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12/31/2003 Archived Entry: "Bush and Conservatives"

Posted by antle @ 12:27 AM EST [Link]

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON - IS BUSH ALIENATING CONSERVATIVES LIKE HIS DAD? This article in the Washington Times quotes many people who would make that case.

Now, I've often been critical of Bush from the right, as any regular reader is likely to have noticed by now. I've written a great deal about conservative irritation with Bush. But I just don't buy this.

Certainly, a lot of conservatives don't like what Bush is doing on government spending, wish he would do more on social issues like marriage and otherwise have been finding reasons to grumble about various administration policies. But his situation is in no way comparable to his father's in 1992. First of all, criticism of Bush is most intense among Beltway think-tankers, activists and pundits, not actual conservative voters. He still polls through the stratosphhere among registered Republicans. Second of all, I don't think any of Bush's departures from conservative orthodoxy - with the single possible exception of amnesty for illegal immigrants - rises to the level of something that will produce an open revolt among the right's rank and file, like his father's 1990 tax increase.

Combine these two factors with the war (both in Iraq and the broader war on terror) and the general repulsiveness of Howard Dean (who at this point is the likely Democratic nominee) and I think conservative support for Bush is likely to gain in strength. Conservatives have a stake in the Bush administration. They also have exhibited two strong political tendencies in recent years: Strong partisan loyalty to the Republicans and an even greater dislike and disgust for the liberals in the Democratic Party. I wish conservatives did more to shift the Bush administration to the right. But to say that there is any real risk of electoral abandonment is just wishful thinking on the part of a few activists. And conservatives wouldn't really benefit if it was more than wishful thinking.

Replies: 3 comments

I think you have made a very important point there Jim...conservatives should ask themselves that they have done to help budge the Bush administration to the right. The answer from my perspective is that they haven't done very much.

Posted by Steve Martinovich @ 12/31/2003 01:39 AM EST

Good point. I am increasingly frustrated by some of the domestic policies, and would love to see some true conservatism from Bush, but is there any chance that I'll vote for anyone other than Bush? No -- for conservatives, there is NO alternative.

Posted by Mark Trapp @ 12/31/2003 10:46 AM EST

What does it tell you when the GOP House and the GOP Senate do not nudge Bush more to the right? Does it tell you that a move further to the right is risky in this polarized electorate? Does it tell you that we need to do a better job with voters? Bush is not doing this spending by himself.

Posted by Alexham @ 12/31/2003 04:05 PM EST