Posted on 08/01/2005 1:40:41 AM PDT by Happy2BMe
Republican: GOP Revolution Dying on Washington D.C. Vine
For decades conservative Republicans dreamed of controlling the White House and Congress. The rallying cry was “If only we had the power, we could revolutionize this country and end the era of big government.” Well, in January 2001, it finally happened and the GOP took control of Congress and the White House. Since that time, it has held total control, except for a 17-month period in 2001-02. Yet, not only has Washington D.C. not been revolutionized, but spending has skyrocketed, deficits have ballooned and government has never been bigger.
What happened? It seems that Republicans in Congress only act like Republicans when Democrats are in charge. When the GOP has control, they change from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde and become the monsters they battled against.
Since 2001, Republicans have passed the pork barrel laden farm bill,
an all too expensive education bill, approved a massive new government bureaucracy, the Department of Homeland Security and added an unnecessary Medicare prescription benefit, which according to economist Stephen Moore is “the most financially irresponsible legislation of the last 30 years. “ The party of fiscal discipline is gone and Republicans have become addicted to the big government disease. In treating drug addicts, counselors always look for an important first step, the admission of a problem. Unfortunately, Republicans don’t see big government as a problem anymore, but just a way to buy votes from constituents also addicted to big government. Yet, this addiction is a true problem because as cogently observed by commentator Cal Thomas, “Government programs are the only sign of eternal life on earth! ”
In the last week, two more monstrosities were passed by the Republican controlled Congress, the energy bill and the transportation bill. Both bills are loaded with pork, include too many unnecessary projects and provide obscene perks for influential special interest groups. For example, in the $286.4 billion transportation bill, there is $230 million allocated for a bridge in Alaska to connect an island of 50 people to the mainland. It has been aptly called the “Bridge to Nowhere.” The energy bill authorizes spending of $66 billion and includes $14.5 billion in tax breaks. It doubles the domestic mandate for ethanol production to 7.5 billion gallons by 2012, giving corporate welfare to farmers and little benefit to consumers.
Our federal budget deficit is $333 billion, down from $412 billion last year, but truly “misleading” according to Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC), who believes that “Congress is raiding Social Security to mask the true size of the deficit.” What true deficit reduction has occurred had been due solely to increased tax revenues and not fiscal restraint.
Not only is there no fiscal discipline, there is no conservative agenda. Despite the President’s talk, there is no social security reform on the horizon and no real tax reform being seriously debated. Despite having control of Congress and the White House, Republicans are not pursuing a real conservative agenda, only more big government. For example, a true conservative agenda on the pressing issues of immigration reform, the real threats to the English language, or the multi-faceted culture war does not have the support of the GOP leadership in Congress or the White House and is in no danger of being passed. Republicans seem more interested in providing voters the security of big government than in effective border security.
But, isn’t the country doing so well due to visionary GOP policies? Maybe according to Republican lapdogs on talk radio and Fox News, but real America outside of the beltway knows better. Real wages declined in 2004 and the first quarter of 2005. Today, there are 22,000 fewer private sector jobs today than in March of 2001, when the recession started. Our stock market is stagnant, while gasoline prices keep rising and consumer debt and bankruptcies are skyrocketing. Our trade deficit just keeps going higher, and coupled with large budget deficits and purposely weak U.S. treasury policies, the dollar will continue to get pummeled in currency exchanges.
Today, the politically correct crowd rules the day and the Republicans do not have the will or in the inclination to do anything about it. A party that used to be defined by the mantra of smaller government and more individual freedom is basically indistinguishable from the Democrats on fiscal matters. With philosophical differences between the parties on domestic issues gone, is it any surprise that a new Gallup poll shows Americans becoming “more favorable to the Democratic Party.” Voters will realize that if both parties stand for big government, they might as well support the real thing as opposed to the sick and confused imitation.
In Washington D. C. today, bringing home the bacon is the main goal, not advancing individual freedom or a conservative agenda. This is not what I signed up for as a Reagan Republican. If politics today is all about power, not ideology or principled differences, count me out. So, if the Republicans are not going to govern any differently than the Democrats, what’s the use?
...Just because a few irrelevant social beliefs shared by a minority are not being forced on the entire country...
90% want the borders controlled.
Nobody wants the country given away to the third world.
(OR energize it.. Hillary gets elected the current republican power cabal is exposed.. as the Neville Chamberlains they really are(appeasement of democrats don't work, EVER).. Theres a wave building.. a wave of distrust of both partys..)
Talk like that is true RINO talk. It just drives me nuts.
No party is going to win without a true big tent policy.
No party is going to win without minorities.
No party is going to win without appealing to us despised moderates.
Trying to get Hillary elected for spite is not reality based.
Preach on brother, a pox on both of their houses!
No matter what you do, you're not going to get anywhere until you convince more than 50% of the voters.
You forgot to list Campaign Finance Reform among Bush's accomplishments. It effectively killed freedom of speech in this country. That alone is enough to cancel out any alleged "conservative" victory won by this president.
Ultimately, social conservatives have to grow up and recognize that their issues are, for the most part, not ones that can be addressed in the political arena. That battle belongs to fiscal conservatives.
After all, you can simply not look at nekkid pictures or not watch unedifying television without the aid of politicians. It's not so easy to simply not pay excessive taxes or follow overrestrictive business regulations.
"Ultimately, social conservatives have to grow up and recognize that their issues are, for the most part, not ones that can be addressed in the political arena."
Agreed. Most especially in national politics. Many if not all of the social issues should be solely voted on by the states. Also, by focusing on young women, and ignoring irresponsible young men, by carrying on about birth control, etc., social conservatives are losing credibility.
"We all misspell words...But it's not an occasional misspelled word I'm chewing Dane out for. It's the constant run-on diatribes full of vitriol and unpunctuated gibberish that spews forth from her posts.
Dane has the the communication skills of a 15 year old drop out, and the personality to match.
If you've read Danes comments, then I'm sure you understand what I'm talking about."
I understand. Best thing for me with the danes is completely ignore (which I probably should have done this time regarding the spelling).
in my opinion:
yes....
;^)
Main Entry: 1twit
Pronunciation: 'twit
Function: noun
1 : an act of twitting : TAUNT
2 : a silly annoying person : FOOL
a) You seem to have appeasement down to a science.. Suggest lookin up Neville Chamberlain.. The poster boy for your receipe..
b) Getting Hillary elected for SHOCK VALUE would be more like it.. "Neville Chamberlains", NEED to be b!itch slapped into realirty.. -OR- They will not only sell the farm..
BUT GIVE IT AWAY FREE... as a good faith token..
Wow, all freedom to speak is now completely dead in the U.S.?! Who woulda thunk it.
Methinks hyperbole is not your friend...
You need to learn more about logic.
It killed freedom of speech, though it doesn't mean all speech is banned. Can you not see the difference?
It's like saying that "allowing abortion kills Right to Life," with a response by you of: "wow, just because abortion is allowed, everyone's dead?"
I don't see examples of speech being killed. I don't see examples of all speech being banned.
Nor do I see evidence of people detecting tongue in cheek sarcasm on this thread...
...but if I remember correctly, we got Souter, Kennedy, & O'Connor thanx to Reagan & Bush I, so that's not saying a whole lot re: the difference bwtw. the 2 parties. If the conservative movement has to spend another 40 yrs n the wilderness in order to revive itself, then maybe that's a necessary evil we'll hafta deal w/--'cuz it certianly isn't all that conservative anymore when it comes to limiting government, defending our borders, minding our own business abroad, & respecting the 9th & 10th Amendments!
WRONG. Most of the spending is NOT defense.
Feds are responsible for interstate commerce.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.