HOW CONSERVATIVE IS PRESIDENT BUSH?

The Cato Institute ^ | August 3, 2002 | By Veronique de Rugy

[Uncle Bill]

How Conservative Is President Bush?

The Cato Institute
By Veronique de Rugy
August 3, 2002
Source

Veronique de Rugy is a fiscal policy analyst at the Cato Institute.

President Bush may be repeating the sins of his father. Although elected on a Reaganesque, tax-cutting platform, the White House has veered to the left. President Bush has signed a bill to regulate political speech, issued protectionist taxes on imported steel and lumber, backed big-spending education and farm bills, and endorsed massive new entitlements for mental health care and prescription drugs. When the numbers are added up, in fact, it looks like President Bush is less conservative than President Clinton.

It makes little sense to discourage one's core supporters prior to a mid-term election. Yet that is the result when a Republican president expands government, which Bush is doing. Also, academic research on voting patterns shows that a president is most likely to get re-elected if voters are enjoying an increase in disposable income. Yet making government bigger is not a recipe for economic growth. After all, there is a reason why Hong Kong grows so fast and France is an economic basket case. But you can't tell that to the Bush administration.

Administration officials privately admit that much of the legislation moving through Congress represents bad public policy. Yet they argue either that everything must take a back seat to the war on terror (much as the first Bush administration treated the war against Iraq) or that compromises are necessary to neutralize issues such as education. But motives and rationalizations do not repeal the laws of economics.

In less than two years, President Bush has presided over more government expansion than took place during eight years of Bill Clinton. For instance:

• The education bill expands federal involvement in education. The administration originally argued that the new spending was a necessary price to get vouchers and other reforms. Yet the final bill boosted spending and was stripped of almost all reform initiatives. And there is every reason to believe that this new spending will be counter-productive, like most other federal money spent on education in the past 40 years. Children and taxpayers are the big losers.

• The farm bill is best characterized as a bipartisan orgy of special interest politics. Making a mockery of the Freedom to Farm Act, the new legislation boosts farm spending to record levels. Old subsidies have been increased and new subsidies created. Perhaps worst of all, the administration no longer has the moral credibility to pressure the European Union to reform its socialized agricultural policies. Taxpayers and consumers are the big losers.

• The protectionist decisions on steel and lumber imports make free traders wish Bill Clinton were still president. These restrictions on world commerce have undermined the productivity of U.S. manufacturers by boosting input prices and creating massive ill will in the international community. American products already have been targeted for reciprocal treatment. Consumers and manufacturers are the big losers.

• The campaign finance law is an effort to protect the interests of incumbent politicians by limiting free speech rights during elections. The administration openly acknowledged that the legislation is unconstitutional, yet was unwilling to make a principled argument for the Bill of Rights and fair elections. Voters and the Constitution are the big losers.

• New health care entitlements are akin to throwing gasoline on a fire. Medicare and Medicaid already are consuming enormous resources, and the burden of these programs will become even larger when the baby boom generation retires. Adding a new prescription drug benefit will probably boost spending by $1 trillion over 10 years. A mandate for mental health coverage will drive up medical costs, making insurance too expensive for many more families.

Those policy decisions make government bigger and more expensive. They also slow the economy and hurt financial markets -- read the headlines lately? For all his flaws, President Clinton's major policy mistake was the 1993 tax increase. Other changes, such as the welfare reform bill, NAFTA, GATT, farm deregulation, telecommunications deregulation, and financial services deregulation, moved policy in a market-oriented direction.

Perhaps most importantly, there was a substantial reduction in federal spending as a share of gross domestic product during the Clinton years. Using the growth of domestic spending as a benchmark, Clinton was the second most conservative president of the post-World War II era, trailing only Ronald Reagan.

To be sure, much of the credit for Clinton's good policy probably belongs to the Republican Congress, but that is not an excuse for bad policy today. And on one positive note, President Bush has "promised" to fight for partial privatization of Social Security. Yet, so far, President Bush has not vetoed a single piece of legislation. Needless to say, this means it will be rather difficult to blame "big-spending" Democrats if the economy continues to sputter.

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Compassionate Conservatism Means Big Government

No To 'Compassionate Conservatism'
"Marvin Olasky, the former Marxist journalism professor who coined the term. But he and George W. Bush are barking up the wrong tree if they think "compassionate conservatism" is going to rally popular support necessary to effect the real change needed to turn this country around."

President Highlights Compassionate Conservative Agenda for Inner Cities

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If You Want Increasing Huge Government, Vote Bush

BUSH SPENDING BILL LARGEST EVER

U.S. quietly OKs fetal stem cell work - Bush allows funding despite federal limits on embryo use

Bush Signs Largest Family Planning Bill In U.S. History

Un El día En El la vida de Jorge W. La arbusto

OPEN BORDERS

Bush's 'open door' slammed

"I told the Congress that I want to make sure that the Mexican citizen here is well-respected," Bush said. "And one way to do that is to pass 245I."

CFR - "I Believe In Free Speech"

Meanwhile, Back On The Farm

Bush Urges Congress To Deliver on Prescription Drugs For Medicare

• AARP Likes Bush's Prescription Drug Plan

GOP Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Advances in House - Another Trillion Dollars

Pig Book - 2002

Orgy At Federal Trough

Bush and House Republicans Push Legislation For Full Drug Subsidies For Low-Income Elderly

Bush Prepares 'Big-Time' Response To African Famine

Government Spending - War Against The Stock Market

Bush signs debt-limit increase

Bush Pushes Minority Homeownership

Bush's Food Stamp Plan Called Ethnic Pandering

Bush Wants Food Stamps For Non-Citizens

Worse Than Drunken Sailors!

Senate Clears Way For Trade Bill - More Spending

BUSH AND THE BIG GOVERNMENT GOP

Security Bill Loaded With Wasteful PORK

Senate Ok's $31.5 Billion Anti-Terror Bill Loaded With Pork

How Bad Can Things Get?

George W. Bush and Gun Control

Bush Pushes Gore Plan For Orwellian Government

Bush Backs Down From Immunity Demand - Caves Again

Bush administration has been "as bad, if not worse" than the Clinton administration when it comes to the transfer of sensitive technologies to the People's Republic of China

BUSH, G7 to pay $20 billion to get rid of Russian nuke stockpiles

George W. Bush - The Global Warming Sell-Out

• George W. Bush Told Americans Before Elected That He Was A Global Warming Wacko

• Conservatives Angered by Environmental Provision [Bush pulls another Al Gore]

Dubya's New Deal - The New FDR

• Roosevelt -- Man Of The Century?

Bush Won't Label Arafat A Terrorist

George W. Bush's Terrorist Buddy

"When peoplelose faith in their institutions they trust to enforce the law, justice is no longer possible."

Bush Caves On Airport Screeners

Bush's Latest Srategic Mistake

BUSH: NINE FORMER PRESIDENTS WRONG; CLINTON RIGHT!

CRISIS? WHAT CRISIS? GEORGE BUSH'S NEVER-ENDING DOMESTIC BUDGET BUILD-UP - Father Like Son

Bush Appoints Four More Homosexuals

Dr. James Dobson Criticizes Bush Appointment to the CDC

Bush Pushes $500 Million HIV/Aids Funding For Africa

Bush to Propose Another $100 Million Over Five Years for Education in Africa

Are You Fat? No Problem, George W. Bush Will Help

House Conservatives Budge on Arts Spending

Bush Cheers Government Support For Art

Bush to Name Justice Dept. BUILDING After Kennedy

GOP Right In Iowa Fear Purge

GOP Leaders Spurn Right in Key Races

Laura Ingraham's analysis of yet another Bush betrayal

Bush decisions rankle conservatives

BUSH PROPOSES LARGEST EXPANSION OF GOVERNMENT SINCE TRUMAN

Bush's Record Calls into Question His Conservative Label

Conservatives Question Dubya's Direction

Conservatives not satisfied with Bush's record

Bush, Ashcroft Run Roughshod Over Bill Of Rights, Study Says

Republicans: Big Government Addicts

A Few Questions For Die-Hard Bush Supporters

Are Republicans losing their constituency?

Ann Coulter: BUSH PAYS HOMAGE TO THE FETISHISTIC RITUALS OF LIBERALISM

Compassionate conservatism is about socialism, not Americanism

Bush is jettisoning his principles for what?

Bush: stop the runaway federal spending and regulating!

Mark Levin Hammers Bushbots

Was Clinton More Conservative Than Bush? - Fox News

Bush: A Democrat in Republican clothing?

Bush continues Clinton Agenda

GEORGE W. BUSH: CLINTON'S THIRD TERM ©

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Bush's Court Jester

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"Another way to make sure that we foster growth and restore confidence is to hold people accountable for misdeeds in the public sector."
George W. Bush - University of Alabama at Birmingham Alys Stephens Center - July 15, 2002.

NOTE: Do As I Say, Not As I Do.

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A Bush administration insider has privately leaked word that a deal was struck between Democratic congressional leaders and the Bush White House not to prosecute Bill and/or Hillary Clinton

Bush Administration Lawyers Defending Hillary - Gratis

Bush and Ashcroft Justice Dept. Hamstringing Pardongate Probers.

Bill Clinton broke the law and the Republicans let him off the hook.

What we need is the tough Newt Gingrich back.

"As far back as April 7, 1998, then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich was asked on NBC’s Today if he were going to press for impeachment. His response: "No, we don’t have any evidence."
Source.

Al Gore Broke The Law and the Republicans let him off the hook.

"I don’t care if you have proof that he raped a woman, stood up and shot her dead, you’re still not going to get 67 votes."

Bush Says He Wants to Let Clinton 'Move On'
"Listen, here's my view: I think it's time to get all of this business behind us. I think it's time ... to allow the president to finish his term, and let him move on and enjoy life and become an active participant in the American system. And I think we've had enough focus on the past. It's time to move forward." - George W. Bush.

Bush Won't Dwell On Clinton Affair, "We're Moving Forward"
"B/S, Mr Bush. Clinton is a criminal and a traitor. We demand a thorough investigation and prosecution. Our Republic is dead and our liberty is at stake if the next administration does not clean up this mess for now and forever more. Corrupt politicians must pay the price for subverting our Constitution and using their offices for personal gain."
4 Posted on 01/20/2000 14:17:56 PST by Jim Robinson

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A Republic If We Can Keep It - Bush Trashing The Constitution

It's About The Republic, Not The Republican

How Big Is The Government's Debt? - $33.1 TRILLION

There Must Be Some Way Out Of Here

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"Not over my dead body will they raise your taxes,"
George W. Bush - SOURCE.

[terilyn]

This is exactly what he posted. I do not lie.

You have to enter first name, last name and date of birth. There is a regular happy birthday list that runs on the Daily Dose. Registered had to have been taking notes for a while because Howlin's birthday was quite a while ago.

Not only that, but Howlin and I have posted back and forth frequently. It wasn't until about a month ago when she taped a 9-11 HBO special and mailed it to me that I knew her first name. L can stand for more than just one female name.

Elizabeth Dole's DOB was easy to find. She's a public figure and it's posted on her campaign website. Howlin's isn't so easy. You'd have to be looking for it specifically and keeping notes or saving links for future reference.

Not cool...

[Twodees]

2 dees has just put himself in a real bind assuming he gave his correct name and address to me. I think he has a problem with who the "drunk" is around here.

It's the real skinny, boy. Are you threatening me with something dire? Excuse me while I tremble. ahaha Yeah, I think with your use of profanity to a lady here tonight we all see who is drunk. When I got to be the way you are I stopped drinking. That was 18 years ago the ninth of this month, son.

Go ahead and take some kind of revenge on me when you get your nerve up. You've got the address, you can get the phone number with that. Get whatever you like, I'm about as worried about you as I am about any other drunk who knows more about me than you do.

[2Trievers]

LOL ... it's PUBLIC INFO ... available to ANYone with a keyboard, the time and the net. Haha

[Texasforever]

It's the real skinny, boy. Are you threatening me with something dire/I>

Now would I do that?

[terilyn]

Believe me, it was all there.

I got the info for Elizabeth Dole by entering her DOB along with her name.

Registered had to have done that as well to get the detailed info. Otherwise you do get only what you described.

[Texasforever]

Actually tex, you have not only read many of them, but you have actually posted to some. Many of those links/articles have been on the board....

Then I assue you know what my opinion was.

[Enough is ENOUGH]

Bill Lind is a very good source for info on PC.

Excerpt from Chuck Morse's article:
"Members and front organizations must continually embarrass, discredit and degrade our critics. When obstructionists become too irritating, label them as fascist, or Nazi or anti-Semitic…The association will, after enough repetition, become ‘fact’ in the public mind." Cultural Marxism

Doesn't this tactic sound familiar? Like what I was referring to. Seems like it is pretty well entrenched in our society.

[Sandy]

Do you think it's ok to post all of this personal info on somebody else on a public forum?

No, I don't. But I also think it's rather foolish to let everybody know your full name and location if you don't want people to know anything about you.

[HalfIrish]

W shines when he steps up to the plate on principle, as on the times he's repudiated the UN. His supporters need to make him do it more, Tex. Tell me you're working on it and I'll retract the Bill Clinton remark.

;-)

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Are you saying that Registered posted all that? Nobody has claimed that so far unless I missed it.

His post and a quick trip to mapquest will get you all that.

No, I'm not posting anything about my wife.

LOL - of course not. You only want to put women you don't like in danger. Such treatment is not for your wife.

Wait and see whether texasforever posts my address, though. We'll see how the mods act about it too.

That's the point. I don't want Texasforever to do that to you, and I don't believe he would. He's smarter than that, and unlike some, he's not desperate to hurt people and violate their privacy. But if he did, he would likely get a slap-on-the-wrist one-week suspension...but you - and your wife and kids - would have to live wondering if anyone you didn't exactly endear yourself to on the Internet was parked outside your house. And if your defense of poor, unfortunate, maligned Registered is any indication, that would be a result that was completely unfair to poor Texasforever. And I would tell you that's insane.

[Texasforever]

OL ... it's PUBLIC INFO ... available to ANYone with a keyboard, the time and the net. Haha

Post yours. HaHa.

[terilyn]

Actually, in order to get the detailed page you have to enter the person's date of birth. It's intended, as described on the homepage of the site, to be a service to find YOUR OWN registration info.

The only reason I was able to pull it up for ED is because she has all of her info including her DOB posted on her website.

Howlin does not.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Trust me, with a last name, middle initial, and city/state, I can find just about everything I want to about an individual. This would be all too easy....

[wingnuts'nbolts]

I am pleased that you mentioned that all during the 2002 election campaign it was pointed out by conservatives that Bush was not far right enough. Bush did not claim to be
a right wing conservative. He is more conservative than his father was and he is as conservative as the Gipper was. He is a republican. He has accomplished some pretty impressive things and will go on to accomplish more. Once the Senate is returned to the GOP things will improve.

He is not out there floundering around. He knows what needs to be done and he's going to do it. This man keeps his eye on the donut and not on the hole. He says what he means and means what he says. He is not liberal he is realistic.

[Mo1]

There is a regular happy birthday list that runs on the Daily Dose

That's how he did it .. I could figure it out until now

And you're right .. not cool

[terilyn]

Maybe, but would you post it on a public forum? That is the issue here isn't it?

[Mo1]

Trust me, with a last name, middle initial, and city/state, I can find just about everything I want to about an individual. This would be all too easy....

Maybe .. but why bother .. unless there was a reason

[Twodees]

Now would I do that?

Who cares? If I went around worrying about what some drunk loudmouth might do when he sobers up, I wouldn't get anything else done. Tell you what, you have the address. Come over for coffee anytime you like. I don't drink anything stronger thasn coffee, but I don't care if you do as long as you watch your foul mouth while you're here.

I'll be right here, son. Come on when you want to.

[nopardons]

During BOTH terms of Ike's presidency, there were, indeed, illegal migrants here, who picked produce in the summer, and hid , in the winter. Neither he, nor his administration avidily went after them.

Perhaps you are too young to remember ALL of the CBS documentaries and newspaper reports, during those years, about this topic.

[Sandy]

entering her DOB along with her name

You're right about that. I tried my name again with my DOB and got back my address in addition to the previous info. Glad I haven't made my full name public here. That's kind of creepy.