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Special Report
The Strategy of the Not So Smart Surrender
(Page 2 of 3)
The intellectual careers of both Frum and Bartlett seem to be a great struggle to live up to the standard of "What is original is not good, and what is good is not original." They might both get a clue from the fact that Ann Coulter's last book sold several times as many copies as all the too many books that both Frum and Bartlett have ever published.
The Fallacy of the Smart Surrender
What drives both Bartlett and Frum is the notion that we are doomed to much higher taxes and spending in any event, and where conservatives can be politically effective is only in advocating the tax increases that would be least harmful to economic growth. Bartlett explains, in what he thinks is an insight to build a career on:
If conservatives refuse to participate in the debate over how revenues will be raised, then liberals will do it on their own, which will likely give us much higher tax rates and a tax system that is more harmful to growth than necessary to fund the government. Instead of opposing any tax hike, I think it makes more sense for conservatives to figure out how best to raise the additional revenue that will be raised in any event.
I have called this the Strategy of the Smart Surrender. It says we have lost the battle for limited government, so let's just fight to modify the inevitable really big bad government for at least some conservatism around the edges. This strategy reflects bad judgment on both policy and politics.
We saw above how big and bad this government is really going to get without fundamental reforms. That is not a vision that can be tolerably fixed by tinkering around the edges. In particular, there is no pro-growth financing for this level of government.
Quite to the contrary, the spiritual devotion to this socialist vision of the far left that now runs the Democrat party is inevitably going to trash the American standard of living and any notion of prosperity. That will send the American people fleeing back to conservatives and Republicans. Such rapidly moving political and economic developments are already well under way. In fact, I expect 2012 to be a much grander version of 1980. But following Bartlett and Frum would leave the American people with nothing to come back to.
Moreover, neither Bartlett nor Frum have even begun to think outside the box. The alternatives we face in addressing the coming explosion of big government are not just tax increases or benefit cuts. Fundamental structural reforms of our entitlement programs and the welfare state would end up serving the public and essential social goals far better at just a fraction of the costs of the current, outdated, 19th-century constructs. That is why such reforms can be and have been politically quite popular. This represents the true new thinking and political opportunity for conservatives and Republicans. Indeed, pursuing such reforms comprehensively can drive government spending well below current levels as a percentage of GDP. Among the places this true new thinking can be found is my study published by the Institute for Policy Innovation, "A New Vision for Entitlements" (www.ipi.org).
Such new thinking was the foundation for The Ryan Roadmap developed and introduced in legislative form by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee. Those comprehensive proposals were officially scored as balancing the entire federal budget over the long term with federal spending and taxes at 18.6% of GDP. That means no tax increases. Indeed, the plan incorporates much lower federal income tax rates for individuals of 10% on the first $100,000 and 25% after that, with a new rate for a completely overhauled business tax system of less than 10%. Pushing the reforms further would lead to phasing the payroll tax out completely over many years.
Finally, I and many others got into the policy and political battles many years ago because we wanted to fight for smaller government and more economic freedom. We are not interested in the better big government socialism now being peddled by Bartlett and Frum. Moreover, most of the conservative and Republican base is with us, not with them. The Democrats already have the liberals and the socialists. So there is no significant political base for the Bartlett/Frum socialist lite vision. At best, such watered-down leftism would leave Republicans in a permanent minority.
America's Conservatism
Even in the Age of Obama the Magnificent, wielding his Party Controlled Press, the American people are still telling pollsters (see Joshua Trevino, "And the Seeds of Renewal") they favor conservative values and policies, contrary to what we hear from Powell, Bartlett and Frum (sounds like a bad law firm, just a step above Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe).
In a March 30 Rasmussen poll, 81% of voters said it was important to keep Obama's promised middle class tax cuts in the budget, with 55% saying very important. By 51% to 38%, voters said these tax cuts were more important than spending more on health care reform. By 50% to 42%, voters favored the tax cuts over more spending on Obama's energy initiatives. By 48% to 45%, voters favored the tax cuts even over more spending on education, even without knowing about our education overspending.
In a March 5th Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, a slight majority of Americans said they are not "willing to pay higher taxes so that everyone can have health insurance," a huge decline from the 66% who were so willing in the early 1990s. A March 18-19 Rasmussen poll found that given a choice between "a more active government with more services and higher taxes or a smaller government with fewer services and lower taxes," 66% of Americans chose the latter. In an April 21 Rasmussen poll, 60% of Americans "say the federal government has too much power and too much money.
Colin Powell, call your office!
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TennesseeVolunteer| 5.13.09 @ 7:01AM
Colin Powell, though a loyal servant of the military, he has been the ward of the government his whole life. He gets a check every month and clearly does not know from whence it come.
Frum and Bartletts were lower level administrators raised in the DC world of make believe. they wouldn't know a real leader like Reagan if they saw him. Let the join the democrats with General Powell.
Vaemar| 5.13.09 @ 7:29AM
"Bartlett's examples of how this has been done successfully before: Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon. But the modern conservative movement was born in revulsion to them. "
I am reluctant to lecture Americans on their own histroy, but Eisenhower and Nixcon had to pay to fight the Cold War.
JP| 5.13.09 @ 7:29AM
I think many people missed out on a watershed moment. This year (2009) marks the beginning of a new political paradigm: fiscal insolvency. Most of us just don't know it yet, but the federal goverment is broke. Our current President will be remembered for one thing (as well as his cohorts in Congress) -finally pushing us over the cliff.
The OMB released a little reported on report this week that currently the federal goverment is borrowing 46 cents for every dollar it spends. Current borrowing plans include almost $5 trillion in new defecits for the next 5-8 years. No one is willing to loan us the money anymore, so the Treasury is simply printing the money up and injecting it into our economy via credits.
The simple fact is, starting either this fiscal year or the next, many things will occur -none of them pleasant. First the dollar will take a major hit, commodity prices will soar, inflation will result, and a new round of speculation will begin (most of the add liquidity has to go somewhere. The consumers are tapped out).
The result will most probably be a new round of interest rate hikes and massive new taxes. Stagflation is certainly now a possibility. We are about to begin a "stimulus" convected economic rally. But it will be a suckers rally.
David Mathews| 5.13.09 @ 7:43AM
Peter Ferrara demonstrates that conservatives simply are delusional in the above, especially ...
* "Unfortunately, unlike Powell, Palin does have that nasty habit of winning elections by large margins. "
Except for the election in November, 2008 ... remember?
Palin * Plumber * 2012 "The Republican Party cannot get any dumber!"
Skippy| 5.13.09 @ 7:58AM
Colon, the left's useful idiot of the moment. PS, genius, Palin was not the Presidential candidate, dope. Plus, McCain stuck to his promise of campaign financing, Acorn Boy lied and out spent them by a mere $580,000,000 with tons of donations coming from non citizens and Hamas. You can hit refresh and respond and yes, all conservatives are dumb. If we could only be as smart as Spitzer, Dodd, Richardson, Blago, Murtha - we would have a fighting chance in 2010 and 12, dope. Time to get on my 32' gas guzzling Sea Ray diaper boy.
David Mathews| 5.13.09 @ 8:08AM
Hello Skippy,
* "Colon, the left's useful idiot of the moment. PS, genius, Palin was not the Presidential candidate, dope. Plus, McCain stuck to his promise of campaign financing, Acorn Boy lied and out spent them by a mere $580,000,000 with tons of donations coming from non citizens and Hamas. You can hit refresh and respond and yes, all conservatives are dumb. If we could only be as smart as Spitzer, Dodd, Richardson, Blago, Murtha - we would have a fighting chance in 2010 and 12, dope. Time to get on my 32' gas guzzling Sea Ray diaper boy. "
Incoherent bitter conservative talk radio gibberish.
Palin * Plumber * 2012 "Vote Republican and the Vice President will fix your toilet!"
JP| 5.13.09 @ 8:16AM
The current President and Obama put us over the edge this year with thier breathtaking jump into fiscal darkness. The terms of the 2012 debate will be quite different from 2008. How badly our currency will get damaged is unknown, but the politicians can forget about funding boondogles like Universal Healthcare and bank nantionalization. We will be lucky to afford the post office.
Thurston Howell| 5.13.09 @ 8:19AM
Yo Skippy,
Dude, I nailed a manatee with my Donzi yesterday (hate it, HATE IT, when that happens. Any advice on how I can just prop-chew right through those suckers? Tanx, biggin!
Red Phillips| 5.13.09 @ 8:22AM
Frum has long been an irrelevant moderate idiot, except on foreign policy where he is a radical Jacobin. But Bruce Bartlett's recent turn is very disappointing. He called out Bush for his big spending ways when many conservatives were still carrying water for Bush.
Jack| 5.13.09 @ 8:24AM
Sure let's follow Colin's advice. Let's become more like those whose every decision is made from political expediency and vote buying. Sure they believe in principles-just ask Arlen.
Jack| 5.13.09 @ 8:28AM
Skippy,
I understood you perfectly. The secret is in the codewords on talk radio.
"Um, ahh, err,I, uh, well?
Big J| 5.13.09 @ 8:50AM
You gotta love it when non-conservatives tell conservatives how to be conservative. As stated above, ridiculous tools.
Unfortunately, none of the brilliant politicians swimming in the cesspool that has become Washington D.C. are listening to the numbers listed in this article. We the people are screaming at the top of our lungs, while they simply ignore us, proclaiming they know what's best.
I see big opportunities in '10 and '12 to take our country back.
I sure hope it's not too late.
Jeff| 5.13.09 @ 9:04AM
Davie Boy
I can imagine that life has not changed much for you in the way your peers react to you.
As a youngster you probably tried to play with kids at the neighborhood playground only to find yourself shunned by the group. No matter how hard you tried no one liked you and everyone thought you were an obnoxious little idiot.
Now as an adult, with a more advanced vocabulary and more toys (computer and the internet), you are trying to play with a group of adults at a virtual playground and the result are the same - NO ONE LIKES YOU, EVERYONE THINKS YOUR ARE AN OBNOXIOUS IDIOT (OTHERWISE KNOWN AS CURRENT DAY LIBERAL), AND EVERYONE WANTS YOU TO GO AWAY. It must be so very painful that the results are still the same.
PS I have an idea - go to a playground where you would be liked, such as MSNBC.com or CNN.com.
Hair| 5.13.09 @ 9:09AM
What did we learn in the last election?
Let's see, the Democrats ran a candidate from the base core of their party, (Hard Left) that pandered to the center to the point of sounding like Reagan, and won!
The Republicans ran a candidate from the wishy-washy center (Rockefeller Republican) who pandered to the base core of the party and lost?
His picking Palin was pure pandering!
Do you remember This? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfxIvd6x1dM
He not only lost the core, but the middle too!
It is the sheeple that decide elections!
Michael Dooley| 5.13.09 @ 9:17AM
After Powell the Conquer retired from the military with much acclaim, there was much hyped “demand” for him to run for President. The trouble was it was not known whether he was a democrat or a republican. Powell himself was rather sly and coy about the matter. He finally came down to the Republican side; but he was vague about precisely why he was a republican. Amazing how some things DON’T change.
Back in the days when Gingrich and the Party proposed the “Contract With America”, our local “moderate” Republican columnists repeatedly berated her fellow Republicans saying the “Contract” was the worst and most ignorant move the party could make. “Ditch it before the voters take us to the woodshed!” In spite of her warnings, Republicans stuck by the Contract and in the end won both houses. Without any sign of having eaten humble pie, our famed columnist said: “Well, gee. Somehow we won. OK, we’re now in power. You don’t know what to do with it so it’s time to turn it over to those who do. We’re ready to lead—now you follow.”
Whether the Republican party wins or loses, the Powell’s, Frum's and Bartlett's in our ranks will always tell us that the Party should be more like…them. Somehow the Powells, Frums and Bartletts of the Party claim a wisdom impervious to actual experience and events on the ground.
The “practical” republicans, RINO’s, moderates---whatever you wish to call them—are big on talk but they don’t deliver the goods. They don’t bring in the volunteers. They don’t bring in the money. And they don’t deliver the votes.
The last thing America needs is a “me too” Republican Party. It is not looking for a Party that does heavy lifting for the Democrat Party. It is not looking for a Party that puts on the green-eyed shades, complains about the high cost of government, and promises it could do it a nickel cheaper. The last thing America needs is two political parties whose distinctions are blurred and fuzzy.
Ronald Reagan was a Republican who did cast his “big tent” for all Republicans. But Reagan did not accept “all” Republicans to moderate his views. Whatever their differences may be, He welcomed anyone who SUPPORTED him and his aims. He knew what he was about and what he wanted to accomplish. He ran long and hard for the honor and privilege to lead his party and country. Neither Powell, Frum nor Bartlett has put themselves to the same the test.
Son Of Sam| 5.13.09 @ 9:24AM
If the conservative movement in general and the GOP in particular are to survive, then we must remember one of the oldest rules of politics: be a choice, not an echo. We aren't going to win anything by saying "me too" everytime the TelePrompter in Chief opens his stupidass yapper.
Beyond politics and elections, I think it will be a simple issue of survival. When the government finally goes flat broke and the people come for the ObamaNazis with torches, pitchforks, tar and feathers, we shouldn't be there holding their hands and kissing Obama's ass.
stay strong until freedom dawns
Son Of Sam
http://www.geocities.com/samadamssos
Old Texican| 5.13.09 @ 9:33AM
Hair
Great post except the last sentence.
Someone here might have the numbers, but a very large segment of under 30 Americans are now living with mommie, or are living off mommie's savings/investments.
Nothing really wrong with that. Some are in school etc. But...But...they have just never had the stark choice of starving or working. Obama is simply an extension of the dependency they have endured their whole lives.
Another group, (40% or so), have never paid significant income taxes. Yet another large percentage of young people have opted in on the "public sector" (gubmint/teacher/bureacrat), thin gravy train.
Thoughts?
Mike| 5.13.09 @ 9:54AM
Tennessee Volunteer writes: "Colin Powell, though a loyal servant of the military, he has been the ward of the government his whole life. He gets a check every month and clearly does not know from whence it come." What happened to all the right wing "Support Our Troops" rhetoric? Do we no longer respect our "heroes?" Guess the soldier has to be ideologically correct to merit the admiration of the right wing. I'm sorry so much of your tax dollars are being wasted on Mr. Powell for his lifetime of serving our country and keeping you safe.
Robert Rosencrans| 5.13.09 @ 10:04AM
Colin Powell comments are the type that pass the smell test inside the beltway. A cabal from both parties have established a new semantics where higher taxes are a blessing for those who spend the extorted funds and that philosophy will continue to crush the family budget, while prolonging national economic distress.
Let's look at some recent examples of tax policy.
The bank bailouts still exist in a state of failure with the Faustus looking Geithner telling us over and over that things will take time. The auto bailouts now have both Chrysler and GM teetering on bankruptcy.
Since the stimulus bill was passed state tax revenues have dropped 20%.
The establishment inside the beltway, tony Washingtonians all, neither care or see the end results of their evil work.
Everywhere they wave their magic wands bring on another evil curse for the general public.
Colin Powell is just one more example of a mush headed Washingtonian. They have no standards, simply lip syncing each others thoughts. Anyone who stands in their way or points out the folly of their plans is deemed worthy of kidney failure.
What a lovely bunch of sycophants.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124218219901913729.html
States' Revenue Sinks Amid Income Tax Drop-Off
By CONOR DOUGHERTY
State tax collections continued to fall in the first quarter as muted consumption, falling incomes and weak profits plunged states into a deeper financial hole, the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government at the State University of New York said in a report to be released Wednesday.
The 47 states that have reported first-quarter revenues saw total tax collections fall 12.6% -- about $20 billion -- compared with the first three months of 2008, the institute said.
The steepest drops were in income taxes: Corporate income taxes declined 16.2% in the latest quarter, reflecting weaker profits. Personal income taxes fell 15.8%. Sales taxes were down 7.6%. Forty-five of the 47 states saw revenues decline.
Robert Ward, deputy director of the institute, said he expects tax collections to fall further in the second quarter, with weak consumer spending, rising unemployment and stock-market turmoil almost certain to reduce income taxes from earners large and small. "We don't normally use the word plummet but that is the operative word right now," said Mr. Ward.
Tax returns filed in April likely contain unwelcome news from high-income earners. "The expectation is that April income tax collections will be very weak," he said.
The worst recession in a generation is forcing municipalities of all sizes to furlough employees and cut programs in areas such as public safety and education. To cope, state and municipalities are scrambling for federal stimulus money, and some are raising tax rates.
Old Texican| 5.13.09 @ 10:08AM
Mike
Good point. Tennessee Volunteer is just annoyed that General Powell should have understood what a horrible choice he made for our country, endorsing Obama.
I am also annoyed at General Powell. I truly thought he was smarter than that. I do know that 80% of all adult Americans will deeply regret the cascade effects of Obama's crew.
The other 20%? They Will never understand what happened.
Anthony| 5.13.09 @ 10:14AM
This perfidious imposter needs to shut the hell up, leave us alone, make lots of money on the D.C. talk circuit, and go play with Obama and his radical Lefties. Why in God's name would Rs and conservatives listen to this traitor, who still claims the mantle of being a R, yet voted for Obama? Gee, I thought McCain, the ultimate moderate, and fellow military man would have been Powell's heart throb. I guess not. Yet Powell demands we do more of the same so people like him can vote for America hating radicals, makes sense to me. Has logic and common sense become that scarce that we even need to debate this buffoon?
Powell is a complete disgrace, with little or no decency. He is and was the product of Rs, starting with Reagan, who pulled this obscure officer from the ranks into a high position. He was further aided and propelled to greater heights by Bush 41, and finally, made Sec. of State by Bush 43. Was this not the same "far right" R party when Bush appointed him Sec. of State? Where were the protests then from this man of courage and stature?
But we saw the real Colin Powell, so much the Democrat hack, when Bush finally jettioned this traitor. Bush's thanks were leaks to the media and attempts to sabotage his administration by having folks like Scooter Libby stand trial and get convicted, while the twin disgraces, Powell and Armitage stood silent. There is a special Canto in Dante's hell for people like Powell and Armitage.
Finally, this paragon of virtue has the gall to say that Sarah Palin is a polarizing figure. Really Gen. Powell?, to whom? only to those with no morals, scruples or decency, people just like you.
jim rice| 5.13.09 @ 10:35AM
Frum still might have been right... the Republican party might very well have been dead as of 1994... these last horrible 8 years were the death throws of an out-of-touch irrelevant political party.
Powell, however, is dead wrong.
The Republican party as we knew it NEEDS to be dead, and something new should rise from its ashes following the likes of Ron Paul or the Libertarian party. Republicans need to offer a REAL difference to liberal Democrats. Drop the moral and social conservatism crap and get back to small government. Return to a more isolationist foreign policy and get your religious ideals out of my life.
Very politically conservative and socially liberal will win the election.
At least it would win my vote.
Now that we finally got rid of the last jackass and avoided the disaster of Sarah Palin and Grandpa McCain, I'm open to anything.
KyMouse| 5.13.09 @ 10:38AM
One thing I love about this Web site is that people can post comments without having to register. However, could a moderator or someone else in charge please go to the comment section in the article about Christians persecuted in Gaza and get rid of the over-the-top nasty comments? Merci.
Ugg| 5.13.09 @ 11:14AM
The only thing the conservatives need to do is stop listening to the all-encompassing left media.
To hear the left tell it, conservatism and religion are both dead. Any fool - even within the party - knows that the latter isn't true. The left's sheep, the minorities, attend church at a higher rate per scale than any other group.
The left adopt Olbermann's definition of conservatism: uneducated white people.
There's nothing wrong with conservatism. Conservatives have simply lost their way. They're trying to appease the public by attempting to cross over and be accepted by the left media. No! It won't work! The left barely accepts the left.
If Obama wasn't mixed enough to be considered black, they would have thrown him under the bus for his stance on gay marriage, the war, and the continued secrecy of state secrets. Notice how he carelessly tried to make them happy with the release of GITMO memos, then clammed up over a show-trial. The left is starting to churn and moan!
It's a gigantic waste of time to serve one's self to the left in hopes to pick up voters. This stuff happens every decade or so: the country falls into a state of seeming disrepair; the democrats, as they've promised minorities for years, say they can fix it; they, as always, only make thigns worse; conservatives are once again seen as the literal party of right.
Powell is nothing more than a saddened pawn looking to cement a legacy outside a Bush fram of reference. It's like Roger Clemens and his pleas to get into the Hall of Fame. I don't take what this man says seriously. I don't follow his advice. Conservatives need not follow his advice.
The only things conservatives need to do is stay far the hell away from the left. These fanatical wing-tip maniacs are attempting to merge America with the rest of the world. Americans are nonplussed and still drooling over Obama now, but let them be inconvenienced one time and see what happens!
Let a Starbucks close down. Let the war updates and Obama press conferences keep interupting Desparate Housewives. Let Obama and the admin do what they're going to do. As soon as it steps on the toes of the hypocritcal supporters who think socialist issues are good, they will turn quickly.
Yes, there will always be morons who say people don't show support because "he's black," thus not everyone will turn their backs. But even though Obama has tampered with sealed union votes, the Presidential voting is still anonymous.
Once the Kool-Aid swimmers feel slighted or put upon, the American trend will continue: democrats mess the country up with their constant interference and mega-hang finger pointing, and conservatives clean up the mess.
Case closed.
Michael L. Hauschild| 5.13.09 @ 11:14AM
"Very politically conservative and socially liberal will win the election." Absolutely true but that person must "be" socially conservative so we know that she (yes, she) will be honest when she (read Palin) attains office.
Anthony| 5.13.09 @ 11:18AM
jim rice says: " Very politically conservative and socially liberal will win the election. At least it would win my vote."
Of course it would jim, but only with fools such as yourself who offer up such inane oxymorons such as this.
No wonder you're a Ron Paul supporter; now go back to smoking your legal pot, in your walled, non-taxed commune compound.
Just pray President Palin doesn't send in Janet Reno, a laWacko, on you happy folks.
jim rice| 5.13.09 @ 11:20AM
"Very politically conservative and socially liberal will win the election." Absolutely true but that person must "be" socially conservative so we know that she (yes, she) will be honest when she (read Palin) attains office.
*sigh*
I have no problems with "she," but no, not Palin. I will never ever vote for her and her crazy "family values" and her insane church. Not to mention how ignorant, idiotic, and yes, polarizing that crazy bitch is.
The socially liberal part is the most important thing in what I said. social conservatives can be socially conservative all they want, but leave me the hell alone - they will never get my vote no matter how much I might like their politics.
Anthony| 5.13.09 @ 11:50AM
Wow! jim rice and Michael L. Hauschild must already be members of the same commune.
Dear Michael; How can one be both "socially conservative" and "socially liberal" all at the same time? Remember that old public service announcment? This is your brain...this is your brain on drugs.... well duh!!!
But at least you got the President Palin part right. Perhaps you should do an absentee ballot now for 2012, just in case you're not quite with it in 2012.
Michael L. Hauschild| 5.13.09 @ 12:22PM
Simple, lead your life as a social conservative so I know I can trust you (as I do Sarah Palin) but when you attain office focus on things like the economy, national defense, tax reform, and restoring our freedoms. Legislate as a " social liberal" and get out of peoples lives. If you continue to meddle and request your candidate to be a "social engineer" in you will, as now, end up on the short end of the stick.
jim rice| 5.13.09 @ 12:22PM
Anthony - how in the world are socially liberal and politically conservative diametrically opposed? The two are in no way mutually exclusive. If you're going to point out a problem with something someone said at least make sense instead of rattling off non sequitur gibberish.
Michael Tomlinson| 5.13.09 @ 12:40PM
For years I have pointed out that Bruce Bartlett is not only a two faced hypocrite (castigating Bush for spending), but a Quisling moron. Yet, conservatives journals and web sites continued to publish his garbage attacking George W. Bush (who never raised taxes and on issue after issue either mirrored Reagan or was to the right of him).
We're now in the wilderness, because too many conservatives listened to jerks like Bartlett and jumped on the anti-Bush bandwagon. The guy is an Obamcon neo-fascist. Why listen to his BS anymore than we should listen to media stooge Pat Buchanan or the liberal Blue Dogs. Conservatives are too susceptible to attacking their own (DeLay, W, etc.) when all our ire should be focused on the left and Quislings like Bartlett.
We must stop attacking the Republican party even the moderates and focus taking out the left. Vital energy and influence is being wasted. The moderates will be forced to go along if the ground swell is strong enough to the right -- that's why their moderates easily influenced by current "fads."
When Ronald Reagan moved to the left (raising taxes seven times, amnesty and citizenship for illegals, massive spending and making deals with Democrats) conservatives understood it would be foolish and futile to join Richard Viguerie in bashing Reagan. That's why he's so popular today. Can you imagine what would have happened if conservatives had joined the feeding frenzy when his poll numbers were in the 30's? Thank God for Oliver North he saved Reagan from impeachment and conservativism.
Conservatives need to take seriously Ronald Reagan's 11th Commandment of not attacking Republicans and expend our political energy on the real enemy to our Constitution and way of life -- Democrats.
Remember politics is civil war only without the bloodshed and our job is to shed the political "blood" of Democrats not our own. As the Obama economy worsens, the cost of necessities go up, taxes go up on everybody, the Federal deficit makes current predictions look tame and our standard of living declines Republicans led by conservatives will have the opportunity to deal a crushing blow to the left, but that won't happen if we listen to idiots like Bruce Bartlett, Colin Powell and so-called conservatives who think bashing Republicans is smart politics.
Time to grow up, quit carrying water for the Democrats, push for a flat income and payroll tax (on all income with means testing benefits), a tough no nonsense foreign policy, reasonable pro-life agenda, realistic health care reform that sticks it to the Democrat trial lawyers (saving billions), cutting Federal spending, cutting the bureaucracy and returning more power to the states. That's a winning conservative agenda for 2010 and 2012.
Pingback| 5.13.09 @ 12:53PM
If Obama is Spock, then Bush is Captain Kirk « Jim Blazsik links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Michael L. Hauschild| 5.13.09 @ 1:36PM
So, Michael L. Hauschild bearing a firearm, Jim Rice having the suitable caliber ammunition, and Anthony with a Sarah 2012 bumper sticker get in an elevator...........
jim rice| 5.13.09 @ 1:43PM
And what, it's love in an elevator? I'd run the train on her... she's got to be good for SOMETHING...
Anthony| 5.13.09 @ 2:24PM
Michael; Even w/o my 9mm and suitable ammo, I'll take both you and jim on with my Palin 2012 bumper sticker.
Jim; If you try running the train on Gov. Palin, I'll have to pull my spare 9mm, that I would carry because I wouldn't trust either you or Michael. However, I didn't know Gov. Palin would be joining us. We should, all 3 of us, be so lucky to share an elevator with Gov. Palin, even for a few precious minutes.
That said, I like folks with a good sense of humor; both of your stocks have risen considerably. But your ideas are still fuzzy.
Marc Jeric| 5.13.09 @ 3:50PM
Our phony hero Powell said in the middle of the first Gulph war that "we are not in the killing business" - thus directly causing the second Iraq war.
I see that dailykos and moveonorg are infecting these conversations with their invectives and name-calling - real bottomfeeders they!
Pingback| 5.13.09 @ 3:58PM
Politics & Prosperity » Is Statism Inevitable? links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Old Soldier| 5.13.09 @ 4:32PM
I haven't thought much of Colin Powell since '91 when he talked Bush into prematurely stopping the Gulf War. I was in Kuwait and saw the destruction, heard firsthand the stories of rape and murder, and handled captured Iraqi Special Republican Guard officers who were tried for war crimes. I saw the “Highway of Death” – not much death as battlefields go, just of traffic-jam of overloaded stolen Mercedes.
We went home early and the Iraqi people suffered years of oppression, another war, and years of insurgency, all thanks the Powell’s brilliance. He wimped out so we could look good for world – and it got us nothing. He endorsed Obama for the same reasons with even worse results.
William| 5.13.09 @ 4:36PM
Never, ever forget that it was "New World Order" "Compassionate Conservatives" Bush MkI and Bush Mk II that inflicted Coling Powell and the similarly empty skirt Condoleeza Rice on the nation and the Republican/Menshevik party.
The Bush League and the neocons gushed over those two token mediocrities while they stifled or ignored truly accomplished black conservatives within the party such as J. C. Watts and Alan Keyes.
The three Bush terms dissolved all of the gains of two generations of conservative activism during the Goldwater - Reagan years. Let the GOP die. It is rotten with globalists and elitists every bit as arrogant and callous as BHO.
Scott A Joseph, MD| 5.13.09 @ 4:46PM
Simple way to reform taxes to reward hard work and not hammer the poor---a 23% national sales tax, exempting food, clothing, non-alcoholic drinks, housing (including rent), and medications/medical care. Eliminate the federal income tax. Eliminate the IRS.
Scott A Joseph, MD| 5.13.09 @ 4:50PM
It's not Colin Powell the Soldier that we object to, it's COLON Powell the Statesman and former Sec of State who's a gaseous idiot.
Michael Tomlinson| 5.13.09 @ 5:50PM
William unlike George W. Bush (who never raised taxes, headed a booming economy with 6% or less unemployment and led a victorious war in Iraq) Alan Keyes (the perennial losing candidate) is a man without principles. Best illustrated when as a carpetbagger in the Illinois Senate race against Barack Obama he jumped on the radical bandwagon and called for massive reparations for slavery, something he'd always opposed.
You people who laud earmark king Ron Paul and losers like Alan Keyes have got to learn more about your idols before lambasting better men and women than them and yourselves.
David Hinz| 5.13.09 @ 6:39PM
Which Americans want to pay more taxes? Well, apparently not any of the president's cabinet post nominees...
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 5.13.09 @ 7:34PM
Colin Powell is a perfect example of someone who was moved above their pay grade due to Affirmative Action.
phillipbernal| 5.13.09 @ 9:47PM
Gee, there is nothing I like doing better than working my butt off to pay taxes to provide welfare for low-life minorities, illegals, and trash that do not want to work. I have yet to hear of anyone talk about eliminating the $600,000,000,000 in various welfare programs in the federal budget. Buying the votes of all of the abovementioned scum is costly. However, the real scum are the politicos and bureaucratic leeches who make up the welfare bureacracy and who make their living and political careers from my tax dollars.
ds80| 5.14.09 @ 12:12AM
"Liberals, who are now in power in Washington, hate America and want to dismantle its foundational institutions and liberties, including capitalism and private property. Liberals are rootless internationalists who cravenly appease those who want to kill us. The primary principle of conservatives, on the other hand, is love of country, for which they are willing to sacrifice and die. America's identity was forged by Christian faith and our Founding Fathers, to whose prudent and unerring 18th-century worldview we must return."
Thanks, Camille. Couldn't have said it better myself.
Jack| 5.14.09 @ 2:09PM
Colin Powell is a closet D, who had no problem telling the rest of us to bend over and kiss our liberty goodbye.
There's another twit like him who wants to climb onto the national stage: Charlie Crist, governor of my state, Florida. Recently he said it was a great thing we got all that "stimulous" money so we down here could go on "helping people," as if that was government's main purpose. The guy calls himself a Republican while, like Powell, he embraces a core principal of the Left.
With "leaders" like these we're doomed. Before long we'll all be serfs for the government, working hard to support our neighbors and all those cute little pork projects our dear leaders want to throw at their friends.
Richard Baker| 5.16.09 @ 11:02AM
What everyone forgets, regarding Powell's behavior, is that he was a political General. He's not a field soldier but a military politician and why? A good friend of mine in Hawaii was a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel with a military resume to die for. We asked him why he didn't become a General? He told us that he decided that he'd rather fly and decided to get off the track to get a star. Powell decided to get on the track and play the politics. Don't think so? Read his book and note who his mentors and supporters were.
Daisy| 5.17.09 @ 4:00AM
Dirtbag Jim Rice; my only hope is if you tried to run a train on Sarah Palin she would Lorena Bobbit you. Hell, I'd do it. Creep.
Pingback| 5.17.09 @ 6:57AM
Letâs see â if Obama is Spock, then Bush is Captain Kirk | air force one photo links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Oldefarte| 5.21.09 @ 1:14PM
The average person's idea of government is that some/most individuals work extremely hard in life to financially provide for themselves and their families. Their income is taxed in progressive fashion by government, and same is used to fund some of the overall/collective needs of society, including paying for the needs of those who are [at a point in time] incapable of providing for themselves. Most income earners do not resent government's efforts in this regard, but are extremely resentful toward the extortion, by government, of their hard earned income STRICTLY for political power-maintainance purposes. Charitable giving, which is what governmental taxes represent, should be used only as a TEMPORARY life-maintenance vehicle to provide assets to the downtrodden, and allow them, over time, to get back onto their financial feet. Governmental charity [welfare] should not be used as a PERMANENT life-sustaining vehicle, which it unfortionatley has, due to the power/controlling efforts of liberal politicians. The Federal [and all] Government's budget, over my lifetime, has been annually filled with charitable, poverty-related giveaways that have NOT succeeded in restoring the downtrodden to financial stability, but instead, has been carefully crafted by liberal politicians into a form of lifetime government sustenance for most recipients of same. These governmental welfare expendatures/programs have been annually increased[never de-funded or downsized], and income earners [charity providers] increasingly have to pick up the tab for same. In essence, it is nothing but governmental sponsored SLAVERY!!!!!!
Oldefarte| 5.21.09 @ 1:31PM
PS----As to Powell, he has RETREATED so to speak back to his ROOTS as a philosophical Democrat. No one would even know his name if not for Reagan, and the Bushes; who gave him an AFFIRMATIVE ACTION beginning by promoting him to presididential laison and to chairman of the joint chiefs. Hopefully no one believes that he, with his college degree from NY University [I recall] and being an ROTV graduate, was intellectually and/or professionally superior to Norman Schwartzcolf [a West Point graduate and outstanding military commander] in the first Gulf War----yet Powell was Schwartzcolf's boss? Powell simply did what all blacks do or will do, when punch comes to shove, and that is to side with members of their race. It happend during the OJ murder trial, it happend during the Michael Vick dog-fighting scandal, it happened with the election of Obama, and IT HAPPENED WITH POWELL SUPPORTING/VOTING FOR OBAMA!!!!!!
usadapter| 9.28.09 @ 4:47AM
Those who fondly remember Bartlett from his supply-side and even libertarian days missed his columns in recent years denouncing the Laffer Curve as a fraud and the pro-growth effects of tax cuts as greatly exaggerated. Yes, that's right.
LP133WX1-TLA1| 11.18.09 @ 3:25AM
" top 50 percent of wage earners that currently pays 97 percent of all federal income taxes", yes,things always goes like this. While the fact is that they tax they paid play greater role for the whole society compared being hold by themself. Fair or unfair??...can't tell. Dell PA-12 Original HP 18.5V 3.5A