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2004 US Presidential Election
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December 30, 2003
Bush | Bush and the Base

The Washington Times carries a story that is especially amusing given the "Bush is an extremist" argument made by many of the Democratic contenders:

President Bush is beginning to anger certain hard-line conservatives, particularly over fiscal issues, the way his father did in the year before he lost to Bill Clinton in 1992.

It's not clear how deep the dissatisfaction goes, and whether it will translate to damage at the polls in November.

"I'm hearing a lot of anger," says Richard Viguerie, the guru of conservative political direct mail. "I'm beginning, for the first time, [to hear] people talk about 'it would not be the worst thing in the world if Howard Dean were president,' because the size of government would stay still rather than increase 50 percent under a second Bush administration."

***

Pat Buchanan, whose challenge of President George Bush in 1992 is credited by some conservatives as leading to the Clinton presidency, says that if it weren't for the ongoing war the current president would be facing a primary challenge.

I agree with Buchanan and Viguerie and share their frustrations. But, unlike them, I understand that one can't be a pure ideologue and succeed as president. For one thing, governing in a Republic is partly representative, and the American people as a whole are neither particularly ideological nor overwhelmingly conservative. While most Americans don't want to pay high taxes, they do seem to have an near-unending appetite for governmental programs. Furthermore, as a practical matter, the Republicans don't control the Senate. The Democratic minority is an effective check on any impulse Bush would have toward radical conservatism.

Cross-post from OTB



Posted by at December 30, 2003 01:13 PM | TrackBack
Comments

We don’t live in a fascistic world. There are always people (even in the same party) who vote against a popular president. Even FDR had his detractors. What counts is the momentum. And, right now Bush has momentum. Since Schwartzenegger won there’s been a big shift. The democrats were not only vulnerable with the clowns, Cruz and Davis; they used an old argument that Davis had been elected. Then, Schwartzenegger nudes showed up on the Internet. And, women began to say they got molested. (What other charge will remain from the 1970’s, I do not know. But Americans are very sophisticated, now, about guys and sex. Women really do ask for it.) And, the 3 grandmas, in charge of the democratic strategy for Davis all guessed wrong: Feinstein, Boxer, and Pelosi. Boxer is up for re-election in 2004. And, Bush may have the power NOW to sweep the senate. Anything that adds seats for the republicans is a bonus. (And, some day, if the republicans grow really strong as a party, they’ll have to deal with their religious nut cases.)

Posted by: carolincalifornia at December 30, 2003 05:34 PM

carolincalifornia I could care less what happens in CA, BUT - Please do go on about the ‘religious nut-cases’. For the sake of your safety, please make sure you put on a PFD before jumping into the sPacific.

Posted by: Cap'n SPIN at January 3, 2004 09:13 AM

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