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.

[BigWaveBetty]

I also wonder if we (the conservatives that whine) are in such a minority and our opinions don't influence why do the rest of the conservatives want to shut us up all the time?

There's a variation of those who whine. The whiners, the bashers, the I'm not voting for him again and the I knew he was an sob from the beginning and voted for ______.

I can put up with the whining, do it myself occasionally. It's the others who will tell me I'm not a conservative because I won't vote for a candidate who has no chance of winning and if by some miracle did, couldn't get squat done.

I mean really, are we supposed to believe that in one swipe this country is going back to what it was in 1776?

Whiners will never influence me.

[moneyrunner]

"Except for 9/11 and related matters, Bush has at best been a mediocre President thus far...

That is funny. sort of reminds me of the old joke: "Except, for that Mrs. Lincoln, what did you think of the play?"

[First_Salute]

Bump.

[MJY1288]

"People who cut off their noses to spite their faces don't win elections and therefore either have no influence on events or a negative influence.

In addition, they are ugly."

BINGO

[OldFriend]

IMHO some conservatives would rather be right and out of office than in office and trying to change the direction of the country.

This leftward big government mess didn't get here overnight and it isn't going to be changed overnight either.

[F.J. Mitchell]

She would actually be up for vaporization, but with her the sole controller of that key, who would they send to serve the summons?

[moneyrunner]

"The fact of the matter is that President Bush ran for office claiming to be a pro-life candidate. And yet he has done absolutely nothing to help the millions of innocent babies who are being murdered in cold blood on a daily basis. Why should I cut President Bush any slack?"

First, the abortion problem is bad enough, don't exaggerate; it reduces your credibility. Second, one of the first acts of his Presidency was to cut off funds to foreign organizations that performed abortions. There is a limit, in a constitutional republic to what the President can do on his own and without a majority of the people behind him

The reason to cut him some slack is because the alternative is worse, and while this may be the only agenda item on your plate, he has a few more.

[quidnunc]

Say listen, the last time we communicated you would not answer my question about where your primary allegiances lie.

So now that I have your attention, do you or do you not consider that you owe your primary allegiance to the United States of America.

Enquiring minds want to know.

As for your criticism of Roeser's reasoning, he has fought in the political trenches on behalf of the GOP for allmost 50 years and has held down a responsible job in the federal government.

Why should anyone believe that you know more than he does?

[al_possum39]

This leftward big government mess didn't get here overnight and it isn't going to be changed overnight either.

May not ever get changed if nobody ever tries to change it.

[MJY1288]

Well, I have 2 acres of grass to cut, so I must make hey while the sun is still shining. Please continue to keep the sky from falling on the unappeasables, I will be back later to assist you :-)

[moneyrunner]

Bulletin! Bulletin! Bulletin!


Yellow Alert. This Thread has been invaded by the Axis of Whining Weasels!

Good for a repeat. LOL.

[windchime]

Thanks for posting a good article that I almost missed because of the anticipated grousing that would follow. (I can't stop reading at end of article)

Presumably, most of the complainers ran away from a loving home when they were 12 because they didn't like what was for dinner that night.

[moneyrunner]

"He's blown it and I said if W blows it, then never again. I'll take the communists and then we can get on with the final purge of leftism in this country for long while. "

Thanks for joining the other side. I would hate to be embarassed by having you as an ally.

[walden]

The ones threatening to vote Democrat are already dems-- real conservatives, real Republicans, know that Bush is the best they're likely to get. I think there are a lot of representatives from the other side on this board.

[ned]

I'm sorry to have to be the one to break the news to you, but DeathtoAraratHamasHizbollah is with the fishes now.

Like Frank.

[section9]

DeathtoAraratHamasHizbollah got the boot. just like all other DU trolls.

What I want to know is what this guy had against Mount Ararat?

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Grampa Dave]

Actually, I have to go do some outside things. The sun has finally peaked out through the coastal morning clouds, and my wife is threatening to sue Free Republic, Jim Rob, you and others if her Honey Do List is not take care of!

[Miss Marple]

Got that extension cord yet?

[Grampa Dave]

This is classic! I just will have to steal it er borrow it from you for future use:

Thanks for joining the other side. I would hate to be embarassed by having you as an ally.

[Grampa Dave]

You posted, Presumably, most of the complainers ran away from a loving home when they were 12 because they didn't like what was for dinner that night.

Another Freeper (my old grampa memory fails me re whom) came up with the following that ties right into your words of wisdom.

Reform Party Orphans!