Posted on 01/24/2009 4:03:45 AM PST by Zakeet
Political parties exist for the purpose of getting in power and handing out appointive jobs to thousands of their hacks, so there is no incentive for a party to shrink govt. Also, the more Federal largesse is available, the greater the ability of incumbents to buy another term. We desperately need term limits, so nobody can aspire to a career in “public service.” Not to mention enforcing the 10th Amendment, but that is impossible at present.
“If you wondered what the US would have been like under gore or kerry, just watch, we now have zero. Even plugs said something big would happen.”
Bush brought us Obama.
The Clintons used to do what you have just done - you don’t like the message, so you’ve attacked the messenger. But this particular message has a lot of validity to it.
Bush has set the cause of conservatism back at least a generation, maybe for all time, and in doing so, he has relegated the GOP to long-term minority status.
Yes, he fought the war on terror, although not nearly as aggressively as he should have, but his spending and regulatory policies will set our government so far into debt that we will some day not be able to afford an adequate defense. The result will be revolution, civil war, invasion, or any combination of the above.
Because W never embrace conservatism, I fear that the US has reached a tipping point at which more than half of the people believe in the free lunch, and will vote for politicians who promise to steal from everyone else to provide for their free lunch. We have become a nation of kleptomaniacs. That cannot be sustained forever.
W, we’ve been assured by Rush Limbaugh, is a really nice guy, but I remember him saying the same thing about David Dinkins.
Jorge destroyed the Republican "brand" image and in the process appears to have destroyed America as we face marxist socialism without any way to stop it short of another revolution.
IF Kerry and Gore had “ruled” (as the left views it) during Nine Eleven, we would still be making nice with the terrorists and facing two or three more massive killing sprees from a growing Al Quaida. . which would only result in more navel gazing by the left, wondering what else we “evil” Americans had done to make them mad. - President Bush just simply decided we hadn’t done anything worthy of their bad behavior, and then proceeded to decide to actually do something to give them something to be mad about.
Hoover, Eisenhower, Nixon,Ford, both Bush’s. The GOP has stayed pretty much consistent. I can see from GOP royalty, if you have been in the inner loop for generations, how you would feel that it isn’t you, the GOP aristocracy that is out of touch, but us.
However, we used to live in a more physical conservative nation. We didn’t have to have a conservative political force, because for the most parts we actually lived in conservative world. Anti-abortion, pro family, church, military service, charity not welfare, free to farm/build/make on your own land.
You can not do any of that, nor live that way. We, conservatives are now socially and economically illegal.
But all during this we have had a liberal elite running and electing and badly fighting, or even going along or in the case of every Republican President, actively expanding the government state, power, taxes and now debts.
Now we need a unified, branded, voice and power. There is no way the GOP aristocracy is going to other than a seat at the back of the bus, share. Heck, they couldn’t wait to get rid of mean old Ronald Reagan.
I can sympathize. I think the Republican party has left conservatism in an attempt to appeal to the center and catch more votes. Ironically, I believe it has done the opposite of attract more votes. With no clear ideological contrast to Obamama, it turns into a beauty contest, and the Dems are good at giving an articulate attractive image with their candidates.
The next Republican of significance will be a “Reagan” in that they will not be afraid of being conservative. Not Neo-con, not compassionate conservative. But personal responsibility, personal liberty, small government, patriotic conservative, while showing the evils of socialism/communism/big government/cradle to grave paternalism.
We will have no choice shortly. The economic disaster that is sure to follow Obamama’s 1 to 2 trillion dollar deficits will either require a massive retreat from socialistic programs and theology or a head long dive into communism.
I disagree. Bush behaved very, very Republican. Bush, McCain are very very Republican.
Hoover, big government.
Eisenhower, big government.
Nixon, big government.
Ford, big government.
Ronald Reagan, smaller government, unsuccessful.
HW Bush, big government.
GW Bush, big government.
How did GW ‘ruin’ the brand?
Or...
Was it a case of us, seeing what the ‘brand’ really and always was?
We fooled ourselves. We were sold, and in the face of evidences and history, bought it.
Who’s fault is that?
The things mentioned in your post are certainly factual. Another interesting account of some of Bush’s leadership failures and lack of any true conservative convictions is given in Bill Gertz’s new book, “The Failure Factory.” This book can’t be dismissed as the usual Bush-bashing because Gertz is a genuine and long-time conservative who really wished that Bush had not failed to advance a conservative agenda.
wasn't the remainder mostly due to 9/11?
1. increased military spending - men, equipment, and material,
2. costs related to Iraq and Afghanistan training locals and reconstruction costs
3. Homeland Security - very large expenses involved, including the TSA - men and material
All unanticipated on his election day, but necessary for the survival of the nation.
Ideological beliefs are the foundation that has been compromised in every way, and it is the McCain/Bush/Bush Big Gov Republicans that have “compromised” in order to claim like Rodney King, “can’t we just get along?”.
The honest conservative answer to that answer is “NO”.
Last March legislation was introduced to reduce an income tax enacted back in 01 - a 'temporary' increase in rates to help the State Government "through some lean times." The repeal was introduced by a GOP state senator from Shreveport.
At first, Jindal's allies tried to kill the bill in committee, but it got to the floor. Then they tried to amend it to death on the floor, but after much hair-pulling and a hugh phone effort by conservatives allied with conservative radio host Moon Griffon, it got passed.
Then last summer came the biggie. The Legislature put up a bill to triple its pay. It got out of committee and passed both houses. Jindal claimed "he could do nothing" because he didn't want to "meddle" in the affair of the Legislative Branch.
Talk radio sizzled. Editorials. Blogs. We threw a ring-tailed fit. Finally, after Jindal was met with protesters and sign-carrying demonstrators at an event that was caught on TV, he folded and vetoed the bill.
All this was talked about here, and was debated and posted. Look for keyword Jindalwatch.
To be fair, I like Jindal and voted for him and will vote for his re-election. He's head and shoulders above any Governor we've had in my lifetime.
But he's a Big Government Republican and we conservatives need to know this.
Absolutely Not!
Re-read the article for many other examples of wasteful Bush programs ... and then remember that Bush left his veto pen unsheathed for roughly two thirds of his administration.
Any way you slice it, the guy was a Rino dud. Admittedly better than Bonehead Gore and Lurch Kerry -- but in no way conservative.
Bush Bashing liberals? How about plain old pissed off covservatives who have long been fed up with “W” and his mindless defenders.
Don’t worry about anyone coming after you. You’re as brain dead as “W” if you think he was anything but bad for this nation and the conservative movement.
“My wish is, that rather than Dallas, Bush should move to Mexico City to live among “his people”.
I’m A CONSERVATIVE and I will give your a big AMEN!
Thank God that BUSH is GONE for GOOD!
More US citizens were killed by Illegals here in the USA than all the Middle East fighting combined.
Thank You Mr. BUSH for being the most corrupt President in our nations History!
http://www.kxmc.com/getARticle.asp?ArticleId=71974
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53103
These policies certainly didn't help teh Republican Party, whose strength in Congress declined during the 1950's. After the GOP was routed in the 1958 elections, it was practically moribund. The Republican Party rebounded during the 1960's when it came under more conservative leadership--and the same could happen to the post-Bush GOP.
Bush’s problems were many, but they all boil down to two things.
1) He let the media set the tone for his entire Presidency. Bush did plenty of good things, but failed miserably highlighting those things. He could’ve and should’ve used alternate resources in the media - blogs, forums like Free Republic, conservative news outlets - but didn’t.
2) In eight years he never learned that the opposition doesn’t give, they only take. In a rational world, if you give someone what they want you can expect something back. Washington isn’t part of the rational world. He got rolled by Democrats on multiple occasions.
Of course, I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt here. There is always the possiblitiy that Bush actually believed that profilagate Federal spending will cure society’s ills.
President Bush apparently was not aware of who the liberal left really is as they made 'compassion' his Achilles heel. He told US he worked well with democrats in Texas and he would do the same in WDC.
Anyone remember what was going on in Congress after the liberal left tried to steal an election? Trash the White House? Before 9/11? Why I remember Rummy being the biggest object of HATE because he had the nerve to come and take on a 'bottom - up' review of our military.
It is all to easy and dishonest to mark guilty President Bush for the actions of the Supremes and the Congress as we do have a three branch government. And liberals know full well the RHINOs among US have their same egos and lusts and desires.
How about the American people... are they not responsible for returning the same fill to the brim egotistic liberals who are part and party to what is now going to be forever branded the Bush legacy?
I remember Clintonism, wall builders, liars, cheats, and thieves whose stated policy was equalization of all nations. Oh and the media how they were diligent in their daily deceptions of all things evil lead to President Bush.
It is as if 9/11 never happened, and where we stand today is all because of President Bush... sorry I lived it and I won't participate in deception.
I think that the Dems have approached the whole political opposition concept differently than the Reps. Dems see politics as War by other means, so to speak. (Picture Ram Emanual stabbing the table with his steak knife while screaming death to his Rep adversaries) Without the physical, or even rhetorical violence to a point. Reps have been too civil, and compromised too much. It has gotten them nowhere, but where they are now. I don’t even consider myself a Republican any more, but Conservative. In any event we had better wake up as to who we are dealing with.
And I forgot to mention. Not only had we better wake up as to who Dems are, but we had better figure out who WE are.
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