GOP truly big spender, analysis claims

[rumguy]

"It used to be that Sen. Sam Brownback calculated the national debt, to the penny, on a marker board in his office. Last week, the sign greeted visitors with a Santa Claus and a wreath.

That old debt calculator tells the story of Kansas Republicans and the GOP Congress. After nine years running the House and Senate and three years in the White House, Republicans are responsible for the largest federal spending increase in a decade."

http://www.ljworld.com/section/stateregional/story/155759

The largest federal spending increase in a decade? I want the eventual nominee to find a way to beat bush over head with this fact, this and the debt are major issues.

[wryter2000]

1. This is our wedge issue

Their profligate spending. It sickens even the most outrageous conservative. It's an embarrassment to the most hard-hearted supply-sider.

[rumguy]

2. Yes - no one likes a glutton

And the GOP has become truly a party of gluttons...

[cliss]

3. This is why the current occupants

of the White House are not Republicans. They are in fact look-alike Republicans, but they do not believe in the fundamentals of conservatives, who believe in: 1) less government spending, 2) less taxation, 3) less interference in the private individual's life.

The Bush administration has in fact pushed the deficit to the highest level in the history of this country. We're entering into uncharted waters. No one's quite sure what will happen. They believe in astronomical government spending for the military (some say it's military Keynsianism), while cutting social programs to the bone.

This administration has pushed through the Patriot Act I and II. Both of these have the effect of curtailing personal freedoms, thereby doing the opposite of #3.

As far as taxation, they believe in selective less taxation (less for the rich, but the same or possibly more for the middle class & poor).

Conclusion: they're not republicans. They're a twisted, obscene clone, like the dog in John Carpenter's movie; The Thing.

[peacetalksforall]

6. I agree with you, Cliss - the White House admin and friends are not

Republicans or citizens - they are our enemy within. They are trying to destroy us from every angle conceivable.

[LiberalFighter]

7. So what you are saying is that real Republicans are decent folks

That evil people have taken over the mantle of the Republican party.

[wryter2000]

8. Yup

A woman told me proudly recently that she used to be a Republican but she was now a New Democrat. Seems they think it's fine to let their party go to hell and come over and take ours over. Let them rescue their own damned party, I say. Leave mine alone.

[Hobarticus]

9. Dead-on!

True fiscal "conservatives", believe it or not, are not necessarily a bad thing.

Conservatism has been hijacked by extremists and morphed into a very bad thing. A "true" conservative would rather cut off their hands then run up a deficit.

Look for a lot of moderate conservatives, who understand what true conservatism is, to change sides come 11/04. I know a few myself, and they can't believe what has happened under Bush.

[enki23]

10. bullshit

you really think grover norquist and his cadre would be better than what we've got going now?

it's not hard people. they really can *both* be bad news, if for somewhat different reasons. in fact, however, the reasons aren't all that different. the republicans in power now funnel tax dollars into corporate welfare programs and and ill-conceived vendetta "wars" overseas. your "real republican" other group would completely remove corporate taxation, crush unions, remove what few measures we have left to ensure corporate accountability and worker protection, and would leave us about twenty steps to the feudal capitalism they so desire. and that's not even mentioning what your "real republicans" would do in the *social* arena. bye bye right to choose. forget separation of church and state. hello guns in the classroom. hello enforced sodomy laws. welcome to the united states of fucking texas. love them "real republicans."

both groups are working toward the same end, whether any given member realizes it or not. they just pursue it by slightly different means.

in other words: this is a load of crap. there are some "honorable" republicans, in that they *think* they're doing the right thing. big fucking deal. the witch burners of the good old days thought they were doing the right thing too.

[david_vincent]

4. It's easy to throw money around

when the people you're taking it from have to be in bed by 8:00.
This is exactly how the issue should be phrased by the Democratic candidate. So we're "safer" today? That's debatable, but what's beyond argument is that IF we're safer today, it's at the expense AND SECURITY of tomorrow's Americans.
The Republicans are responsible for the most shameful shortsightedness ever seen in this country.

[joeunderdog]

12. Plenty of Conservatives will not vote for Chimp. Check this out...

http://www.thedesertsun.com/news/stories2003/national/20031210012531.shtml

WASHINGTON -- President Bush is a "fraud" and a "disaster." He’s betraying the Reagan Revolution. He has turned the Republican Party into the "the new welfare state party."

Those are Republicans talking. And that rage from Republicans who favor small government and fiscal restraint, both in Washington and the heartland, could mean trouble for Bush’s re-election.

"This administration has presided over one of the most massive expansions of the federal government in history," said Phil Heimlich, a Republican who serves as a Hamilton County, Ohio, commissioner. He grades Bush a D.

"Conservatives feel betrayed," said Brian Reidl, a federal budget expert at the conservative Heritage Foundation.

there's more

[JaySherman]

5. Oh, those big spending Dems! LOL nt

[GRClarkesq]

11. Whats the alternative for a fiscal conservative?

Some might stay home if they are sick of the spending, but they perceive Dems as worse on the spending issue.

[joeunderdog]

14. Read: Ralph Nader. Payback's a BITCH

Any non-Dem on the ticket will be a thorn in the side of the Chimp

[tlrowe00]

15. Any thoughts about a Democratic President and Republican Congress

Seems to me like it was pretty successful. Seeing how the Republicans can't control themselves when they have control of both? Doubt the democrats could do it either. Seems like having someone looking over your shoulder might be the best situation.

[GRClarkesq]

18. Voters do seem to have a preference for split government

The only way this is going to happen is a Dem in the White House. The Senate has too may retirements from Dems and the House is going to stay Republican due to all the safe seats gerrymandered over the years.

I think the Republican leadership in Congress might "rediscover" their fiscal conservative roots with a Dem president in order to score political points. No point now with complete control.

[yolatengo]

13. eye on the prize

complete power is MUCH more important than the deficit.

Most Republican 'fiscal conservatives' would NEVER vote for a Democrat,
even if Bush drove the fiscal train straight off the cliff with them aboard.

Most of them have their eye on the real prize; completely dismantling
the New Deal/Social Safety Net, and completely eliminating their tax
burdens.

$44 trillion deficits? No matter! *I* have my investments and my offshore
banking. When they raise (earned income) taxes 66% to pay for Bush's
deficit, *I'LL* be sitting on a beach earning dividends from international
banks and Bush (and the GOP) will see to it that neither my paper-pushing
earnings nor my estate are taxed to pay for any of this. Meanwhile, we have
complete control over the WHOLE government and in Bush's 2nd (and 3rd)
terms we can destroy the social liberalism in this country.

It all boils down to a) I don't care if my guy Bush runs up deficits because
by the time the shit hits the fan, I'll be long gone with untouchable assets,
b) at the very least, Bush needs a second term to really unleash his agenda
without re-election fears (unless we overturn Amendment XXII) and c) even
if the shit DOES hit the fan prematurely, I'm confident Bush will minimize
my share of the clean up (so we'll see skyrocketing income tax, FICA, state
taxes, etc...everything to screw the little people).

Bigby

[GRClarkesq]

16. I half agree

Their are keeping their eye on maintaining power through handing out the pork, pork and more pork. Any fiscal conservative is not going to vote for any Dem. I suppose they might favor a challenge to Bush from the right, but 1)who? and 2) not while the "war" is on.

Do they want to undo the New Deal? Right now they are expanding entitlements, not reducing. Welfare reform was interesting because they hoped Clinton would oppose it, and then they could beat him over the head with it. Now its all about keeping your job.

Rove is just triangulating on the social spending issues. Gotta be a "compassionate" conservative for the election and willing to spend the money to make it happen.

Of course, they are not spending the money in the same manner as Dems but they are still spending money, as opposed to shrinking government through smaller budgets.

[davhill]

17. Conservatives conserve nothing

Except their own power and wealth, these days.