TheFatKidDeath

The Bush Administration wraps itself in the mantle of conservatism in a variety of ways. But are it's domestic and foreign policies conservative?

Here's a bit from the American Conservative magazine - http://www.amconmag.com/ whose monthly publication lambst the Bush Administration as incompetent, ineffective and war-mongering whose policies have left the country and world worse off than before.

From the editors speaking about the magazine:

"Today the United States has no shortage of magazines that would call their orientation, and be described by others as, “conservative.” Add the conservative dominance of talk radio, the popularity of several talented right of-center television commentators, the current Republican majority in the House, and the Bush presidency, and one could argue that conservative ideas have as much resonance as they have ever had.

And yet there is a great, often unarticulated discomfort in the ranks of many who considered themselves conservative during the past few decades. A friend of ours recently told of an encounter with one of his colleagues.“You’re a conservative,” the colleague said—“so you must agree with Paul Wolfowitz that we should attack Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and all those places.”

Well, no. Not all conservatives do agree that the United States should engage—for reasons that hardly touch America’s own vital interests —in an open-ended war against much of the Arab and Muslim world.

We will question the benefits and point to the pitfalls of the global free trade economy; we will free the immigration debate from the prison to which it has been consigned. And we will discuss, frequently, America’s role in the world, turning a critical eye on those who want to cast aside every relevant American foreign policy tradition—from Robert Taft-style isolationism to prudent Dwight Eisenhower-style internationalism, in favor of go it alone militarism, where America threatens and bombs one nation after another, while the world looks on in increasing horror.

We believe conservatism to be the most natural political tendency, rooted in man’s taste for the familiar, for family, for faith in God. We believe that true conservatism has a predisposition for the institutions and mores that exist. So much of what passes for contemporary conservatism is wedded to a kind of radicalism—fantasies of global hegemony, the hubristic notion of America as a universal nation for all the world’s peoples, a hyperglobal economy. In combination with an increasingly unveiled contempt for America’s long-standing allies, this is more a recipe for disaster."


Are the Bush Administration policies conservative?

RandomGuy

The US deficit since 2000 is a better example of the Bush administration not being conservative.

leejo

American Conservative is Patrick Bucchanan's magazine. He's so conservative as to be radical, IMO. I'd also say he's more isolationist than conservative.

Yes, President Bush is conservative and his administration has conservative policies, on the whole. The conservatism is tempered with pragmatism.

Strong on defense, aggressive on cutting tax, aggressive on deregulation.

With regard to using the deficit as a measure of one's conservatism, then Reagan wasn't conservative either. It's an absurd position.

Cute posts.

RandomGuy

With regard to using tax cutting, defence spending or similarities to Reagan as a measure of one's conservatism, that is absurd. Aggressive on deregulation, I'll take your word for.

Cute post with cherries on top.

CingularDuality

The Bush Administration sure isn't spending conservatively... And their policies on illegal immigration sure aren't conservative.

The President and his policies sure aren't a textbook example of conservatism.

__________________

Become a supporting member! -- Shop at the Tactical Market!

Take the world's smallest political quiz! "I was touched by His Noodly Appendage."
TacticalGamer TX LAN/BBQ Veteran:

leejo

Well, the day I take advice on American Conservatism from a canadian I'll let you know. No offense, but I'm a gun owning registered republican in Houston, Texas. What are your bona fides?

TheFatKidDeath

I don't think we can dismiss Buchanan or his magazine as isolationist's. Opposing the invasion and occupation of Iraq on strategic, economic and humanitarian grounds does not make one an isolationist, to take one issue.

The Bush Administration is not my father's country club Republican Party. They are about as far away from traditional conservatism as one can get.

leejo

Buchanan IS a long time isolationist. If you'd followed him or his policies for any length of time, instead of merely dragging up a piece you think hurts the Bush administration, you'd know that.

I think you know very little about traditional conservatism and aren't very interested in finding out, but I believe you are interested in stirring the pot in a manner that you believe will discredit, somehow, this administration.

Whether Bush is or is not a "true conservative" doesn't matter very much now does it? At the end of the day, good news in Iraq is bad news for the Democrats running this fall. Bad news in Iraq is good news for them, but it may not carry the day. Conservative voters aren't going to rush out to vote for Cynthia McKinney simply because they are sick of Bush, nor are they going to sit at home in a pout if it seems possible that Pelosi or Murtha will become Speaker of the House.

RandomGuy

We have conservatives and "neo-cons" (not a fan of that phrase) as well. I wasn't offering comments on "American Conservatism" (captialization noted) whatever that may be, but rather on "conservatism" (as in, the word) because that's what this thread seems to be about.

E0_

Well, leejo, I'm a gun-owing, card-carrying NRA member, and a registered Republican in Albuquerque, New Mexico and I'm pretty fed up with the Bush Administration even though I haven't voted for a Democrat since I lived in Alabama more than 30 years ago. I think the Bush administration is the worst thing that has happened to the Republicans in years. You want some reasons? Immigration policy that includes amnesty, prescription drug coverage that is going to bankrupt the country, record deficits, not a single veto (IIRC), and an invasion of IRAQ (apparantly) without a plan for what we do when we win. I'm sure there are more, but those are the ones that stick in my craw. "Sit at home in a pout" is starting to look pretty good to me for this November. Could the Democrats do worse? Probably, but I know a real conservative could do better. If the Republicans nominate one, I'll vote for him, but I'm really tired of voting for the lesser of two bad choices.

Kerostasis

One of the nice things about conservatism, is that there's actually room for differences of opinion. (gasp!) I'm a conservative, and Bush is a conservative, and yet there's many things we disagree on. But I voted for him anyway, because there are also many things we DO agree on, whereas I agreed with basically nothing espoused by the democratic candidates.

I imagine the situation will be similar in '08, unless John McCain somehow manages to get the nomination. I can't stand him, and wouldn't ever cast a vote in his direction.

__________________

leejo

Fair enough. But I bet you manage to vote this fall, and I bet it won't be a vote that lands Nanci Pelosi in the driver's seat.

leejo

I'm in the same boat, to a t.

TheFatKidDeath

Yes sir, I am familiar with traditional conservatism and applying the term to the Bush administration is inaccurate. Traditional conservative's would not endanger this country with a war with no end or bankrupt our childern's future with massive future debt. I'm familiar with Buchanan and his history and I'm not sure I would call a man who was Nixon's speechwriter an isolationist.

I don't really need to stir the pot or try to discredit the Bush Administration as they are quite capable of discredting themselves without my help.

As far as the Democrats are concerned, they are an ineffective opposition party and are their own worst enemy. A large percentage of them voted for the invasion. God help us if Hillary Clinton is elected as she seems to parrot many of the Bush Administration's policies. Murtha has finally woken up from the "they will greet us as liberators" fantasy and has the courage to call for a withdrawl.

Lucky Shot

It's funny that I also agree that the democrats are an ineffective opposition party. They have no worthwhile plans or policies except obstruction. That said, I don't think Bush is a model conservative. While I disagree with many of the moves that Bush has made, the War on Terror is one I agree with. His domestic policies are all over the board. I wish he would work on smaller government instead of the bloat that he has signed into law, especially in areas where the federal government should leave responsibility to the states (education). Bush had a lot of potential, but not weak on domestic policy and not strong enough to push worthwhile legislation through a republican congress. Disappointing...

Lucky Shot