Unlike some here, the American people take the measure of the "man" when they choose their President. They understand that character, judgement, honesty and wisdom are the defining traits of the person they entrust their future.
The American people have measured George W. Bush. They deem him honest, wise, judicicous and virtuous. They've seen allegations of Bush's dullness, and they have concluded that is false. Democrats cannot tar this man. Like Reagan, Bush cannot be portrayed as corrupt, mean spirited or dishonest. It doesn't compute with our citizens. He has the demeanor, moderate sensibilities and political style that Americans feel secure with. Bush has our proxy to lead this nation in peace and war. That trust will not fade, it's visceral in our citizenry.
The President isn't into vanity trips. He doesn't get off on martyr fantasies. Vetoing popular bills that carry veto-proof majorities is asinine, and Bush is not asinine. He leads a 50-50 Government. People who feign great betrayal or disillusionment with Bush's legislative calculations are either unsophisticates or blatant charlatans. Bush is wholly reactive in the political milieu of 2002. The Senate Democrats are the full commanders of legislative content and process.
The vocal opposition here to Bush is an opposition to our Constitutionally directed political system of compromise, negotiation, buffers and consensus. That's how people get along and achieve things in a community of disparate priorities. Some folks refuse to play with others.
Bush will govern differently if the GOP wins the Senate. He will govern differntly if the U.S. is enaging in a massive and bloody military conflict. He'll govern with wisdom, judgement, integrity and honor. As a Conservative, which HE IS.
Your lib tendencies are showing, Arne, buddy.
Condi is pro-abortion.
If you think the Republican nominating electorate is going to nominate a pro-abortion candidate, you are demonstrating that you don't have a clue concerning the makeup of that electorate.
There are a couple of lines that were drawn in the sand long ago in our Party...one concerns the pro-life nature of our platform...the other is the pro-life status of our nominees for President and Vice-President.
If, by 2004, the 'moderates' have gained such complete control of the Party, that they are able to affect the crossing of those lines, then you can count on the fact that you will be witnessing the beginning of the end of the Republican coalition, and thereby the end of the Republican Party.
Without the pro-life movement, the GOP will be doomed, both by lack of numbers, and by the complete absence of a heart or a soul.
I have given the last decade of my life to the Republican cause, many times to my own great detriment. A multitude of others have done the same. If my Party walks away from respect for the sacred nature of human life, it will have walked away from me and from millions of others who, like me, consider abortion to be the central moral question of our day.
As unhappy as I have been on a great number of important issues...education, CFR, ag policy, SCR, the promotion by Rove and Co. of RINOs over conservatives in primary contests, etc., I have never abandoned the President or my party. I have continued to work every day against the Daschle Democrats. But there are limits on what I will put up with.
Certainly there are people here who criticize Bush on silly grounds...personality, smarts, typical DU stuff. There are people here who misunderstand some actions of the administration on certain policies because they are uninformed or simply enjoy being critical.
But there are a majority here who are generally very supportive of the President, especially against the evil Dems....while at the same time understanding fully the times when the leadership of the Republican Party has simply given away the political ground to our political enemies. We know the difference, and we are not fooled.
Personally, I'm growing sick and tired of the compromisers; those who are soft on abortion, the political hacks, the apologists for anything as long as it has a Republican label on the box.
In my book, any individual who gives aid and comfort to the abortionists and their trade in bodies and blood is a liberal, period. They can't be trusted with power if they are willing to compromise the lives of our unborn next generations.
What good is a Party that doesn't believe in the the one central core principle of our Republic...that our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are given by the Creator and are therefore unalienable?
Any politician who will compromise away the life af an innocent child will compromise on any and every other thing possible, if he or she thinks there is something to be gained by it.
Unintentionally, you have hit on the very issue that could drive me out of the GOP forever.
EV