There are several issues where BUsh has done fine and contiunues to do fine with my support. I agree with and support the actions in Afghanistan and Iraq. We are winning there and our enemies are being drawn to fly traps where they can be fought and eliminated there while we help the people there create much more stable and friendly nations towards us.
In general (outside of the major AWB issue) I support his stand on the 2nd Amendment.
In general I suupport his stance on abortion.
The tax cuts have been critical to the economy and nbeed to be made permanent.
His ideas for social security need to be pursued.
However, his actions as regards the border, the presecription drug program, big "compassionate" government spending, campaign finance reform and (as I said earlier) the Assault Weapon Ban are reprehensible and not worthy of support.
...and, having said that, a Gore or a Kerry would have been infintely worse on all counts.
As to the polls...that's all they are. The only important poll and approval raiting was taken in November 2004. There's another mid term poll coming up, and then the big one in November 2008.
I agree with you on all that. It just seems like he's been off the rails lately. He's always been for open borders, but on almost every issue that's come up lately, the administration (as well as most congressional Republicans) seems to be out of touch.
On the border issue, I think they think it will just go away. They don't think it has "traction." But, I think they're wrong on that one, and they're taking a big gamble. One they may well lose.
...and, having said that, a Gore or a Kerry would have been infintely worse on all counts.
IMO the R - party is broken beyond repair, and cannot be fixed from within due to the number of career politicians in its ranks.
R's are not earning conservative votes with their actions.
We need to start a Jefferson Party, taking the best planks from the republican, constitution, and libertarian platforms to make a true 'classical liberal' party, according to the definition of Hayek in "The Road to Serfdom."
"and, having said that, a Gore or a Kerry would have been infintely worse on all counts."
I don't know about that, Jeff. after having followed politics for over 30 years, two things hold true.
1) Republicans are great fighters as underdogs, so I doubt if a moron like Kerry could have done all that much damage.
2) Republicans are lost in the sauce when they have power(Ronald Reagan exception). Bush is hell bent to destroy our language and culture!!
I agree with your post, but you left out one critical issue.
In this latest frenzy of debate, we have lost sight of one of the biggest issues of our times: judicial appointments.
There are still a lot of seats that need to be filled. The longer we allow the left to distract us from this issue, the longer it allows Bush to avoid it. He obviously doesn't have much will to fight for his nominations. He makes a nomination and leaves the candidate out there by himself/herself with no presidential muscle to get them appointed.
The Left is salivating at the prospect of majorities in the houses this November, blocking all future judicial appointments, and then stacking the judicial deck against America for the next 15 years.
Remember, everything we do regarding illegal immigration is a wasted effort if there are judges who can strike it all down as a violation of civil rights.
Let's not forget: steel tariffs, Harriet Miers, pandering on 'alternative energy', signing Sarbanes-Oxley, effectively federalizing all disaster relief, abandoning Social Security reform. The bill of particulars of GWB disappointments is long.
Just letting you know, I have some friends who are running for Republican Central Committee in Montgomery County, MD who I'll support and vote for in the GOP primary this September, but immediately after that, I'm cutting up my Republican card and going independent. The choice between Republican and Democrat is dumb and dumber, slick and slimey, gross and disgusting, etc.