Posted on 07/20/2003 5:29:31 AM PDT by RJCogburn
Edited on 04/13/2004 2:10:31 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
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.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
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.
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!
And while these increases are insignificant in terms of the total picture, they are highly symbolic of a budget process that isn't working.
...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.
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.
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.
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.
Even after RJCogburn excerpted the best part:
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.
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.
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!
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!
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