How Conservative Is President Bush?| This thread has been locked, it will not receive new replies. |
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Posted on 08/04/2002 8:30:36 PM PDT by 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.
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.
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
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
CFR - "I Believe In Free Speech"
Bush Urges Congress To Deliver on Prescription Drugs For Medicare
GOP Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Advances in House - Another Trillion Dollars
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
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
George W. Bush and Gun Control
Bush Pushes Gore Plan For Orwellian Government
Bush Backs Down From Immunity Demand - Caves Again
BUSH, G7 to pay $20 billion to get rid of Russian nuke stockpiles
George W. Bush - The Global Warming Sell-Out
Dubya's New Deal - The New FDR
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 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!
Was Clinton More Conservative Than Bush? - Fox News
Bush: A Democrat in Republican clothing?
GEORGE W. BUSH: CLINTON'S THIRD TERM ©
"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.
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.
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
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
"Not over my dead body will they raise your taxes,"
George W. Bush - SOURCE.
No, it's not a joke.
Bush renewed the Mexico City policy. Bush will sign a partial-birth abortion ban.
Reagan TALKED about a constitutional amendment, yes. He knew, and you know, that it will never happen.
oh, you do?
So then tell me:
1. Are children aborted for this research?
2. Did Bush approve aborting fetuses for this reasearch?
3. Are ANY fetuses harmed in the research President Bush allowed to remain??
4. Are ANY embryos harmed in the research President Bush allowed to remain? See if you can ctach that difference)
There are four VERY simple questoins since you already have the answers.
Looking forward to your reply. cheers.
So true. If you look back at the majority of Registered's post, they are very short remarks that are either attempting to be funny or personal fighting; very seldom any substance.
I had a feud with him some time back when during an argumentative exchange, he claimed that if I posted 10 things I had done to help elect Bush, he could name 50 that he had done.
Aside from being very ironic to think about in light of his Bush bashing of present, it was delightfully amusing.
I posted 10 and then asked him to post his 50. He squirmed for two days trying to avoid it. But following a little pressure after his boasting so strongly, he felt he had to post something.
I am not kidding when I tell you that he actually posted things such as:
1. Put bumper sticker on car
2. Put bumper sticker on wife's car
3. Put yard sign up
4. Argued with fellow workers in defense of Bush
5. Etc.
It was embarrassingly idiotic, but then I can't say I was really surprised.
Clintoon pandered to his core with gays in the military and Hillary-care among other issues. He was destroyed in 1994. You have to pander to independents in midterms. Clintoon did and was rewarded in 1998.
"ned" posted as different names for so long and took them to task. He had them agreeing and arguing with him at the same time.
How have they outted themselves, this band of intelligent conservatives?
They show they are not only easily led astray by some internet perosnality, "ned" (and other monickers) but they follow Keyes and Klayman as well, two people who are better at it than "ned", and this group of intellects STILL don't see it. The fact they brought this out in the open only embarasses themselves.
And what a lugher it was to have him banned over a link from their leaders website (Keyes - "Strike The root")
This is all too funny to say the least. What winners!
And what do you suggest? FReepers merely nod their head in approval when Dubya or ANY President for that matter engages in policies that we feel are detrimental to the Republic? This is a forum of which some of us hope our voices are being heard...
For starters, Dubya can start validating himself as a preserver of American sovereignty by truly enforcing the borders the way Eisenhower did it during 'Operation Wetback' -- search and deport illegal aliens. Is that so rash? Only is Dubya is thinking about Mexicans votes. Think he's not??
Then, for a change, he can stop caving in to the Democrats and Teddy on domestic fiscal issues like the 8 billion extra he donated to further socialist education; federalizing MORE government employees, and printing up money and sending it overseas as though it were monopoly money....etc.
I only hope the man doesn't bend like a wet noodle when it comes down to nominations of a conservative Supreme Court justice.
And this is "leadership"??
"He has asked that congress review Posse Comitatus Act to determine if troops can be used to patrol the borders, he has been accused of plotting a dictatorship."
Why is it we can spend billions of dollars here, there and everywhere around the world to protect "American interests", yet the President needs "permission" to kick illegal invaders out of the country? IMO, it's a stalling tactic -- wouldn't want to insult El Presidente Fox...
"Should I go on?"
Please do...
I got a big kick out of this one. Sort of shows how dangerously pro-abortion you are that you let these things slip. You want to abort a child? How late? 5-10-15 years old? If it helps your man, I am sure you will.
2. Did Bush approve aborting fetuses for this reasearch?
Actually, he did. It was on the front page of the Chicago Tribune a few weeks.
I don't understand your other questions, but I am sure it is meant to cloud the issue. What I do remember is that Bush opposed it during the election. He does not need us any longer until 2004. I will campaign very hard and long to make sure that this cancer in the White House is removed.
Oughta lock-up the Latino vote, eh?
Most of the personality cultists are one liner newbies with who have no idea what the hell they want or what their philosophy is. All they know is if their "team" promotes it they're it's a good idea, they just make up their idiot defense lines as they go along.
They don't argue whether this or that is good for America, all they do is compare hero-boy to everyone else. Al Gore, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Hillary etc.
Every single conservative who dare speak ill of their figurehead/mascott get's put on the list of bad people with motives to be impuned.
That's why I call them all personality cultists, because all they know how to do is talk about people, rarely if ever ideas. The people they "root for" must win at all costs and the people they don't like must be beaten. Sort of like a giant Superbowl game, except our coutry is the gridiron and our lives are the football.
Stupid petty morons.
Most of the personality cultists are one liner newbies with who have no idea what the hell they want or what their philosophy is. All they know is if their "team" promotes it they're it's a good idea, they just make up their idiot defense lines as they go along.
They don't argue whether this or that is good for America, all they do is compare hero-boy to everyone else. Al Gore, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Hillary etc.
Every single conservative who dare speak ill of their figurehead/mascott get's put on the list of bad people with motives to be impuned.
That's why I call them all personality cultists, because all they know how to do is talk about people, rarely if ever ideas. The people they "root for" must win at all costs and the people they don't like must be beaten. Sort of like a giant Superbowl game, except our coutry is the gridiron and our lives are the football.
Stupid petty morons.
i don't think registered is spreading disinformation on another forum. i saw where he posted "there is no excuse for what i did..." (admitting his error) and nothing further about the incident.
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