Let the Recriminations Begin
Since the boss has already called it, we might as well go ahead and assign blame. Though there’s plenty of blame to go around, I place the bulk of it on Bush. He killed the Reagan coalition.
That coalition has consisted of the religious right, small-l libertarians and other small government types. Likewise with people who are strong on national defense.
Since getting elected, he’s let spending get out of control, enacted a massive prescription drug benefit in an already bankrupt Medicare program, signed McCain-Feingold, and on and on. He also insisted that his tax cuts stay in place, regardless of the deficit.
The only group that can be satisfied with Bush is the religious right and they alone are not enough. In fact, keeping them probably cost the coalition votes after the Schiavo affair.
This is all most disappointing for people who favor smaller government.
True, but more importantly this is even more disappointing for those who favor limited government and enumerated powers. They’re not the same.
The US Constitution. It’s alive!
Until the votes are counted, your boss can call it all he wants. It does not make it so.
Word around the McCain camp is that it’s all bithead’s fault. Strange but true.
True, but more importantly this is even more disappointing for those who favor limited government and enumerated powers. They’re not the same.
Indeed. I suspect we are in for a few surprises over the next four years, very few of them pleasant.
So, more pleasant than the last eight then?
Michael,
No, the last eight years has sucked from my point of view. The main reason I even found McCain even mildly acceptable is that he would check a Democratic Congress.
Having said that, things can get worse and tonight has not made me more optimistic.
Yeah, of course. Bush screwed everyone for eight years. It’s not like there were any external events or ticking time bombs left by his predecessor on economic and international fronts, or that he had a loyal opposition to deal with.
If Obama doesn’t have it all fixed in nine months witha cooperative Congress and all this goodwill from the rest of the world, well, then clearly he’s even worse. Right?
FEAR NOT!!!… fans of limited gov’t, the fillibuster will still be in play. (Funny how so many Republicans are once again fond of “limited gov’t)(and no, I do not speak of anybody here)
And as Charles notes so eloquently above, nobody can survive the perfect storm that is our present economic situation.
Seriously tho, things have moved back to the center, that is all. Obama has no “leftist” mandate, and as long as he doesn’t overplay his hand, all will be OK. If he does overplay his hand… One term. (and I suspect, one term no matter what,.. things are too f’d up)
You have far more confidence in the Democratic party cooperating with the Democratic party than I do.
No, but if the next 4 years are as bad as the last 8, then he will be worse.
As I recall, Bush won a narrow election campaigning on signing campaign finance reform, enacting a prescription drug benefit, and cutting taxes.
In this alternative world, does Bush win the 2000 election by campaigning against these things or does he gain elevated stature by breaking his pledge?
In this alternative world, does Bush win the 2000 election by campaigning against these things or does he gain elevated stature by breaking his pledge?
What? Bush was against McCain-Feingold in 2000 very explicitly. He said that candidates should have disclosure requirements and nothing else. It’s one of the things I liked about him.
I didn’t say Bush supported McCain-Feingold, which is something that constantly changed anyway. Bush said he wanted to sign a campaign finance law which included a ban on soft money, and in particular did not exempt unions from the ban.
I voted for Gore in 2000 because his tax cuts were more modest and he expressed more concern with the entitlement crunch. That was the losing side. None of the things you complain about seem surprising from what we knew or should have suspected in 2000. Foreign policy, however . . .
Interesting analysis. But, do not be mad at social conservatives. If it were not for social conservatives, the Republican party would be in the tank. We need to have the vision that Ronald Reagan had. And to have a relationship with all three parts of the conservative pie. And, not another Bush for quite a while. We do not need big government conservatism.
By “he” I assume you mean bush, if so then I agree. What ever was left of the Reagan Coalition Bush killed, which is ironic given that I’ve heard blatherings about how Bush, et. al. wanted a permanent Republican dominance of government. They appear to have set about doing everything to ensure anything but.
Medicare is, IMO, one of the biggest challenges facing this country and neither Obama nor McCain will/would have addressed this problem. In fact, Obama will add to it with his health care proposals, if they are implemented as per his campaign promises.
In a comment below I noted I’d be pissy no matter who won and this is why. Neither candidate has the intestinal fortitude to take on this issue. In fact, it could be that no candidate does given how our system operates.
But don’t let me spoil everyone’s fetishizing voting, democracy, and all that nonsense.