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.

[Texasforever]

Everybody Piling Ons? Well, GW might be a conservative but his first term hasn't proved it.

Hell he could don a sheet and burn a cross in the Rose Garden and STILL not be a "conservative" to the EPO's. I have simply decided that rational debate with these yahoos is impossible so I just make fun of them.

[tpaine]

If someone could translate that CJ, - I could respond.

[Teacher317]

A selection of your most recent posts:

• Yeah I thought this guy was a newly wed. He must not have lived up to his advertising.
• How about "whiner" for a start?
• Damn LAZ does your imagination stop at your waist? Come on little one put some fire in that flame.
• Ah LAZ you can do better than that. I am getting bored with your lack of imagination. Your "flame" generator is a bit weak.
• And you dare to criticize anyone else for 'taste' when you merrily and happily offend a woman one message later.
  LOL
• Your remark is rude and disgusting.
  So?
• They think this is a masochist website and keep coming in to get spanked.
• Do you actually expect anyone to take you seriously? You are FR’s personal pee-wee Herman
• Wipe your mouth and brush your teeth. The stink is really unbelievable.
• Ahh the DOG hikes his leg. LOL
• Get a room.
• Sorry Tpaine but you are just a convenient target. Nothing more.
• Tpaine is the only person that Will Rogers never met. Be kind he is listing all of his psychological problems one by one. I think he as about to make a "breakthrough".
• You really should stop sharing your mental problems with us. Too much information.
• I have it on good authority that you are the head warlock in the "coven".
• Drunk again huh?
• Do you never tire of parading your stupidity like a badge of honor around here?
• I am sure the next parole hearing will go better
• I see you are wallowing in your own filth again. You have graduated from a sick puppy to a sh%t eating dog while sniffing the rear end of another one.

You add virtually nothing constructive at all, do you? Of your last 86 posts, only 13 contain more than two full sentences, and only one contains a decent remark towards another FReeper (Cultural Jihad)... the rest is just more of the same as the above. I hope you start doing something more than adding to the oppositional adolescence that is hurting this forum.

[Texasforever]

Hell he has admitted to every psychosis known to man in this one thread. I admire his ability to "share".

[Texasforever]

Yeah? What is your point?

[Cultural Jihad]

Remember dog food for the elderly? Poor kids not getting milk? Doesn't matter HOW the Dems say it--the mssg. never changes when it comes to bashing the GOP. It seems to be their only agenda.

Your post is most insightful. The Democrats are hounding the GOP for offering dog food to the elderly and taking milk away from poor children, while the ideologues are hounding the GOP for offering S.S. benefits to the elderly and milk and cookies to poor children. Bashing the GOP seems to be their only agenda.

[Texasforever]

BTW I am honored that you have taken such an interest in me. I have recently fired Tpaine as my fan club president (don’t tell him he gets upset) and you really work hard. Care for the job?

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

I hope you're more even-handed when you discipline your class, Teacher. Texasforever didn't create the unfavorable climate on this thread.

[cascademountaineer]

Looks like this thread is going to hit 2k soon. Congratulations, you posted a collosus.

[Cultural Jihad]

• Quién *usted* sea está con excepción de sus palabras y genio.
• Qui *vous* soyez est autre que vos mots et trempe.
• Wer seien Sie *Sie* ist anders als Ihre Wörter und Temper.
• Chi *voi* sia è tranne le vostri parole e temperamento.
• Quem *você* seja é à excepção de suas palavras e têmpera.

[Roscoe]

Bashing the GOP seems to be their only agenda.

Failures hate success.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Maybe someone is just jealous because you're so good at delivering the snappy repartee?

[dougherty]

You hit the nail on the head. Every thread I come across this guy in, he is arguing with someone in the manner of a twelve year old. It's become rather pathetic and quite lame.

[Texasforever]

Maybe someone is just jealous because you're so good at delivering the snappy repartee?

No they just can't deal with a GOP version of James Carville. I am fed up with their incessant whining and demands.

[Texasforever]

It's become rather pathetic and quite lame.

I HEARD THAT!

[tpaine]

"Many learned men have posted to this board roscoe, warning that it quite easily could."


What "learned men"?

1385 posted on 6/23/02 11:16 AM Pacific by DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet

---

To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet

Do a key word search of FR articles. - Concentrate on respected conservative columnists who disagree with government polices of the last fifty years or so.
Have fun, and check back in a year or two.
1399 tpaine

---

Rather harmless reply, also, in the greater scheme of things. -- But of course, -- some may see it it as rude & condesending.

Tough Noogies.

[tpaine]

I see you are wallowing in your own filth again. You have graduated from a sick puppy to a sh%t eating dog while sniffing the rear end of another one.

[Thanks Teach]

[unsycophant]

Well, as long as we all have our priorities straight. I mean, who gives a shit about the Dems when the idealogues are running amok? God knows that is what matters, most.

Stop the Idealogues!!!

[Texasforever]

A very accurate description.

[tpaine]

Snappy tex, - I like it.