The Redhunter

Now, I think Conway goes too far. No doubt we made big mistakes the first 18 months of the war in Iraq. But contrary to what many people seem to think, this is how most wars go. And the notion that we could have had this big grand coalition if only we'd, what? talked to them nicer, well, that's just naive.

Further, Jim Geraghty, also on NRO, asks some relevant questions

Thinking back to the Clinton administration, do we look back fondly at their "foreign and military policy competence" in the way they handled the growing al-Qaeda threat? The cruise missiles fired, once, at the training camps and empty tents? Those decisive, responses to the first World Trade Center bombing, Khobar Towers, the embassy bombings, the U.S.S. Cole?

Do we look back fondly at their "foreign and military policy competence" in the way they handled Iraq? The collapse of the U.N. inspections, periodic cruise missile attacks that had little impact, the leaky sanctions that hurt the Iraqis more than the regime and that the world was ready to repeal?

Do we look back fondly at their "foreign and military policy competence" with, say, their approach to China? Loral? Madeline Albright's champagne toast in North Korea to "friendship between our peoples" with Kim Jong Il?

If you're upset with the current Bush administration's stance on illegal immigration, how did you like the Clinton administration's "Citizenship USA" program, unveiled in August 1995, designed to deal with an INS backload that ended up naturalizing 1.1 million immigrants in time for Election Day 1996?

All true. Bill Clinton got lucky. He was president during a "breather" period, similar to the 1920s. We also remember how he handled our presense in Somalia; badly. Remember "Black Hawk Down"? We had trouble rescuing our soldiers because his Secretary of Defense, Les Aspin, refused the military their request for armored vehicles.

But Conway is definately on to something.

Because as everyone knows, the base of the Republican Part is pissed off.

You can hear it on the radio talk shows. Even Sean Hannity, ever the chearleader, expresses lots frustration with the Bush administration over issues such as illegal immigration and out-of-control federal spending.

You can read it in the conservative magazines, such as National Review.

And you can see it in the blogs.

Let's face it, if 9-11 had never happened, and we'd never have invaded Iraq, what has George Bush or the Republicans in congress done to commend them?

They don't have spending under control.

They are completely unwilling to seal our southern border.

They try to sneak an amnesty bill for illegal aliens past us.

They are responsible for McCain-Feingold, that insane and unconstitutional "campaign reform" bill.

We're at crunch time in Iraq, and the question in Washington is not "how are we going to win" but "when will we bring the troops home".
Contrary to what the idiot left would have you believe, there is a great case to be made about Iraq, but the Bush Administration doesn't seem to want to make it, at least not often enough to matter.

Nothing has been done to reign in an out-of-control liberal judiciary.
Bush only appointed Samuel Alito after the right raised high holy hell when he tried to appoint his buddy Harriet Myers.

Nothing has been done that I know off to reduce the insane number of federal regulations that choke our country. Reagan at least attempted to deal with the problem. Now we don't even try.

Nothing has been done to reduce the number of abortions performed in this country.

No new attempt to reestablish welfare reform has been proposed or passed.

Race and sex quotas, which go under the guise of "diversity" and "affirmative action", are still the law of the land.

We can't get meaningful lobbying reform passed even after getting hit over the head with the Abramoff scandal.

We have some incredibly good economic numbers, and yet the Bush administration is almost totally silent about them. Can't blame the media if you don't try.

I could go on, and if I think of more I'll post them.

Yes I know Bush has done some good things in the domestic policy arena. He at least attempted to deal with Social Security, which is more I can say about the ostrich party. And we did let that stupid Brady Bill lapse. But then I am reminded of his prescription drug bill and the education bill that he basically let Ted Kennedy write...and my head hurts again.

It's not enough to say that the Democrats would be worse, although that's certainly true. John Kerry's recent recommendations for dealing with Iraq are a recipe for disaster. Thank heavens he's not president.

But the bottom line is that we are blowing our chance to change this country for the better. We've still got some time left, but we'd better move fast.

The situation may not be as bad as Bruce Bartlett portrays it in his recent book, but it's close.

There have been many times these past few months where I've said to myself "if the GOP loses congress it's their own fault."

With their cowardace over the illegal alien issue (it's not an "immigration problem!) I'm at the point of saying "if they lose congress they'll deserve it."

No, all is not lost. I'm not going to give up and walk away. That solves nothing. No, we must try to engage the Bush Administration and Republicans in congress and try to change them. It might not work, but if we throw up our hands, that definately won't work. It would also be foolish to stay at home next November, or to form a third party. But the current situation is just about intollerable.

Ok I'm done.