Will Bush's Profligate Spending Draw Away Conservatives?

[Lone_Wolf_Moderate]

What I mean is, with this be a big enough issue to hurt his re-election chances? Should we Dems press hard on this issue?

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. yes, but...

if dems help, it should be subversively. no overt action should be taken, lest we be called hypocrites when we want to spend money to actually HELP people.

[x-g.o.p.er]

3. Disagree

Look, there is NO WAY any democrat contender could possibly outspend Bush. Be bold with your proposals. Bush has lost his base. How do I know? Because I used to be part of the base. I am voting for Kerry in '04. Bush's spending, (actually his IRRESPONSIBLE spending) will get a boatload of Republicans who are currently wandering in the desert to either support the dem nominee, vote Libertarian, or stay home.

He has lost many of his his most ardent supporters---with moew leaving every day.

[girl gone mad]

4. I don't think Kerry will win those voters over.

Notably, because he voted for several of the Bush spending proposals that created the problem.

The fact that he voted against the tax cut won't help either, since most of these consrvatives are for that part of Bush's agenda.

[JuniorPlankton]

8. They don't have to vote for Kerry

Just to be disgusted with both and stay home. That will help a lot!

[Frodo]

2. I'm "not sure" - Draw away conservatives to???

Kerry? Not likely.
Dean might have gotten six of them just on the "I balanced a budget" thing, but that won't matter enough.

It would take a further-right candidate (or, I guess, a strong Libertarian) to draw off votes.

[lovedems]

5. No, the argument is going to be "The spending is bad, but security

is what is important and we need to overlook spending for our own safety". And the idiots will fall for it.

[Salviati]

12. How safe is his spending binge making us?

It will be hard to reason with the people who fall for this line of crap, but we still have to try. How much safer is stupid crap like a missle shield going to make us, how is it going to protect us against terraists?

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&ncid=578&e=1&u=/nm...

<snip>
Bush Seeks Big Jump in Missile Defense Spending !

By Jeremy Pelofsky

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration will ask Congress to boost spending on missile defense by $1.2 billion next year and nearly double funding to modernize the Army in the $401.7 billion U.S. military budget for 2005, according to Pentagon documents released on Friday.
<snip>


I could see a worst case scenerio type of thing where a terrorist organization could get their hands on a nuke (probably one of those left over by the Soviet Union that bush won't spend the money to buy up) but a freeking ICBM? Give me a break! Plus, ask any respectable expert in the field that isn't employed by a defense contractor and they'll tell you that it just won't work.

If the U.S. ever gets hit by a nuke, I guarantee that it will not come over on an ICBM, it will come in a shipping container, be delivered right to one of our ports. What is the statisitc? Only something like 2-3% of all shipping containers entering the US are searched, how much has bush done to change this?

[9215]

21. He is already using this argument.

saying that the deficit is due to the war on terror.

[ComerPerro]

6. Profligate

Main Entry: 1prof·li·gate
Pronunciation: 'prä-fli-g&t, -"gAt
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin profligatus, from past participle of profligare to strike down, from pro- forward, down + -fligare (akin to fligere to strike); akin to Greek phlibein to squeeze
1 : completely given up to dissipation and licentiousness
2 : wildly extravagant : PRODIGAL
- prof·li·gate·ly adverb


Main Entry: li·cen·tious
Pronunciation: lI-'sen(t)-sh&s
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin licentiosus, from licentia
1 : lacking legal or moral restraints; especially : disregarding sexual restraints
2 : marked by disregard for strict rules of correctness
- li·cen·tious·ly adverb
- li·cen·tious·ness noun

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

7. It's a small factor, but a factor nonetheless

By itself it won't hurt him that much, but add it to the amnesty and now the NEA funding, and it might.

[radfringe]

29. don't forget that all that arm twisting and vote delay on medicare

many repubs were assured that the original costs were a 'firm' number - based on those assurances they voted for the the bill

now the 'firm' number is much much higher

bush's policies can be summed up as - Veni, vidi, VISA - I came, I saw, I charge it

[Chicago Democrat]

9. All Part of "Starve the Beast" Strategy

Give a Trillion Dollar tax cut to you super rich pals like Ken Lay. Meanwhile expand government, especially the killer-war-machine part of government. Have crazy attention diverting "programs" like a series of wars with weak opponents and promise them the moon and mars. Eventually, the deficit you created will force draconian cuts in the programs you hated all along; like Social Security & Medicare. Its basically an underhanded and sneaky way to cut popular programs. The electorate would revolt if they knew their true intentions, but thats the new reality. Its another version of the big lie.

[Nite Owl]

11. Clark has used the

phrase, "Starve the Beast' in some of his stump speeches. I wish it would be talked about more. This started with Reagan.

[myrna minx]

16. Welcome to DU , Chicago Democrat.

:hi:

[Dob Bole]

10. It already has...

I would give you the link on my site, but it has already used up its bandwidth for the day. Libertarians are especially unhappy.

Edit: While Libertarians will pretty much not be drawn to the Democratic Party this year, unless we press the Patriot Act issue, they might choose to vote for the Libertarian Party, which is good for us.

[TomNickell]

13. 'Bewildered little man'

The strong Repubs don't have to vote Demo, or even stay home. It's enough if they don't jump into arguments at the water cooloer or over the bar. Compare the current situation with 2000, when the most progressive voters were unenthusiastic about Gore or camaigning for Nader. In the event, the Nader vote was enough to swing the election; but, it was that close because a lot of moderate or disinterested voters weren't cajoled, browbeaten, arm-twisted into voting for Gore by their liberal friends or relatives.

The budget deficit (and spending) are part of a bigger package--incompetent/not up to the job/lazy/dumb/inarticulate/blew it/big mess/etc. Most voters form a judgment of the candidate's character and competence and vote on that rather than specific issues.

'The Bewildered little man with the swagger in his walk and the fear in his eyes'--Gene Lyons

[if it comes from the whitehouse it must be true]

14. Congress is to blame for high spending

At least thats how John gibson, faux and a repub from Arizona see it.

In a way they may be right, (R.) dread being looked at being "un american" and the media has convinced them that if you say no to any chimp blank check, your a louse!!

[calimary]

18. Well, that's correct, but remember, there's a REPUBLI-CON majority

in Congress. AND in the Senate. They have nowhere to go but the bathroom mirror to look for someone to blame.

[Bandit]

15. "It's the Deficit Stupid"

Should be our rallying cry. Also Cheney says Deficits don't matter what do you think?

[if it comes from the whitehouse it must be true]

17. Chicago talk radio

Mainly WLS (Cheerleader for Bush)

See it the same way, every night on the way to work for the last month 99% of callers say and agree with host/hosts:

Bush Deficits dont apply to the people, in other words to them high goverment Deficits never effect a persons life???

Quote from last night:

"Bush can spend all he likes, at least my family is safe from terra ists"

???????????????????????????????????????????????????

Baaaaa come to me sheep!!

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

19. Calls screened

The right wing talk radio shows screen their calls. Though there are many sheep like this this is part of their propaganda, to make you think the whole nation is like this and despair...

[Snappy]

20. OOOOPS

Uh...folks that Medicare Bill which is a payofff to HMOs and Drug Companies was off by 30%...$100 Billion. Sorry 'bout that.

Of course if Dubya the Dumbass gets another term he will just cancel the funding for most of it.

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ComerPerro]

23. Look

Democrats spend to benifit society. We sponsor social programs and education. Bush spending is corporate welfare, tax cuts to people who don't need them, and wars without clear purpose or strategy.

The problem is because when Democrats spend, they aren't burning the candle at both ends by decreasing revenues. Bush, however, is cutting taxes (which is the same as spending) AND spending more than any president in history.

And I wish Bush were at least giving tax cuts across the board. But he isn't. Most of the money goes to the richest Americans. Granted, they will get richer, but you can't honestly believe that corporations, when given handouts, will hire people at an actual living wage. Haven't you noticed that CEOs lead extravagant lives while their employees often make 1/100th of what the CEOs make?

Part of being conservative is the unending struggle to justify greed and selfishness.

Besides, if you don't think Bush is a lying asshole just from the fact that he lied us into a war (in which the richest sacrafice nothing); why aren't you at least offended that he campaigned as a completely different person.

Nation building is a bad idea, remember? Bush said so himself.

[FeebMaster]

24. No.

And here will be their rallying cry: "B-b-b-b-but the Democrats will spend even more."

[ComerPerro]

25. Its already starting

All over right wing radio, you hear "Just imagine if the tax and spend liberals were running things".

Well, I don't think we would be spending untold billions on a war based on lies just so Haliburton can overcharge us.

[FeebMaster]

27. The rallying cries of the right:

Gun control and small government. It doesn't matter how bad their candidates records are on either. Just remember, it could be worse. :eyes:

[Seldona]

26. You bet.

It is taking away from Bush.

It should. His fiscal record is horrible.

If that gets him less votes? More power to them.

[radfringe]

28. have heard many many conservatives

on the call-in reich-wing radio shows express their dismay at the credit-card spending done by bush*

the talk-show hosts tend to agree with the run-away spending, but prefer to blame CONGRESS as a whole for this and not focus on the fact that CONGRESS and the WHITE HOUSE is controlled by republicans

caught a snippet yesterday on CNN - it was stated there are 97 Republicans who are very concerned/dismayed with the deficits, they are concerned how this will effect the elections

the question is will these 97 republicans be able to stand up to GOP pressures (i.e. Tom Delay) or will they cave in and follow the credit-card policies