The Republican spending orgy

Boston Globe ^ | 7/20/2003 | Jeff Jacoby

[RJCogburn]

AT THEIR national convention three years ago, Republicans pointed with pride to the GOP's record of fiscal rectitude.

''In the four decades from 1954 to 1994,'' the Republican platform declared, ''government spending increased at an average annual rate of 7.9 percent, and the public's debt increased from $224 billion to $3.4 trillion.'' Those were the profligate years, when Democrats usually controlled both houses of Congress.

[RJCogburn]

Sorry, Bushbots, but the writer is a conservative.....

To be sure, Bush's budgets have had to account for Sept. 11 and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But even when defense spending is excluded, discretionary spending has soared by nearly 21 percent in Bush's first three years. In Clinton's first triennium, nondefense discretionary spending declined slightly. If their budgets were all you had to go by, you might peg Bush for the Democrat and Clinton for the Republican.

Yes, I am more and more thinking about sitting out 04.

[sirchtruth]

RJ you and others who bash Bush because of this just don't get it! Bush came in as a "Compassionate Conservative." In alot of people's minds that has to do with Gov't giving. Bush may have started off like this, but that does not mean he would have ended up a spender.

911 puts the cabosh on all of it! (period!)

Bushes number One issue now and it will remain, is to protect us from terroist, and try to end any semblance of them.

I'm sorry, but that cost!

[sirchtruth]

...and it's not even a question of spending. It is a question of what we are going to spend on. What programs are really going to benefit people instead of the money going down the sinkhole like most democrats plans.

[joesnuffy]

Hey it's only paper....easy Al will can print more..and as long as we can buy cheap goods from China at least and we gets low interest loans to buy the stuff we cant afford so at least we can "feel" like we're rich cause we got lots of stuff...
For everything else there are credit cards

[sakic]

It's different when "they" do it.

[Drango]

9-11 or not, I don't understand how the NEA and the NIH come out of the House with budget increases? Are Hastert and Delay sleeping?

And while these increases are insignificant in terms of the total picture, they are highly symbolic of a budget process that isn't working.

[Agamemnon]

Yes, I am more and more thinking about sitting out 04.

...as you probably did in '92 also. I guess I can thank the likes of you for the first Clinton victory, then.

From what I've seen in many of your postings to FR, you appear to be a memeber of the perpetually malcontented, nominally conservative wing, which have a habit of making the good the victim of the perfect.

Amazing that you have survived the circular firing squad this long.

[RJCogburn]

I guess I can thank the likes of you for the first Clinton victory, then.

The typical silly comment....

No, you should guess you can thank GHWBush for the Clinton victory.

making the good the victim of the perfect.

You mean good such as

The gigantic prescription-drug entitlement making its way through the Capitol will force the budget even further into the red and the nation even deeper into debt.

Sorry, but these are the words, not of a 'malcontent' like me, but of a pretty reliably conservative writer.

[ishmac]

All I can say is, Bush better deliver on Supreme Court and other judicial nominees. Otherwise the base will be lukewarm as it was in 2000 (specifically evangelicals, many of whom sat out in 2000).

[mr.pink]

9-11 or not, I don't understand how the NEA and the NIH come out of the House with budget increases?

Good point...also a ban on Partial Birth Abortion (as opposed to merely a declaration that it's "naughty") should have accomplished by now.

Seems to me it's almost time for the GOP to trot out the old "flag burning ammendment" ruse.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

Cogburn is right. I campaigned actively for Bush and I do believe he is a man of moral character but he's making the Democrats look like misers.

I don't want to vote for the guy right now either. He hasn't vetoed a bill yet. The farm bill is the most bloated piece of trash ever to come down the pike. The prescription bill is a joke.

I don't even agree with my mother on a lot of things. Stop calling us names for disagreeing with Bush's spending spree.

[Gore_ War_ Vet]

Excuse me sir, you've got a little Koolaid running down your chin there, oh, it looks like it has soaked your shirt, ruined your pants, and filled your shoes.

I'll bet if you're careful you could save some of it from your shoes.

Please name a (1) spending bill Bush has vetoed!

[ModernDayCato]

Alas, you (Agamemnon) just don't get it, and never will. YOU are responsible for the President we have now. You are responsible for out of control spending, government encroachment in our private lives, and the tremendous growth of the government bureaucracy.

YOU are responsible because not only do you allow it, but you ridicule and accuse conservatives (who have been around at least as long as you and paid the same dues) who speak out against it. I've said it a gazillion times and I'll say it again: if this were the Clinton administration you would be having a hissy fit the likes of which have not yet been seen. As long as it's our side, bend over and grab your ankles.

[mr.pink]

All I can say is, Bush better deliver on Supreme Court and other judicial nominees.

Those battles have been long lost as the Dems have proven themselves willing to "go to the matresses" while the GOP seems to have given up.

Estrada was the Waterloo IMO, as well as Hillary's first head to head win over GWB.

[e_engineer]

You didn't read the article did you?

Even after RJCogburn excerpted the best part:

But even when defense spending is excluded, discretionary spending has soared by nearly 21 percent in Bush's first three years.

This congress is spending OUR money just like liberal democrats, and Bush is doing NOTHING to slow it down.

How can it be compassionate conservatism to perpetuate and grow government programs that have actually make things worse?

Unless Bush and congress change course soon, I will not be voting republican in the next election either.

[DoctorMichael]

Bush has been great on foreign policy. He was left with numerous messes by the Klintoon that have to be attended to. He also pushed for tax cuts. I WILL vote for him again.

However, the passing of the Ted Kennedy Education Bill in the face of a Republican Congress AND a Republican President was unconcionable. Furthermore, the lack of any coherent offensive to get the judiciary logjam untangled is extremely disappointing. The Pubbies, quite literally, don't want 'to lose any sleep' over the matter. Whimps and posers.

Also, the absence of ANY immigration policy and the continued flood of illegals over our southern border in the face of possible terrorism is a glaring inconsistency, IMHO.

Now.........Pork, pork, pork and more pork. THIS is disgusting!

The communists inhabiting the so-called Democratic party scare the crap out of me..........but I'm rapidly losing my patience.

[sirchtruth]

Stop calling us names for disagreeing with Bush's spending spree.

You can't take, "Bush Basher!?"

Look if you don't like Bush get of the kitchen, maybe we'll get another Clinton in the WH because of your selfish, prude take on the Bush agenda.

For your info, I disagree with the spending too, but if you know anything about Bush, you know that isn't all there is to it!

[David Isaac]

RJC is right on. Clinton was elected because GHWB was unelectable. I had hopes for the son, but those are fading very rapidly. I was very highly disappointed when Jr. was annointed as "the" GOP candiate for president, a year and a half before the election

If the Bushes are the friends of conservatives, for what possible reason would we need enemies?

A lot of us worked hard for Bush"s election in 2000. I am sure membership increased dramatically at FR when the Florida brouhaha was in progress, myself for one.

The question has been asked and is deserving of an answer. What has W. done, outside of the war on terror (and I still await the final results on that score), that has not advance the causes of liberals?

[Sir_Humphrey]

The typical silly comment.... No, you should guess you can thank GHWBush for the Clinton victory.

No yours is the silly comment. I guess since GHWBush was not the "perfect conservative" in your eyes you packed up your toys and went home. There was nothing noble or principled about those who "sat it out" in 92. Now you want to do the same for GWBush. Just think, by you not voting for Bush (in 92) at the very least you didn't cancel out a Clinton vote. Too many doctronaire conservatives did this (or voted fpr Perot as a protest) and we got 8 years of a president who lied and tried to nationalize 1/7th of the economy. GW Bush may not be my kind of conservative but I'll vote for him in heart beat because as imperfect as he is, anyone form the jackass party scares me to death in these perilous times.

Besides if you want to something constuctive and try to help the country, work for real conservatives at the local level and especially in the primary process. Don't walk away like some pissed off brat who didn't get everything he wanted because GWB does fit your defination of a "real" conservative.

Un-friggin-belivable!

[DoctorMichael]

Oh yes...........AND the drug-giveaway program.