Their Own Worst Enemies - A bad midterm outlook for the GOP

National Review ^ | May 29, 2002 | Deroy Murdock

[Bill Davis FR]

if the stupid republicans go fishing on election day all they will catch will be more democrats in congress...happy fishing suckers...

[dalebert]

Bush probably would have fought harder if he were not so worried about maintaining support for the war on terror. He knows how fickle the public is. And please don't forget the Jeffors defection.What kind of kick back has Jeffords recieved? When Bush took office pubbies had a slim control of both houses. I do recall the pubbies not being very supportive of the administration. I am relly mad at congressman porkers who claim to be conservative.

[Kaslin]

I hope that we are finished with the Bush family. Please don't think of nominating Jeb in 2008.

That is interesting you joined today to bash President Bush and Governor Bush. I thank God every night that G.W is our President

[Austin Willard Wright]

The GOP should "take the Senate" to do precisely what? Enact Dubya's budget busting (non-veto program of more welfare, higher tariffs, farm aid, and "mental health" parity...or are you claiming that Dubya (and his GOP Senate yes men) *really* have different views?

[goodnesswins]

This all reminds me of women looking for a husband....they want the "Perfect" man, and then when they can't find him they complain, and then they become old biddies, whining about what isn't.....NO ONE IS PERFECT....and I am sure of ONE thing....I WOULD RATHER MARRY (vote in) a confessed Republican than a Democrat, because at least there are SOME things they do right, RATHER THAN NONE....sheesh....and I am hopeful that the 99th? Monkey rule takes over - once you get enough people doing something.....the rest join in.....I don't like everything Bush is doing either....but I WOULD BE DYING a SLOW DEATH, quickly, with GORE.....

[WIMom]

We have got to work to get the liberals out of power. Fighting here isn't helping the conservative cause one bit. Think of the future and where it can go. Right now, it's the GOP. They have the means to win. After the GOP is in, then we need to work towards reestablishing our constitition. We have to take it back one step at at time. The liberals have had 60 some odd years to ram their socialist programs down our throats. It's going to take some time to get our country back. It can be done, but we have to pull together.

[Jagdgewehr]

BUMP

[Austin Willard Wright]

No...conservatives should not go "fishing" this time. They should actually take action to "send a message" (instead of giving Dubya their loyalty as they did in 2000) by voting third party.

[WIMom]

Come on, you know his hands are tied. It's the way our government works. Look at all the stuff that was blocked when the slime was in office. Imagine what it would have been like if he had total control over both houses.

[Austin Willard Wright]

Haven't you been paying attention? The liberals *are* in power. Dubya and his GOP yes men have enacted more statist programs in one and half years than Clinton was able to do in eight years.

[Mudboy Slim]

"...*help* conservatives to destroy themselves."

Howso?! By abandoning Conservatism altogether?

"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."

How is this Conservatism? Are you saying after we pick up 53-55 seats in the Senate and an extra 10 seats in Congress we are gonna drop Federal Education spending from $57 Billion to $40 Billion in 2005? Or decreasing the Farm Bill from $191 Billion to $100 Billion? We're going the wrong direction and I don't see that Dubyuh even recognizes that it's wrong, so what am I being patient for...more of the same?!!

FReegards...MUD

[RightResponse]

I actually agree with the too much spending and acquescing(sp?).. but politics is many times about timing, and W can't let the media and dems brand him as hard line right wing right now.. someone else said, we're only a couple of votes away in the senate.. I was really responding to a stay away attitude, or worse voting away the power of the bully pulpit.

[Jagdgewehr]

The GOP should "take the Senate" to do precisely what?

Relatively more conservative judges on the bench. Especially, the SC.

[Zack Nguyen]

How 'bout?.....Kept us out of the World Tribunal BS, gave us at least some of a tax cut, gave us better judge nominations by a mile, fought a war like wars should be fought, told the EuroPEONS to kiss our a@# on Kyoto, etc.

Keeping us out of the World Tribunal, International Criminal Court, and Kyoto are very good things. Bush should trumpet these achievements and make them part of his platform this fall. I've hardly heard him speak of them.

[Zack Nguyen]

I wish those retirements would come soon. I desperately hope that Bush appoints pro-life justices only, and, unlike the unfortunate Pickering saga, has the guts to fight to the finish for them.

[CPT Clay]

Here here to "Put up or Shut up " time!!!!!!

[arkfreepdom]

Didn't say I agree with everything Bush has done. I don't agree with everything my wife does either, but I don't plan to exchange her for the prostitute on the corner. Which is exactly what you "perfect people" seem to want.

[WhiteGuy]

So how long do you expect it to take the gop to return to limited constitutional government?

I suggest that the gop has no intention of doing so.

Remember John Kasich? He was my congressman, he worked within the system, he compromised, he did all he could. He even went so far as to introduce a bill that proposed a One Cent on the dollar reduction in federal spending.

This was soundly defeated by a gop led congress.

He was popular and powerful.

He retired in frustration.

[hchutch]

The problem is, you had that party-switch by Jeffords, which turned everything around.

That, and a disappointing 2000 Senate performance (losing Abraham, Ashcroft, Roth, Grams and Gorton was quite bad for us, IMHO), had us in a bind. All the Dems had to do was find someone willing to knife the GOP in the back. That was Jeffords.

Right now, with that memo that ADMITS that Democratic attacks against the GOP re: Social Security are not true, it looks like the GOP is trying to force the Dems to over-reach and make a mistake. The media can't cover it all up, and that memo will be VERY useful in October. The Dems are much worse off than we are, IMHO. They're going to lose a fair amount of union and Hispanic votes IF we hold on AND don't panic.