U.S. rightists fault Bush for big government spending
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at 16:47 on February 11, 2006, EST.
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. rightists, once President George W. Bush's staunchest supporters, question whether he is conservative enough when it comes to government spending and growth, leaders of the movement said.
"What conservatives have realized during the last five years is that we have not elected a conservative president," said Bill Lauderback, executive vice-president of the American Conservative Union.
"Nor do we have a conservative majority in either the House or Senate."
Rightists gathered at a Washington hotel this weekend for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, where they assess the status of their movement and what they think of government policies. The late president Ronald Reagan remains the champion of low-tax, small-government supporters, even after Bush's re-election and the dominance of Republican legislators in Congress.
They are quite unhappy with some Bush administration initiatives - for example, the multibillion-dollar prescription drug program and the No Child Left Behind education law - and special spending projects from Congress that have ballooned the cost and scope of the U.S. government.
"We are in danger of becoming the party of big government," said U.S. Representative Mike Pence of Indiana, chairman of the rightist Republican Study Committee.
Pence said he and his allies in Congress plan to make sure that trend is reversed.
"The era of big Republican government is over," Pence said, adding the word Republican to the phrase used by former president Bill Clinton in his 1996 state of the union address.
Many conference participants said they feel limited government overrides all other issues, such as gun rights, pro-life policies and conservative judges. Yet, despite their unhappiness, Bush remains popular with the group, especially for his court appointments and handling of terrorism.
"They like Bush," said David Keene, chairman of the ACU, which runs the conference.
"But they are frustrated and disappointed with some things the administration has done. And the frustration is deep because government spending and growth of government are at the core of beliefs of many people here."
Keene said rightists are starting to look ahead at future leaders, accepting they've gained some of what they want from Bush.
In a straw poll for presidential favourites in 2008, Virginia Senator George Allen received 22 per cent of the vote. Arizona Senator John McCain garnered 20 per cent, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani 12 per cent and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice 10 per cent, results from Fabrizio, McLaughlin and Associates indicated.
Those who attended the conference were given an opportunity to offer their preferences as they checked in but the results do not represent the sentiments of all those present.
Still, McCain's strong showing suggests he is faring better with a group that was cool to his White House bid in 2000.
The campaign against terror - and not economic policy - has become the glue that binds the conservative movement, said Brent Bozell, founder and president of the Media Research Center, a news media watchdog group.
"We're ready for a candidate to assume the Reagan mantle," he said.
"Bush has done an extraordinary job on the war on terror. But on economic policy, he fiddles while Rome burns."
http://start.shaw.ca/start/enCA/News/WorldNewsArticle.htm?src=w021147A.xml
Wow, so right wing people, they don't want everyone to get an education. Even though education in America seems to be getting worse and worse.
They don't want to alleviate the suffering of people when they have to buy expensive drugs.
Who knew Bush was a leftish in disquise.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
at 16:47 on February 11, 2006, EST.
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. rightists, once President George W. Bush's staunchest supporters, question whether he is conservative enough when it comes to government spending and growth, leaders of the movement said.
"What conservatives have realized during the last five years is that we have not elected a conservative president," said Bill Lauderback, executive vice-president of the American Conservative Union.
"Nor do we have a conservative majority in either the House or Senate."
Rightists gathered at a Washington hotel this weekend for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, where they assess the status of their movement and what they think of government policies. The late president Ronald Reagan remains the champion of low-tax, small-government supporters, even after Bush's re-election and the dominance of Republican legislators in Congress.
They are quite unhappy with some Bush administration initiatives - for example, the multibillion-dollar prescription drug program and the No Child Left Behind education law - and special spending projects from Congress that have ballooned the cost and scope of the U.S. government.
"We are in danger of becoming the party of big government," said U.S. Representative Mike Pence of Indiana, chairman of the rightist Republican Study Committee.
Pence said he and his allies in Congress plan to make sure that trend is reversed.
"The era of big Republican government is over," Pence said, adding the word Republican to the phrase used by former president Bill Clinton in his 1996 state of the union address.
Many conference participants said they feel limited government overrides all other issues, such as gun rights, pro-life policies and conservative judges. Yet, despite their unhappiness, Bush remains popular with the group, especially for his court appointments and handling of terrorism.
"They like Bush," said David Keene, chairman of the ACU, which runs the conference.
"But they are frustrated and disappointed with some things the administration has done. And the frustration is deep because government spending and growth of government are at the core of beliefs of many people here."
Keene said rightists are starting to look ahead at future leaders, accepting they've gained some of what they want from Bush.
In a straw poll for presidential favourites in 2008, Virginia Senator George Allen received 22 per cent of the vote. Arizona Senator John McCain garnered 20 per cent, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani 12 per cent and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice 10 per cent, results from Fabrizio, McLaughlin and Associates indicated.
Those who attended the conference were given an opportunity to offer their preferences as they checked in but the results do not represent the sentiments of all those present.
Still, McCain's strong showing suggests he is faring better with a group that was cool to his White House bid in 2000.
The campaign against terror - and not economic policy - has become the glue that binds the conservative movement, said Brent Bozell, founder and president of the Media Research Center, a news media watchdog group.
"We're ready for a candidate to assume the Reagan mantle," he said.
"Bush has done an extraordinary job on the war on terror. But on economic policy, he fiddles while Rome burns."
http://start.shaw.ca/start/enCA/News/WorldNewsArticle.htm?src=w021147A.xml
Wow, so right wing people, they don't want everyone to get an education. Even though education in America seems to be getting worse and worse.
They don't want to alleviate the suffering of people when they have to buy expensive drugs.
Who knew Bush was a leftish in disquise.
