Why Republicans Stink

In Mel Gibson's Braveheart, when William Wallace realizes he's been betrayed by the Bruce clan, it's a moment of surrender. If this is a lie, then what else? We know that the Progressives have lost all sense of our country's values and ideals . . . that's built into our view of the world. But the real downer is when Jefferson and Madison roll over in their grave . . . because of the Republican party.

Many conservatives are reluctant to Bush-bash, primarily because he kept the country safe from terrorists after 9/11 and because he was against abortion. Being pro-choice myself, I only share half their appreciation. But, I do not want to minimize the passion and dedication he gave to the fight against our enemies. I hope it goes down in history as the great accomplishment that it was.

George Bush likes to paint himself as a man of principal, one unmoved by political temptations. The first hint of this lie came in March 2002, while Bush still enjoyed the hearts and minds of the American public. After 9/11, we desperately wanted him to be great. But instead came a temptation too great: some rust belt swing state votes were needed for the upcoming Congressional election. So, a temporary steel tariff was enacted to protect a few jobs . . . without regard for the damage caused to American users of steel (no explanation of this is needed for free marketeers . . . I've lost the progressives here).

No Child Left Behind actually preceded the Steel Tariffs, but slipped under most conservatives' radar. Raising standards sounded like a good idea, but in hindsight (and this is always the case . . . which is why a conservative is a conservative) the rule of unintended consequences turns a good idea into one to regret. A true conservative would have abolished the Department of Education on the federal level, returned enormous amounts of money to the states and let them find the best solutions locally (any remaining progressives have just jumped ship).

These early worrisome notes to file became a thick anti-conservative dossier in the coming years. Farm subsidies, immigration (both open borders and the reluctance to issue H-1B visas to eager, talented foreign workers), Terry Schiavo, the failure to rally the world around removing Saddam Hussein, stem cells, Medicare Part D (prescription drug subsidies), automotive and bank bailouts . . . the list is long. And each example shows George Bush's disregard (disdain?) for the most basic conservative principal: government should stay out of people's lives except when necessary to defend liberty and freedom.

But, this rant is not about George Bush, it's about Republicans. Because during the first 6 years of his presidency, Republicans controlled congress and either led or followed the White House on every issue. Bush's first veto came 5 years into his presidency, and only then to keep down stem cell research. The strategy was "compassionate conservatism", an attempt to steal the Democrat's central message: that they're the party that cares. This would keep Republicans on top for a generation.

The result is the failure of Republicans on both fronts: they neither remained conservative nor retained power. But another, and more disastrous, failure is just starting to reveal itself.

Why do conservatives resist expansion of government power so universally, so consistently? Because we hate the poor? We're racist? (Welcome back, progressives.) We want to keep all the money for ourselves? We're cold-hearted?

Don't expand government power, no matter how tempting, no matter how noble the cause, because you have no idea who might inherit that power and how they might use it. We won't always have smart, wise, benevolent leaders (don't say it). This was part of the genius of our founders, part of why we've become the greatest country in history. It is very difficult to expand government thanks both to the text of the constitution and to the conservative nature of the citizens. Live free or die.

It seems to me that the constitution has been sufficiently weakened and the people sufficiently misled that 200 years of conservatism is currently in mid-flight out the window. Barack Obama inherited a down economy and a weakened constitution. He has more power than any President in our history and the Republicans gave it to him on a silver platter. What will this stranger do with it?