Author Topic: Conservative group bashes Bush policies  (Read 575 times)

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Offline Dali Llama

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Conservative group bashes Bush policies
« on: January 10, 2005, 08:12:01 AM »
Conservative group bashes Bush policies

By Donald Lambro
THE WASHINGTON TIMES


A blunt critique being released today by the Heritage Foundation says President Bush and the Republicans have too often pushed big spending programs, contrary to their campaign promises, made again in 2004, to move the government in a more conservative direction.
    In a surprisingly critical assessment of Mr. Bush's policies and programs of the past four years, the conservative think tank praised the president for strengthening national security and cutting taxes to promote economic growth.
 
     But the report also took him to task for massive spending increases in Medicare entitlements, education and farm subsidies, and for imposing protectionist steel tariffs that hurt consumers and manufacturers.
    Heritage President Edwin J. Feulner, who has been one of Mr. Bush's staunchest supporters, said, "It remains to be seen whether the rhetoric of the campaign will be manifest in Washington in the coming years. Sadly, commitment to principle has been missing in Washington's politics for quite some time now.
    "Ronald Reagan's summary of how the government thinks — 'If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it' — remains very much alive today," Mr. Feulner said.
    It was especially "disappointing ... to see Congress pass, and the president sign, the biggest farm bill and the biggest education bill in our nation's history, as well as the largest entitlement increase since Lyndon Johnson's so-called Great Society," he said.
    Too many federal regulations were being imposed on the U.S. economy, which was ranked as the fourth-freest economy in 2000 and since has fallen into 10th place, he said.
    Writing in the foundation's "Mandate for Leadership" book, which presents a set of principles and proposals for the administration to follow over the next four years, Mr. Feulner and other senior Heritage analysts said Mr. Bush and the Republican Congress have "a mandate to roll back the welfare state," but also expressed dismay over many of Mr. Bush's actions in his first term.
    The book credited Mr. Bush for taking "principled positions" in the campaign for free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values and a strong national defense that were "at the center of the election debate" and helped "swell public support for the president and for those lawmakers who embraced them."
    But in the book's introduction, Stuart Butler, Heritage vice president for domestic and economic studies, and Larry Wortzel, vice president for international studies, said several of Mr. Bush's legislative initiatives and executive actions "have been at odds with these principles."
    "The Medicare drug legislation, for instance, conflicted directly with the goal of limiting government and reducing entitlements, and instead piled trillions of dollars of new debt onto our children and grandchildren," they said.
    "Similarly, public diplomacy has been weak, and sound foreign policy initiatives have failed to win support from our allies because they were not accompanied by well-planned public diplomacy efforts," Mr. Butler and Mr. Wortzel said.
    "Observers can therefore be forgiven for concluding that Bill Clinton's declaration that 'The era of big government is over' now seems rather premature," they said.
    "Mandate for Leadership" lays out principles and proposals in chapters that deal with the size and scope of the government, economic growth, terrorism, civil society, freedom and responsibility, national security, foreign policy and promoting free trade. Among its proposals:
    •Federal budget caps that restrict spending increases to the inflation rate plus population growth.
    •A commission appointed by Congress similar to the military base-closing commissions, to eliminate wasteful, outdated, duplicative and needless programs.
    •A new judicial confirmation rule in the Senate that requires an up-or-down vote on each nominee within six months of nomination.
    •A constitutional amendment "to preserve and protect marriage as a fundamental social institution and to protect it from activist judges."
    •A plan to let workers to invest some of their payroll taxes in Social Security personal retirement accounts.
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Offline jh45gun

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Conservative group bashes Bush policies
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2005, 10:52:27 AM »
Like my dad used to say " some folks would {{complain}} ( Not the origional word :) ) if they were hung with a golden rope! " The way I look at it Bush may not be perfect or maybe all his policies but to me they have to be a lot better than any of the liberals BS! TO me the Liberals  and democrats Ideas are way more scary than what the Conservatives and Republicans are doing. That is why I have voted Republican for  the last dozen years or so.
Said I never had much use for one, never said I didn't know how to use it.

Offline jh45gun

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Conservative group bashes Bush policies
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2005, 11:13:37 AM »
I was refering to the article not You TM7  but I agree it is ok to criticise just as long as you do not loose sight of the big picture. :)  :)  :)
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Offline Dali Llama

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Conservative group bashes Bush policies
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2005, 01:32:06 AM »
Quote from: TM7
no reason why people  [remember government by and for the people] can't criticize him and the government in effort to steer and tell them what the people want.

Even liberals, ask Dali Llama? :-)
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Offline Mauser

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Conservative group bashes Bush policies
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2005, 05:48:41 AM »
JH:

What is the "big picture"?  Undoubtably John Kerry, in the short term, would govern us worse than GWB, but in the BIG picture (read long term), under Bush we are going in the same direction just at a slower rate.  His phrase "compassionate conservatism" is just spin for "a little less socialism".  More importantly, GWB's immigration policies are arguably just as bad or worse than what Kerry would have done.  Mass illegal immigration is the 600lb gorilla of American life today.  If you think "conservative" values are going to remain viable politically with the modern immigrating poor with their entitlement expectations and power at the ballot box, I've got a bridge to sell you.  Bush and his advisors got all excited that he got just over 35% of the Hispanic vote.  Isn't that still a minority?  We did he have to promise as to entitlements to get that much? How much did he have to pander to their separate culture to get that much?  What percentage did he get with the Arab vote?  GWB is selling us down the river in the big picture.  I would have much less of a problem on this issue if the immigrants were as interested in assimilating as Americans as were previous generations.  We are going the way of Yugoslavia if Bush gets his way.

I know that we conservatives can't get everything we want, but who really advocates our point of view nowadays from a philosophical perspective?  It ain't GWB.  Getting a tax cut and keeping your duck gun isn't nearly enough.  

Not many here will agree with this post but we've got to wake up on immigration and assimilation quickly.

Offline jh45gun

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Conservative group bashes Bush policies
« Reply #5 on: January 11, 2005, 09:39:06 AM »
So you tell me? Bush was the only answer to this election over Kerry and if you have a better candidate for 2008 you better get the word out as the liberals are getting ready for sure! Neither party is perfect but I still will take the conservatives and Republicans over the Liberals and Democrats any day. IF you are thinking third party good luck they are too weak to be efective at the moment and I do not want to waste my vote on them weaken my Republican vote which basically gives one to the liberals. Immigration has been a problem for years and you know there is no easy answers. In WI we do not have much of a immigration problem. I still have to think in the background though what if folks did not want my great grandparents come into this country? I guess I would have never been born here. Some folks just want a better life and you cannot fault them for that so that tempers my response on immigration though I do realize we have a problem and some thing will have to be done about it but what? we have had folks crossing our borders since we have had them. Jim
Said I never had much use for one, never said I didn't know how to use it.

Offline Dali Llama

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Conservative group bashes Bush policies
« Reply #6 on: January 11, 2005, 01:32:54 PM »
Quote from: jh45gun
Bush was the only answer to this election over Kerry and if you have a better candidate for 2008 you better get the word out as the liberals are getting ready for sure!
Dali Llama say he concur.
AKA "Blademan52" from Marlin Talk

Offline Dali Llama

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Conservative group bashes Bush policies
« Reply #7 on: January 11, 2005, 01:45:54 PM »
Quote from: jh45gun
Bush was the only answer to this election over Kerry and if you have a better candidate for 2008 you better get the word out
Dali Llama say he concur.
AKA "Blademan52" from Marlin Talk

Offline Mauser

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Conservative group bashes Bush policies
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2005, 12:14:49 PM »
I'll tell you we're a heckuva lot better off not giving the impression that we're with the guy no matter what.  I voted for him and would again given the same choice, but his record is worse than not perfect.  I guess some folks think keeping their duck guns and getting a little tax cut means we have a "conservative" in office.

Immigration has not been a problem like it is becoming now.  Your ancestors and mine didn't ask for anything from anyone except to be allowed to become Americans and to work.  Is that the overwhelming attitude today?  If you do, listen to what the modern immigrants' leaders are saying for a reality check.

Offline Dali Llama

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Conservative group bashes Bush policies
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2005, 07:01:47 AM »
Quote from: Mauser
I guess some folks think keeping their duck guns and getting a little tax cut means we have a "conservative" in office.
That all too often be the case with far too many so-called "sportsmen," say Dali Llama. :(  :oops:  :(  :cry:
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Offline magooch

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Conservative group bashes Bush policies
« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2005, 07:37:10 AM »
The trick is getting elected and this country is at a point where a strict conservative agenda (low taxes, minimal government, protected borders, etc. etc.) pushes too many dependency oriented voters toward the other side (Democrat).  

I think that George Bush is a realist and I have faith that he will do what he can.  Don't forget, it's congress that writes the laws and spends the money.  The President can set policy all day long, but if the congress doesn't go along--nothing happens.
Swingem

Offline Dali Llama

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Conservative group bashes Bush policies
« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2005, 09:52:27 AM »
Quote from: magooch
this country is at a point where a strict conservative agenda (low taxes, minimal government, protected borders, etc. etc.) pushes too many dependency oriented voters toward the other side (Democrat).  

Those voters also be known as those who feel owed entitlements, say Dali Llama. :twisted:  :evil:  :x
AKA "Blademan52" from Marlin Talk