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?
The reps are held hostage by the dims who will immediately demagogue race over the illegal thing.
(When I lived in California, the state was republican, now it is democrat due to a governor trying to stop illegal immigration and the dims playing the race card.)
nothing wrong with free trade. High regulation is the problem and a lack of patriotism among some companies.
"Just because a few irrelevant social beliefs shared by a minority are not being forced on the entire country, is not a reason to get silly."
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Ma'am, what are your positions on abortion and homosexuality, please?
"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.” "
Half of this bill is pork. What right do we have to bitch about Byrd??
"How long has it been since you were able to recognize the Republican Party? "
When was Ronald Reagan's last day in office?
I am against gay marriage, but for civil unions.
My position on abortion is that no law will stop one single abortion. Persuasion will stop far more abortions than judicial activism.
It's time to get the abortion issue to a state wide vote, the blue states will legaliza it, the red states will ban it. Anyone who wants an abortion will just go where they are available. Therefore it's an irrelevant issue.
I believe there is a threat. The huge waves of new Latin American immigrants are not being expected to speak, or learn English. I was recently at a student orientation for middle school children, and their parents. They had a Spanish interpreter who interprted everything the principal, councilors, and every other speaker said. No other language has ever been so catered to in this country. Spanish is provided at about every customer location, voice mail system, etc. Many schools provide bilingual education programs.
If you don't think that is a threat to our country, consider why Quebec has been on the verge of seceding from Canada for the last ten years. It's because of the language difference. We are also on the verge of becoming a bilingual society, and that will balkanize our country, particularly the southwest.
I am a religious person, but the Constitution party even scares ME!
When the public schools, private colleges, and every major media outlet having successfully brainwashed the population over decades into believing that voting for a third party is "throwing your vote away", how an earth could one even seriously entertain the formation of yet another third party.
They FEC won't even allow third party candidates into debates anymore.
It's a noble idea, but completely unworkable. We're a nation of stepford voters. We've all taken the blue pill. We are impervious to reason.
"Therefore it's an irrelevant issue."
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Irrelevant to who?
However........that "LITTLE" thing called 911 happened and changed this country's direction. It is hard to BALANCE a BUDGET during WAR, and the major re-org of our government with the addition of the HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT has indefinitely dashed the GOP dreams of "small" government
Please take the time to use the spell checker feature, and correct your run-on sentences. It extremely difficult to understand your misspelled, unpunctuated gibberish
Yes Ms. spelling/grammar nazi.
Should I bring an apple to your cyber desk, to get back in your good graces?
The overall problem with the GOP is obvious. Republicans haven't been electing enough conservatives to the Congress. This has led to far too much caving into the Democrats on issue after issue and continuing with a liberal agenda.
Once the GOP starts electing more conservatives to Congress who respect our Constitution, then and only then will this great nation get itself back on track and follow the original intent of the Founding Fathers.
Keep your flame of hope for America burning and your sword razor sharp with your armor on tight. You are a brave warrior among worthless cowards and the battle is raging with surrender on the lips of the masses.
Yeah like the appointment of John Bolton(snort).
"However........that "LITTLE" thing called 911 happened and changed this country's direction. It is hard to BALANCE a BUDGET during WAR, and the major re-org of our government with the addition of the HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT has indefinitely dashed the GOP dreams of "small" government."============================
This government is in an urgent and convulsive state and is choking on it's own hypocritical vomit.
If NATIONAL SECURITY were a genuine concern of this government, would it continue to allow a massive invasion of millions of illegal aliens to flood the streets of every city, town, province, and parish in the entire country?
It won't wash.
" Yeah like the appointment of John Bolton(snort)."
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I personally have no problem with Bolton. Apparently there are enough Republicans in office who do and that is why the president had to appoint him without congressional approval.
Try again.
Right you are. Couldn't have said it better.
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