Conservatives, Cut Bush Slack

The Chicago Sun-Times ^ | June 22, 2002 | Thomas Roeser

[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.

[DoughtyOne]

P.S. You've got all the fertilizer you can use what with the stuff Bush has been hawking in the name of conservatism. LOL

[DoughtyOne]

Someone was saying that was removed from the other threads. I guess it hit a little too close to home.

[Texaggie79]

Republicans................... .. Because we are better Democrats than the Democrats.............

[Cultural Jihad]

The William Tecumseh Sherman tank

[2ndTimeAround]

In order to answer your question it would be necessary to examine your perception of reality. You claim that conservatives would be better off had Gore been elected. You believe the only way to push forward a conservative agenda is by turning over government to the democrats. You believe the President is not conservative and you refer to most people on this site as dip sticks. Given your perceptions of reality then yes, President Bush is responsible for the weeds in your lawn, he personally lowered the gas mileage on your car and he’s really the secret love child of Elvis.

[Cultural Jihad]

TS attempts to create a sick parody of conservatism. The name comes from an MTV newsreader personality, a media outlet not well-known for supporting and advocating pro-life positions.

[DoughtyOne]

I don't generally join these long marathons, but today there was the typical Day in Pictures thread, there was the Prayer thread, and now the new Marathon thread. Each turns into a holy shrine. Honestly, there are days when this IS RNC central. If this was going to become a 1000% Republican site, what was the point? There already is a 1000% Republican site. When Pubies do good, we support them. When they pass liberal agenda items we give em hell.

[Cultural Jihad]

No one ever accused ideologues of being afflicted with Reality. ;)

[DoughtyOne]

Yep, that's what passes for logic from your side.  Thanks for the reminder.

[botweiler]

"Who knows and who cares"

Yeah I'm a newbie but I've lurked here long enough to expect more from the founder of this terrific website. Have you read your own mission statement lately?

[Dane]

I don't generally join these long marathons, but today there was the typical Day in Pictures thread, there was the Prayer thread, and now the new Marathon thread. Each turns into a holy shrine.

That really grates on your nerves doesn't it. Oh well, I guess the swooning over the Pat Buchanan 1,000 page book of the day is much different.

[2ndTimeAround]

His inability to accept the reality of his blind bitterness and hatred confines him to a safe area of the political spectrum: purgatory. That is good, it leaves those who care and think to fixing the mess within the Republican party.

It is well passed my bedtime. While this has been entertaining I must turn in.

[DoughtyOne]

Yeah, speaking about reality, sounds as if you're about to return to yours. Enjoy.

[2ndTimeAround]

Save yourself the effort. I borrowed the book from the library as I will not enrich Mr. Buchanan’s coffers. It contained nothing new in his rhetoric. I was left with the impression that had Mr. Buchanan been President on 9/11 he would have immediately expelled Israel’s diplomats and launched cruise missiles against Mexico City. Fortunately we live in the real world. Good night.

[DoughtyOne]

For the life of me Dane, I don't know what you guys find so interesting about Pat. Pat is not the President. Bush is President. Ah, you did know that didn't you?

[DoughtyOne]

Well we've seen your logic on this thread, so your comments don't suprise much. As for your money, I'm sure you haven't got much to spare by the looks of your ability to think on your feet. Later... Best of luck to you.

[2ndTimeAround]

You are humorous and aptly name DoughtyOne. Please, do not get any sleep yourself. I prefer knowing that you will remain far removed from the political process. The Republicans have enough problems and issues to handle, they do not deserve you. I will go to sleep now and to paraphrase Churchill, in the morning I will wake up refreshed and you will still be irrelevant. Goodnight.

[DoughtyOne]

If you're going to paraphrase a great man, at least give it some thought. That wasn't even creative.

[Dane]

For the life of me Dane, I don't know what you guys find so interesting about Pat. Pat is not the President. Bush is President. Ah, you did know that didn't you?

Just pointing out the similarity of the old addage "It depends on whose ox is being gored" in regards to your reply #1227.

[DoughtyOne]

Funny, they seemed to think they deserved me when I voted for Dole. As a matter of fact they loved every vote back to Richard Nixon. Actually, it is I who don't deserve them. And at the rather they're going, neither does the nation.