just go for limiting government growth. Reagan makes Mudboy happy."
Elsewhere, you've already pointed out that Reagan failed in limiting government growth, but I was happy with Reagan's ability to win the Cold War over the Evil Empire of Collectivists. Since that battle has been fought and won, I believe the next battle to undertake is against the Evil Left in our own Country, and we should be prepared to fight America's Collectivists with every bit as much passion and resolve as we fought the Soviets...yes, that would make Mudboy happy.
"Sixty percent of the public is against what we want to do. Just as sixty percent of the population is against what the Democrats want to do. The wishy washy 20 percent in the middle wants to do nothing. They keep saying,"Can't we just get along?" The object is to get the 60 percent opposed to the Democrats to vote against Democrats and for Republicans. To do that Republicans have to keep their heads down and make sure the Democrats a$$es are up. That is the current situation."
I guess this is the core of our disagreement, my learned yet somewhat mean-sprited FRiend. I don't think you can win a mandate voting for the other guys' Agenda and saying, "Hey, we're not as bad as the other guys." Only 40+% of eligible voters vote anyway, and it ought to be our goal to give folks something to vote FOR, while still accepting the votes of those who simply--and understandably--vote AGAINST the DemonRATS. There are a lot of voters who have become disillusioned by too many years of Republicrat/Demoblican Milquetoast Moderation...let's not take them for granted and we should see an impassioned turnout for the Right in both '02 and '04!!
FReegards...MUD
He must be doing something correctly. This is not a poll driven pres! I for one, "appreciate that"!
Is there a difference?
It was obvious before Dubya even won the primary that he only looked conservative when compared to algore. But, when you back off and look at where he sets on the whole scale, there is no doubt that he is the best Democrat that has run or won the Presidency in years.
The following is a scale that I created prior to the Presidential election. Many head-in-the-sand Republicans ranted and raved at what this scale said. I wonder how they feel today.
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