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Conservatives, Cut Bush Slack
The Chicago Sun-Times ^ | June 22, 2002 | Thomas Roeser

Posted on 06/22/2002 9:46:05 AM PDT by quidnunc

This summer will mark the 47th year since I took my first Republican job: as public relations director for the party in Minnesota. Since then I have rarely strayed from politics, or my party. I served as a staffer to two GOP congressmen, to a GOP governor, as a federal appointee to Richard Nixon and as a corporate executive who supported in Washington and Springfield much, if not all, of the Republican agenda.

You can describe me as a conservative. Thus I am qualified to say that although I dearly love conservatives, they tend to be querulous, disagreeable and threaten revolt when Republican office-holders don't please them. So it is now with George W. Bush. Here is a president who has surprised us all with the firmness and resolve he showed after 9/11. I must tell you I voted for him with less enthusiasm than I had for many of his predecessors. But his administration has pleased me often — most notably on two issues: defense of America and social policy.

Yet, Bush has to get re-elected in a country that is evenly divided on philosophy. Thus he must occasionally — on matters that sometimes offend conservatives — dip into the other side's ideology for support. He has done so on three notable occasions: on the issue of steel protectionism, where he departed his free-market proclamations; on the signing of a campaign finance bill tailored by his enemies, and allowing his attorney general (in the words of Libertarian Nat Hentoff in the Washington Times) "to send disguised agents into religious institutions, libraries and meetings of citizens critical of government policy without a previous complaint, or reason to believe that a crime has been committed."

In a perfect political world, where conservatives are in the majority, these things would be sufficient to encourage a boycott of the polls. Either that or a protest vote for the Democratic opposition. But we are not in a perfect world. We conservatives have a president who didn't receive a majority of the votes, and has one house of Congress against him. He must make compromises to get re-elected. Conservatives who do not understand the nature of politics ought to stay in their air-conditioned ivory towers and refrain from political activity altogether. If they cannot adjudge the stakes in this election and the difference between Bush and an Al Gore or a John Kerry (D-Mass.) or a Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.), they are foolish indeed.

-snip-

To read the remainder of this op/ed open the article via the link provided in the thread's header.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS:
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To: PhiKapMom
I want that to be the FIRST thread as soon as the election is over!
1,041 posted on 06/22/2002 11:00:37 PM PDT by Howlin
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To: Torie
Nixon's list?

Actually I was referencing Tom Daschle, Teddy Kennedy, Hillary Clinton, Tom Harkin, Paul Wellstone, Dick Gephardt, Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein, et al...you got a problem with that?

1,042 posted on 06/22/2002 11:00:51 PM PDT by EternalVigilance
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To: Reagan Man
Kissing up? - Whatta dolt.

You didn't see the 2X4 behind my back, as I typed those words.
1,043 posted on 06/22/2002 11:01:56 PM PDT by tpaine
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To: Roscoe
They NEVER bring that up. I wonder why?
1,044 posted on 06/22/2002 11:02:00 PM PDT by Texasforever
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To: Texasforever
You sounded pretty straight forward to me.

I was. You just chose to misinterpret my words.

1,045 posted on 06/22/2002 11:02:31 PM PDT by EternalVigilance
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To: PhiKapMom
That would be excellent.
1,046 posted on 06/22/2002 11:02:33 PM PDT by DoughtyOne
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To: EternalVigilance
You guys seem to have a lot of trouble with that, don't you?
1,047 posted on 06/22/2002 11:03:24 PM PDT by Howlin
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To: EternalVigilance
Oh IC. I was confused. Well I wouldn't consider those folks allies. There isn't a one neo-con among them. I tend to try to limit the use of term "enemy" where I can though.
1,048 posted on 06/22/2002 11:04:08 PM PDT by Torie
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To: Jim Robinson
Jim, socialism is what is ruining the country. Socialism is rooted in both parties. The democrats and the republicans are both socialists when you get to the level of elected office.

The republicans have been telling this lie about having to pretend to be socialists to get elected ever since Reagan left office. Reagan ran as a conservative and won two landslides back to back. Wobbly rode Reagan's coattails into office and lost when he showed himself to be a liberal.


The revolution of '94 came about because the GOP let a lot of newcomers run on a conservative theme. Still, the GOP's analysts keep saying that conservatives can't win. The facts show differently. Everytime the GOP offers conservatism the electorate responds well to it, at least since Carter. Carter should have been the last democrat to hold office as president and he probably would have been had Reagan delivered and had Wobbly been conservative, and had the GOP found another conservative successor to Wobbly.


You're seeing this entirely differently than I am. We are on opposite coasts but the view shouldn't be that far out of whack.
1,049 posted on 06/22/2002 11:05:09 PM PDT by Twodees
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To: Howlin
You got it! That will be my first thread! Give Lott the Boot!
1,050 posted on 06/22/2002 11:05:13 PM PDT by PhiKapMom
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To: Joe Hadenuf
I understand Jim's position very well. But looking at the big picture, I am not overly confident either.

Maybe because you only can see the glass half empty ..

It's a process of getting the country back on the right track .. Reality is that it will take time .. it has taken many many many years for those in Congress to screw things up

The only way this country will achieve what you are suggesting is if Bush starts signing one executive order after another .. and that is not going to happen regardless of who is President ..

Now I am off to bed .. Sweet Dreams Y'all

1,051 posted on 06/22/2002 11:05:19 PM PDT by Mo1
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To: EternalVigilance
All we are looking for right now is a sense that our leaders are fighting for our agenda, and not that of our enemies

These were your words.....right?

1,052 posted on 06/22/2002 11:05:33 PM PDT by Texasforever
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To: redrock
>>>Is that REALLY the BEST you can do??????
But if you're afraid to answer them...I understand.

I guess reading comprehension wasn't one of your strong suits in school. This has got nothing to do with me being afraid. It's got everything to do with the questions being asinine.

Defined properly asinine means:

... marked by inexcusable failure to exercise intelligence or sound judgment...

You want me to respond to you in the future, use some better judgment and frame your questions in a manner consistent with intelligent and civil debate.

1,053 posted on 06/22/2002 11:05:38 PM PDT by Reagan Man
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To: PhiKapMom
I have hopes that a lot of the military who retire will also take up teaching -- I have already noticed an increase in retired military teaching in the schools here in Oklahoma and hope it becomes a nationwide trend.

Also happening here in Georgia! Most of them make excellent teachers, too!

1,054 posted on 06/22/2002 11:07:22 PM PDT by Amelia
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To: PhiKapMom
I have hopes that a lot of the military who retire will also take up teaching -- I have already noticed an increase in retired military teaching in the schools here in Oklahoma and hope it becomes a nationwide trend.

Didn't the President and First Lady push for this idea .. to have retired military teaching our kids .. now there is one way of getting out schools back

1,055 posted on 06/22/2002 11:08:34 PM PDT by Mo1
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To: Jim Robinson
Oh, so the Republicans are fighting for our sovereignty? Besides Tancredo, which Republicans are these Jim? If you could be specific?

Which ones are not?

You never answered my question Jim.

Since you failed to answer my question, I will go first.

Given thirty years of this open border, immigration "free for all" that has resulted in many millions entering our nation illegally, I believe there are very few Republicans, or anyone else in DC, besides Tancredo, that are visibily and vocally fighting for our national sovereignty.

Now would you care to tell me which Republicans are standing with Tancredo and voicing outrage against this titanic, never ending invasion of illegal aliens?

1,056 posted on 06/22/2002 11:09:48 PM PDT by Joe Hadenuf
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To: Mo1
From reading this thread, I thought the only thing Bush wanted to do was throw federal money into schools, as the wedge to taking total federal control as a precusor to replacing the American flag with the UN flag in every classroom. I guess I got a somewhat distorted view of matters. I will have to study this issue some more.
1,057 posted on 06/22/2002 11:11:11 PM PDT by Torie
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To: redrock
I guess reading comprehension wasn't one of your strong suits in school. This has got nothing to do with me being afraid. It's got everything to do with the questions
being asinine.

Defined properly asinine means:

... marked by inexcusable failure to exercise intelligence or sound judgment...

You want me to respond to you in the future, use some better judgment and frame your questions in a manner consistent with intelligent and civil debate.
 

In a nice polite way I think ReaganMan was just trying to tell you that if Bush were posting to this forum about his polices, he wouldn't respond to him.

Hope this helps.

1,058 posted on 06/22/2002 11:11:16 PM PDT by DoughtyOne
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To: 1rudeboy
Excellent. I've been explaining that the voters gave us Clinton because the RNC insisted on Dole but the party faithful has always accused me of being at fault because I couldn't vote for Dole even with my nose pinched closed. ACU ratings are wonderful things, aren't they? I'll bet Liddy Dole will have at least an 82 by the time she gets the nod.
1,059 posted on 06/22/2002 11:12:27 PM PDT by Twodees
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To: tpaine
>>>Kissing up?

Yea kissing up, ya gormless twit!

Hahahahahahaha You're always good for a good laugh once a night, bucko. Now take a nap and count those sheeple.

1,060 posted on 06/22/2002 11:12:29 PM PDT by Reagan Man
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