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HOW CONSERVATIVE IS PRESIDENT BUSH?
The Cato Institute ^ | August 3, 2002 | By Veronique de Rugy

Posted on 08/04/2002 8:30:36 PM PDT by Uncle Bill

How Conservative Is President Bush?

The Cato Institute
By Veronique de Rugy
August 3, 2002
Source

Veronique de Rugy is a fiscal policy analyst at the Cato Institute.

President Bush may be repeating the sins of his father. Although elected on a Reaganesque, tax-cutting platform, the White House has veered to the left. President Bush has signed a bill to regulate political speech, issued protectionist taxes on imported steel and lumber, backed big-spending education and farm bills, and endorsed massive new entitlements for mental health care and prescription drugs. When the numbers are added up, in fact, it looks like President Bush is less conservative than President Clinton.

It makes little sense to discourage one's core supporters prior to a mid-term election. Yet that is the result when a Republican president expands government, which Bush is doing. Also, academic research on voting patterns shows that a president is most likely to get re-elected if voters are enjoying an increase in disposable income. Yet making government bigger is not a recipe for economic growth. After all, there is a reason why Hong Kong grows so fast and France is an economic basket case. But you can't tell that to the Bush administration.

Administration officials privately admit that much of the legislation moving through Congress represents bad public policy. Yet they argue either that everything must take a back seat to the war on terror (much as the first Bush administration treated the war against Iraq) or that compromises are necessary to neutralize issues such as education. But motives and rationalizations do not repeal the laws of economics.

In less than two years, President Bush has presided over more government expansion than took place during eight years of Bill Clinton. For instance:

Those policy decisions make government bigger and more expensive. They also slow the economy and hurt financial markets -- read the headlines lately? For all his flaws, President Clinton's major policy mistake was the 1993 tax increase. Other changes, such as the welfare reform bill, NAFTA, GATT, farm deregulation, telecommunications deregulation, and financial services deregulation, moved policy in a market-oriented direction.

Perhaps most importantly, there was a substantial reduction in federal spending as a share of gross domestic product during the Clinton years. Using the growth of domestic spending as a benchmark, Clinton was the second most conservative president of the post-World War II era, trailing only Ronald Reagan.

To be sure, much of the credit for Clinton's good policy probably belongs to the Republican Congress, but that is not an excuse for bad policy today. And on one positive note, President Bush has "promised" to fight for partial privatization of Social Security. Yet, so far, President Bush has not vetoed a single piece of legislation. Needless to say, this means it will be rather difficult to blame "big-spending" Democrats if the economy continues to sputter.


Compassionate Conservatism Means Big Government

No To 'Compassionate Conservatism'
"Marvin Olasky, the former Marxist journalism professor who coined the term. But he and George W. Bush are barking up the wrong tree if they think "compassionate conservatism" is going to rally popular support necessary to effect the real change needed to turn this country around."

President Highlights Compassionate Conservative Agenda for Inner Cities


If You Want Increasing Huge Government, Vote Bush

BUSH SPENDING BILL LARGEST EVER

U.S. quietly OKs fetal stem cell work - Bush allows funding despite federal limits on embryo use

Bush Signs Largest Family Planning Bill In U.S. History

Un El día En El la vida de Jorge W. La arbusto

OPEN BORDERS

Bush's 'open door' slammed

"I told the Congress that I want to make sure that the Mexican citizen here is well-respected," Bush said. "And one way to do that is to pass 245I."

CFR - "I Believe In Free Speech"

Meanwhile, Back On The Farm

Bush Urges Congress To Deliver on Prescription Drugs For Medicare

GOP Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Advances in House - Another Trillion Dollars

Pig Book - 2002

Orgy At Federal Trough

Bush and House Republicans Push Legislation For Full Drug Subsidies For Low-Income Elderly

Bush Prepares 'Big-Time' Response To African Famine

Government Spending - War Against The Stock Market

Bush signs debt-limit increase

Bush Pushes Minority Homeownership

Bush's Food Stamp Plan Called Ethnic Pandering

Bush Wants Food Stamps For Non-Citizens

Worse Than Drunken Sailors!

Senate Clears Way For Trade Bill - More Spending

BUSH AND THE BIG GOVERNMENT GOP

Security Bill Loaded With Wasteful PORK

Senate Ok's $31.5 Billion Anti-Terror Bill Loaded With Pork

How Bad Can Things Get?

George W. Bush and Gun Control

Bush Pushes Gore Plan For Orwellian Government

Bush Backs Down From Immunity Demand - Caves Again

Bush administration has been "as bad, if not worse" than the Clinton administration when it comes to the transfer of sensitive technologies to the People's Republic of China

BUSH, G7 to pay $20 billion to get rid of Russian nuke stockpiles

George W. Bush - The Global Warming Sell-Out

Dubya's New Deal - The New FDR

Bush Won't Label Arafat A Terrorist

George W. Bush's Terrorist Buddy

"When peoplelose faith in their institutions they trust to enforce the law, justice is no longer possible."

Bush Caves On Airport Screeners

Bush's Latest Srategic Mistake

BUSH: NINE FORMER PRESIDENTS WRONG; CLINTON RIGHT!

CRISIS? WHAT CRISIS? GEORGE BUSH'S NEVER-ENDING DOMESTIC BUDGET BUILD-UP - Father Like Son

Bush Appoints Four More Homosexuals

Dr. James Dobson Criticizes Bush Appointment to the CDC

Bush Pushes $500 Million HIV/Aids Funding For Africa

Bush to Propose Another $100 Million Over Five Years for Education in Africa

Are You Fat? No Problem, George W. Bush Will Help

House Conservatives Budge on Arts Spending

Bush Cheers Government Support For Art

Bush to Name Justice Dept. BUILDING After Kennedy

GOP Right In Iowa Fear Purge

GOP Leaders Spurn Right in Key Races

Laura Ingraham's analysis of yet another Bush betrayal

Bush decisions rankle conservatives

BUSH PROPOSES LARGEST EXPANSION OF GOVERNMENT SINCE TRUMAN

Bush's Record Calls into Question His Conservative Label

Conservatives Question Dubya's Direction

Conservatives not satisfied with Bush's record

Bush, Ashcroft Run Roughshod Over Bill Of Rights, Study Says

Republicans: Big Government Addicts

A Few Questions For Die-Hard Bush Supporters

Are Republicans losing their constituency?

Ann Coulter: BUSH PAYS HOMAGE TO THE FETISHISTIC RITUALS OF LIBERALISM

Compassionate conservatism is about socialism, not Americanism

Bush is jettisoning his principles for what?

Bush: stop the runaway federal spending and regulating!

Mark Levin Hammers Bushbots

Was Clinton More Conservative Than Bush? - Fox News

Bush: A Democrat in Republican clothing?

Bush continues Clinton Agenda

GEORGE W. BUSH: CLINTON'S THIRD TERM ©


Bush's Court Jester


"Another way to make sure that we foster growth and restore confidence is to hold people accountable for misdeeds in the public sector."
George W. Bush - University of Alabama at Birmingham Alys Stephens Center - July 15, 2002.

NOTE: Do As I Say, Not As I Do.


A Bush administration insider has privately leaked word that a deal was struck between Democratic congressional leaders and the Bush White House not to prosecute Bill and/or Hillary Clinton

Bush Administration Lawyers Defending Hillary - Gratis

Bush and Ashcroft Justice Dept. Hamstringing Pardongate Probers.

Bill Clinton broke the law and the Republicans let him off the hook.

What we need is the tough Newt Gingrich back.

"As far back as April 7, 1998, then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich was asked on NBC’s Today if he were going to press for impeachment. His response: "No, we don’t have any evidence."
Source.

Al Gore Broke The Law and the Republicans let him off the hook.

"I don’t care if you have proof that he raped a woman, stood up and shot her dead, you’re still not going to get 67 votes."

Bush Says He Wants to Let Clinton 'Move On'
"Listen, here's my view: I think it's time to get all of this business behind us. I think it's time ... to allow the president to finish his term, and let him move on and enjoy life and become an active participant in the American system. And I think we've had enough focus on the past. It's time to move forward." - George W. Bush.

Bush Won't Dwell On Clinton Affair, "We're Moving Forward"
"B/S, Mr Bush. Clinton is a criminal and a traitor. We demand a thorough investigation and prosecution. Our Republic is dead and our liberty is at stake if the next administration does not clean up this mess for now and forever more. Corrupt politicians must pay the price for subverting our Constitution and using their offices for personal gain."
4 Posted on 01/20/2000 14:17:56 PST by Jim Robinson


A Republic If We Can Keep It - Bush Trashing The Constitution

It's About The Republic, Not The Republican

How Big Is The Government's Debt? - $33.1 TRILLION

There Must Be Some Way Out Of Here


"Not over my dead body will they raise your taxes,"
George W. Bush - SOURCE.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial
KEYWORDS: biggovernment; bush; conservatism; constitution; fraud; socialism; spending; waste
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To: Texasforever
Every president from FDR onwards has ignored the fact that we're a constitutional republic. W isn't alone there. You think working within the system when the system has broken down is possible. I don't.
441 posted on 08/05/2002 2:13:32 AM PDT by HalfIrish
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To: HalfIrish
That's right, dear, President Bush has " covered up " for the Clintons. Yep, okay, right, you know EVERYTHING ... NOT !

Unlike you </B., nether my head, nor anyother part of me is buried in anything. I stated historical facts, and you ooooooooooooooooooooooze emotion.

442 posted on 08/05/2002 2:15:08 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: nopardons
You're telling me with a straight face that all of Ashcroft's deep sixing of investigations into Chinagate, etc are not proactive?

And please respond in bold again while accusing me of being the emotional one.

443 posted on 08/05/2002 2:17:53 AM PDT by HalfIrish
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To: Twodees
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ... you can remember that I am a webbie, when it suits you ; but, you feigned ignorance that I am a woman, and played your " I'm a Southerner , innocence game ", recently, when I called you out, for calling me " buddy ".

I suggest that you stop attributing specious things to people, whom you are personally attacking, sub rosa, and whom you really don't know anything about. These gambits just aren't working and you continually look the fool.

444 posted on 08/05/2002 2:19:55 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: terilyn
I entered the damn date of birth which Reg could have found here had he looked hard enough or saved it for future reference

Wow. So y'all give out your full DOB on the swoonfest threads and not just the month and day. Why do you do that? Isn't that asking for trouble?

One of the most common signs of an ex-alcoholic is that they can never admit they are wrong.

There's no such thing as an "ex-alcoholic". Believe me because I'm in a position to tell you. Alcoholics who don't drink are still alcoholics. Maybe your husband and father in law can't admit it when they're wrong. I'll admit I'm wrong when I know I'm wrong. I hope you'll do the same but it isn't going to worry me.

445 posted on 08/05/2002 2:22:04 AM PDT by Twodees
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To: Texasforever
The House is much more important than the Senate. Nearly all bills originate in the House. The Senate is good for nominations and treaties. Reagan did all he could to destroy the evil empire, and he succeeded. Reagan actually slowed down the spending binge of the 70s. On the other hand, Bush only accelerated Clinton's spending spree. If Bush was serious about his Axis of Evil speech, then he would put China into that category. But, Bush does not have the balls to do that. He is in fact helping out the Axis of Evil. He must go!
446 posted on 08/05/2002 2:22:51 AM PDT by Satadru
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To: HalfIrish
Please go do some research about ALL of the presidents. Some did NOTHING much, some were drunks, some were corrupt (long before the Clintons showed up in D.C. ), one was a closet homosexual, and NONE , not even George Washington, himself, did what you claim you want / they did ... behaved as though we live in a " Constitutional Republic ". FYI ... we live in a REPRESENTATIVE REPUBLIC ; but thanks fgor playing. :-)
447 posted on 08/05/2002 2:23:45 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: Texasforever
Sometimes the truth requires very few words.

That is why you should maintain absolute silence.

448 posted on 08/05/2002 2:25:56 AM PDT by Satadru
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To: nopardons
I see where you may have inferred that I thought all the prez's before FDR were good team players. That wasn't my intention. I just like to concentrate on the prez's that have done the most in my time to ruin the Founders' dream. Surely you can dodge the assertion some other way? I know you remember it -- that W's administration is proactive on sweeping Clinton's mess under the rug.
449 posted on 08/05/2002 2:30:10 AM PDT by HalfIrish
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To: sinkspur
Are you claiming that Bush is more pro-life than Reagan. Is that a joke? There would have been no pro-life movement without Reagan. Reagan first instituted the Mexico City policy. Reagan did not start government subsidy to carry out fetal stem-cell research. Bush did. Reagan was the first to talk about a Constitutional amendment to ban abortion. Bush probably does not even know what it means.
450 posted on 08/05/2002 2:32:04 AM PDT by Satadru
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To: HalfIrish
I give up, you win, Jefferson was investigated after he left office, as were Burr, both Adamses, Jackson, Grant, Harding, Wilson,Carter etc. ; jailed too, and some hung . I bow to your expertise. WOW ... I am sooooooooooo impressed by your historical facts and sources. NOT !

You are abjectly lacking in substansive , expert historical facts. You are unable and / or unwilling to comprehend even the simplist facts concerning political reality and historical precident, or lack thereof. You haven't ince given a reliable source, which corroborates your emotional suppositions. Ergo, write whatever silly things you care too. As for me, this is the end of this rather pathetic " debate ".

451 posted on 08/05/2002 2:32:50 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: nopardons
Aw please, lady. I was just reminded of your webTV affliction lately. Really I give you very little thought. What you say is never interesting and your have an irritatingly snotty manner of addressing everyone. If you say I called you buddy, I won't argue, but I really don't recall exchanging wiords with you lately.
452 posted on 08/05/2002 2:36:57 AM PDT by Twodees
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To: Texasforever
Why did Reagan tell Republicans that the Brady Bill was a good law and that they should support it?

The Brady Bill!!!! That was way after Reagan's days. In fact, I would be surprised if he still was in sound health at that time. Do you have any proof of this? Never mind, I am sure you don't. But Reagan's days are over. As much as you try to deflect this, this debate is not about Reagan. It is about how pathetically liberal Bush is. You can badmouth Reagan all you want, but this kind of Democratic tactic would not elevate your man.

453 posted on 08/05/2002 2:38:07 AM PDT by Satadru
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To: Twodees
You suffer from selective memory. That won't wash either.

BTW, you NEVER have anything of value to say and you are a weasle, a liar, a poltoon, and don't write English well .

454 posted on 08/05/2002 2:39:50 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: Miss Marple
Social conservatives should approve of the president's pro-life positions

Is that a joke? Guess what, those babies who are killed on taxpayer's expense so that Bush can get Michael J. Fox's vote are not laughing.

455 posted on 08/05/2002 2:41:47 AM PDT by Satadru
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To: TLBSHOW
"What is the answer to the problems?"

Political correctness is just another tool, although a very effective one, that is a natural continuum, from the party line. We are seeing it before our very eyes. It is a heritage of communism, but as would be expected, Americans don't see this.

Since the American people are the problem, as they are participating in and running faster towards socialism and Marxist tenets, it will not be "fixed." There is a grasping hope for some that the big government socialists will be run out of the Republican party power structures and start electing real small government politicians to begin the decades long process of restoring the Republic. That makes no sense, as Americans are growing in number that believe it's fine to have the government steal their neighbors hard earned money for their domestic personal bliss and give it to them in a variety of forms. It's so bad they believe it's their God-given right.

Not to mention we are witnessing a president facilitating nothing less than a foreign invasion whose goal is to takeover and annex portions of the U.S. to further the balkanization of America, and institute the full-blown nanny welfare state. Heck, they actually think it belongs to them.

Bush has given full license to law-breaking, and finished off any resemblence of the rule of law, foundational Constitutional pillars by turning his back on the Clinton crimes and throwing all accountability in the sea of never-to-return.

The following mission statement, when compared to Bush's socialist run for big government nannyhood, seems so far away that it sadly almost becomes laughable.

There are many silent Americans that have thrown up their hands and turned there backs on any hope of restoring the Republic, and, when confronted with the weak, corrupt, and pitiful candidates they are presented with, it's hard to blame them. However, one day they will be sorry they didn't storm the gates so to speak and throw the bums out.

Again, I could outline many solutions, but it would be a waste of time, knowing the dreadful state of Americans love of socialism, ignorance and their determination to run over the cliff to slavery, totalitarianism and almost a gleeful push to kill a once great Republic. We are witnessing the fall of it. There can be no world government with a strong vibrant Republic. Don't take my word for it, take theirs.

ABOUT FREE REPUBLIC
What is our mission? Free Republic is dedicated to reversing the trend of unconstitutional government expansion and is advocating a complete restoration of our constitutional republic. Listed below are some of the issues we feel strongly about.

Basically, we believe that the Founders designed our system of government in the form of a constitutionally limited republic, with maximum freedom intended for the people and minimum government control or interference into our personal lives and business affairs.

The united states of America was intended to be a federation of sovereign states, each with its own constitution and state government. Governments at all levels -- federal, state and local -- were to be controlled by the people. Our Constitution explicitly restricts the power of our federal government; and our Bill of Rights guarantees that NO government may infringe upon our God given unalienable rights. This is to ensure that the real power remains close to home, with the states, the local governments and always in the hands of the people.

We the People have granted our federal government limited powers to oversee certain things, such as national defense, interstate commerce, the postal service, the coining of money, and the operation of a court system. Most other powers now in the hands of the federal government were illegally usurped from the states and from the people.

Somehow, over the years, our guiding principles of law, as set forth in the Constitution, have been eroded to the point that the federal government now has total control -- leaving the states impotent and the people as captive servants to the federal government. This must be reversed if we are to survive as a free Republic and a free people.

We at Free Republic are determined to return the Constitution to its rightful place as the Supreme Law of the land as the Founders intended.

It is not necessary for everyone to hold the same views to be members of Free Republic, however, many of us do share many of the following as common beliefs and goals:


456 posted on 08/05/2002 2:44:03 AM PDT by Uncle Bill
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To: Moonman62
With Reagan we had a "Shining City on a Hill". With Bush we have a shiny new government office on every street.

Right on, brother! That comment sums up all of GW in a nutshell. I am glad that some people remember the 80s. I am sick to death when people compare Reagan's days to Bush's. Noone understands the enormous welfare state that Reagan inherited and what he had to do to turn the tide. Never forget that Reagan made Tip O'Neil vote for his tax cut. Bush, on the other hand, started a love-thy-Democrat orgy fest in Washington.

457 posted on 08/05/2002 2:47:35 AM PDT by Satadru
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To: nopardons
Citing political grievances of two hundred years ago bolstered your point how..? You won't admit that Bush's administration squashed investigations into the Clinton's lawbreaking no matter how many links, sources, articles, etc. are posted. You've ignored or tried to explain away the hundreds of thousands of words already posted on the subject in this forum. No point in dredging them up again to try and change your mind. Searching the forum is easy for anyone wishing to read up on it without taking your word--or mine--on it.
458 posted on 08/05/2002 2:48:02 AM PDT by HalfIrish
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To: nopardons
Please name a 20th century president, who was more Conservative than the current President Bush.

How about Coolidge? Hoover was excellent as well.

459 posted on 08/05/2002 3:07:17 AM PDT by Satadru
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To: Texasforever
Actually it was a simple turkey shoot.

Yeah, if you go around whispering vague threats to the turkey for three days before you let someone ELSE do the work and they pretty much tag it though with entirely too much ramp up and sloppy delivery-more of an eventually fatal gutshot...yeah TF you were AT a turkey shoot.

And you're a real badass...< /you know, sarcasm. the only language you speak...and poorly at that. you don't even qualify as a bushbot...you're just a loud mouth hostile blowhard who is too lazy to debate on the issues being discussed so you just insult people till they leave...yeah you went to the turkey shoot, allright but it took 400 entries to identify PART of what Twodees was maintaining was indeed a mistake in his position while your reprehensible threatening and intimidating behavior THROUGHOUT THIS THREAD demonstrated conclusively that this entire forum is circling the drain, if your postings are any indication.

What you are is a disgusting, self important, element of devolution in intellectual discourse back to Social Darwinism. Your behavior is an embarassment to rational political discourse and you are the one that should be banned not twodees and not the suspended Registered. Registered overstepped a rule one time...You've openly threatened and abused posters on every thread I've ever seen you on...I find you repugnant as a human being and unworthy of any consideration of your opinions on politics or anything else...

Your internal dialogue is probably too good at shoring up your pathetically fragile sense of self worth to identify any aspects of your behavior in what you just read. I wouldn't point that out except you're participating in a national forum constructed to try and rescue this country from socialism. I bet you are at least subconsciously aware that your comportment is providing a wonderful argument for LEFTIE SUPPORTERS! I really wish you would solve your personal issues on your own time rather than swaggering around injuring the cause of freedom while you wait for the next setback to your externally defined self esteem.

Now go break your arm off patting yourself on the back. That feeling won't last. You're nothing but a junkyard dog masquerading as a debater. Go ahead and threaten me too. I don't support disclosure of private information. And BTW Twodees acknowledged the same position about 200 posts back!..but the level of hostility you demonstrated toward twodees shouldn't be allowed on professional wrestling...I'm not a lawyer but I'd call it actionable as part of a pattern of behavior. But I'd like to see you go over this thread and demonstrate that free commentary was not being systematically discouraged. I'd actually grant you a total victory and leave Free Republic if you could do that..I'll be back tomorrow to see how you do...Any bets I won't? Bark...this is the biggest yard you'll ever get until you learn some manners...Now go ping your clique like a good pack animal. Win or lose I'll find a way to help keep the Constitution alive...What's your agenda if I may be so forward as to ask?

460 posted on 08/05/2002 3:11:57 AM PDT by sleavelessinseattle
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