[My2Cents]

I expect the people I vote for to stand up for their own principles, not mine. You said they did it for me and people like me. I guess you're saying they threw us a bone, and their convictions really weren't in it. What you're telling me is that as long as we vote Republican, you're willing to tolerate us unwashed religious nuts, but as soon as we expect our elected leaders whom we worked for, sent money to, and have fought to support, to take a stand when it counts, we're lucky to get the time of day.

And I don't begrudge what Congress, the Pres., and Gov. Bush have done. What I begrudge is the unmasked animosity my fellow conservatives really have for me and people like me. Rather than emphasize with our frustration, you stab us in the back. I'm sorry we've been such a nusance that you and the rest have had to put up with for some 25 years.

While I and others like me think other issues on the President's agenda are worth fighting for, and we will continue to support him and his objectives, don't think we won't forget how shabbily we were treated by our "brethren" (I'm not talking about officeholders here) when our #1 issue came centerstage. If you have to hold your nose to keep us in the party, we'll stay, but we'll hold our nose as well.

[Poohbah]

I expect the people I vote for to stand up for their own principles, not mine. You said they did it for me and people like me. I guess you're saying they threw us a bone, and their convictions really weren't in it.

Now you're deliberately acting as if you're stupid.

I'm saying that there are always competing factions demanding satisfaction from politicians. This fight pitted the pro-life community against the small-government conservatives. The pro-life community "won" this round, but they also managed to burn up a great deal of political capital that was to be used for other critical tasks. Now it looks like we've lost the opportunity to use the nuclear option. Thanks, buddy.

You derailed one of your own goals (it's also one of mine)--and you derailed another major goal of the entire GOP, all in one week, to get your way--and then your side of the aisle squandered the victory.

What you're telling me is that as long as we vote Republican, you're willing to tolerate us unwashed religious nuts, but as soon as we expect our elected leaders whom we worked for, sent money to, and have fought to support, to take a stand when it counts, we're lucky to get the time of day.

Do you support making English the official language of the United States?

If so, then kindly do us all a favor and learn how to read it.

I am saying that your side got a LOT of patronage. Your side then proceeded to waste that patronage. Your side will be expected to deliver a lot of victories in return for that wasted patronage.

What your side did with the patronage you received is of no account. We conservatives believe in letting people deal with the consequences of their decisions.