Posted on Friday 16 September 2005
Here’s a brief round-up of some perceptions on the Republicans’ recent, extended time in charge as it pertains to some of the traditional ideas associated with traditional conservative thought.
In the Washington Post, David Broder summarizes some of reflections from prominent conservatives in The Weekly Standard.
Andrew Sullivan makes the following observations about government spending in the current leadership versus a hypothetical liberal administration:
…fiscal conservatism as we have known it is over. No liberal Democrat would ever have managed to spend as much and as incompetently as this administration. Even in opposition, the GOP would have mounted a defense of the country’s fiscal standing against such reckless big government liberalism. But in power, the only difference between the GOP and, say, a Ted Kennedy administration is that the Republican free spending goes to different interest groups, has no restraint or domestic opposition, and rests on borrowing rather than taxing.
And another blogger asks some direct questions about how exactly conservative ideas have benefited from Republican leadership:
1) Conservatives have controlled both houses of Congress for the better part of the last decade. Since the 1996 Welfare Reform was passed, name a major legislative accomplishment other than the Bush tax cuts that made you proud to have a conservative majority in power.
2) Do you believe in small/limited government? If so, are you pleased with the growth in federal spending during the last six years of nearly-undivided Republican control?
5) Do you feel that having a conservative majority has fundamentally changed the culture of cronyism and influence-peddling in Washington D.C.? Please explain with reference to 1) Jack Abramoff, 2) Ralph Reed, or 3) Michael Brown.
9) What does being a conservative mean to you, beyond supporting the invasion of Iraq and the electoral fortunes of the Republican Party?
Tags: News and Politics
1. The ECONOMY has NOT CRASHED after 9/11.
2. The TERRORISTS have NOT STRUCK in the 4 years since 9/11.
3. TAXES have been REDUCED and EDUCATION has INCREASED – both beneficial factors for the future of America.
4. The PRICE OF OIL is MUCH LOWER than if all the armament available in Afganistan at the start of BUSH’s ATTACK on terrists had not been destroyed and had been used to overthrow the SAUDI GOVERNMENT. This is a TRUE statement, just not proveable.
Oh, yes, I forgot – 5. Changing the composition of the SUPREME COURT.
I’m guessing that you’re responding to the first question on that list which asks for legislative accomplishments other than tax cuts. None of what you have listed meets this criteria (i.e., either it’s not legislative or you’re repeating the tax cut part).
The one exception may be No Child Left Behind when you refer to education. But I think this is arguable as a conservative accomplishment at best since, a decade prior, Republicans wanted the Dept. of Education abolished.