AMERICAN CONSERVATISM IN 2008 AND BEYOND

That's taking an enormous amount of liberty with the word speech.

Been there, 2000 to 2008, done that.

Shortly after Sarah Palin's presidential election, she would recommend to the Republican majority Congress they rescind whatever Obamaitis programs that had not yet been rescinded.

When Sarah Palin is elected President she will have demonstrated that the Obamaites constitute a moronic populace incapable of rational perceptions of reality.

would serve a glorious three week term, step down and receive a tidy six figure yearly pension and have great free healthcare for life at the taxpayer's expense.

If our country has gone that far down into the sewer, we deserve all the smell and (bull) **** that befalls us in the future.

The majority of Americans who doesn't want to reform our health care system shows how ignorant most people are; just because the cost isn't coming out of their own salaries and pockets, they believe companies and individuals will continue to fund those benefits. They also complain that jobs are being offshored to other countries, but can't see the obvious fact that companies paying for health care cannot compete with Europe or Asia where health care is universal.

There's no cure for stupid, and I'm not sure if that's the majority that calls themselves Americans.

I disagree. Both elections were elections of no choice with the Dems putting up equally horrible candidates which, imo, is precisely why the vote totals were 50-50. The primary system resulted in two equally bad candidates in both races. But, you're right... we did get precisely what we deserved.

I think those who voted for George Bush in 2000 did so out of hope and high expectations just as those who voted for Barack Obama did so in 2008. Based on his campaign rhetoric and track record in Texas, there was no way to know how much of a neo con and economically left of center that President Bush would be. We were also paying more attention to the aftermath of 9/11 and national security than we were to the deficit in 2004, the economy was beginning to boom, there was no GOP challenger, certainly Bush was preferable to Kerry.

In the second Bush 43 term, the downside of "No Child Left Behind" was beginning to become apparent though there were upsides to that too, most of us were understanding how badly the war had been mismanaged, we were saddled with that indefensible Senior Prescription bill, which like all entitlement programs would be far more expensive than its advertising, we had an unacceptable (to conservatives) energy policy, and it was becoming obvious to just about everybody that neither the President nor the GOP controlled Congress were fiscal conservatives. Even though I continue to believe that George W. Bush is an honest, compassionate, and good man, his administrative incompetencies could no longer be overlooked or condoned.

And the backlash from his base and centrists saddled us with our current Congress and our current President which have proved to be more incompetent and far more destructive to the economy and personal freedoms than the old.

As I said, we can do better. And hopefully in 2010 and 2012 we will.

I think your thinking is clouded.

What are your thoughts on Mr. Cheney?

The idea that Obama has 'proven himself to be more incompetent' than Bush is a total, complete joke. I doubt any objective viewer would agree with this.

Cycloptichorn

I don't have a lot of thoughts on Mr. Cheney other than he has a long and commendable service to the country without receiving much, if any, credit or appreciation and none of the glory for that. Whether or not I agree with him, I can understand his point of view on many things that the leftists condemn him for, and believe he has not sought to increase his own power, stature, or wealth through his public service. That's a track record many politicians cannot claim. Like President Bush, I believe he is a good man.

And I think Ann Coulter was right. We should have encouraged the Democrats to impeach Bush so that we would have had Cheney as President for the last few years and we would have been better off.

ok.
I can't argue with that.

(it would put my blood pressure WAY out of range)

good day.

Since you say so, it must obviously be true.

It's what I believe to be true, yes. And I think over the last many months of this thread, my opinion has been supported by many polls and other sources.

I agree that the current Congress was elected as a backlash to GWB. I don't think the same is true for Obama (although, I would agree with you had Hillary won --- that would have been a backlash vote, imo.)

I don't agree that there is any claim that would hold up to scrutiny that the either the current Congress or current President has been 'proven' to be more incompetent than the old. I agree with your assessment of the disastrous second term of GWB, but that wasn't the "current" Congress either. I have real concerns about the financial advisers in the current administration. Bernake and Geithner should both be let go, but that's just me. But then, the Bernake/Paulson combo wasn't any better.

We do, ultimately, get what we deserve.

"other sources. "

sarah's blog? (on facebook, isn't it?)

Only two sentences to choose from, and yet I can't decide which is the greater slap in the face to reality.

Unfortunately approximately half of the voters agreed with that sentiment. In my many years of voting, Kerry was the second Democratic candidate I voted for and not because I thought he was a good candidate, but the opportunity to vote against GWB and try to prevent disaster was more important than voting my preference which was (as always) a third-party choice.

We DID have Cheney as President for much of the past 8 years. I doubt the title would have made any difference.

I can accept that as your opinion. I do believe, however, that a Kerry presidency would have been even more disastrous. Just as I believe an Obama presidency is proving to be more disastrous than the Bush presidency. Bill Clinton, by contrast, turned out to be a schmuck, but his presidency probably accomplished more good than harm for the country, and he can mostly thank the GOP freshman class in Congress of 1994 for that. He does deserve the credit for signing the legislation.

I disagree that we had Cheney as President in any respect. I think if we had, GWB would have had a much more successful presidency. If GWB had had the Congress Bill Clinton enjoyed, he would have had a much more successful presidency.