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]

At least we are trying to come up with a plan that sees a conservative in the White House. What's you excuse?

How about letting the rest of us in on that "plan".

[MissAmericanPie]

Thank you for your thoughtful reply, I sometimes enjoy the debates, mostly I'm looking for ways to push the conservative agenda in a country I love, that I fear is in serious trouble.

One thing I have learned, is that I would never cut it as a motivational speaker.=o)

[Jim Robinson]

Well, in either case, Patrick Buchanan did a helluva service for the Country. God bless him. Hope he doesn't try it again though. The Democrats are probably wise to him.

[DoughtyOne]

Okay, what issues?

[Howlin]

whose purpose is to convert Latins to the Muslim faith

I'm almost afraid to ask, but I will: why do they want to do that?

[Ben Ficklin]

Of course you seen a number of threads here about how Bush is going exponentially expand the the federal bureaucracy during the reorginization/agency creation.

The reality of that situation is found in this past weeks high profile statements by Michigan's Democratic Senator, Carl Lenin.

He emphatically stated that there would be no reduction in the number of federal employees.

It sounds to me as if he thinks Bush might be trying to get rid of some of them.

[Don Myers]

I would also vote for Patrick Buchanan if he ran again. At least, he does have a plan to protect this nation. What about it, Texas? Would you vote for him?

[NMC EXP]

"Then what the hell is your solution?"

Duck, cover, and hold.

R.A. Heinlein's solution:

"When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout."

Regards

J.R.

[Twodees]

Yes. I believe your mind's a'comin to you now. We have to have plenty of liberal republicans in charge of the Senate in case the House impeaches another democrat president.

[Don Myers]

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but I will: why do they want to do that?"

Oh, I suppose for various reasons. They want to take over the world. They need more suicide bombers. They are just wierd.

[PhiKapMom]

I should have qualified it! There have been some DemocRAT disruptors on here along with a Bush/Cheney yahoo group I moderate and "these conservatives" is an inside joke between Howlin and I -- I got an email describing what they are up to and what they plan to do in the election. They are not more of a conservative than ms. clinton but pretend to be.

Hope that clears that up. I just wanted to tell her that I sent an email that I had been sent detailing their plans for the 2002 elections.

[DoughtyOne]

Nope, he won't do it again.  I would suggest that Nader will be the only major thorn this next time around, not that Buchanan was anything more than a nuisance in 2000. I may be wrong, the left may find Nader a nuisance in 2004 and dump him.

[Ben Ficklin]

It doesn't make a difference if you sit out the next election. Your state is solid democratic.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

The feeling's mutual, my prostituting friend...

[Don Myers]

""When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout.""

I like the Duck, cover, and hold method. It uses less energy.

[Registered]

It sounds to me as if he thinks Bush might be trying to get rid of some of them.

How many were just federalized in the airports?

[Howlin]

The bomber thing is what I thought; how are you holding over there? :-)

[Torie]

Protectionism and industrial policy come to mind - Pat's issues. I am more of a laissez faire economics type myself. Let the market work. That is the "secret" to America's high standard of living. I am also more in favor of the free flow of labor than you are, although I admit I don't ala the Wall Street Journal want it to be completely free. I also have more libertarian views (although hardly Libertarian) on cultural issues. As an initial matter, I don't want the government to be cultural den mother for the public.

But heck, I admit it, you could come up with a much longer list of where I am to the left of you.

[Texasforever]

What about it, Texas? Would you vote for him?

In a word NO. Pat would be impeached before his first day in office was completed.

[MissAmericanPie]

Do you worry about the direction he is taking the Party? The change in the platform?