Bush* Reaches Back to His Conservative Base

[kskiska]

President Bush has drafted an election-year budget that shows considerably more political concern for his conservative base, which is upset over the government's steady growth, than for any need to assuage moderate voters in November.

Pressing his claim to fiscal conservatism, Bush has embraced spending proposals that quickly enraged liberals but may also frighten moderate swing voters this fall, budget analysts said.

(snip)

For months, the White House has faced stiff criticism from conservatives, who have accused Bush of abandoning Republican principles of fiscal restraint. Since the president came to office, spending at the annual discretion of Congress has risen at a historic clip of more than 27 percent. With the new Medicare prescription drug law, which Bush supported, he can claim the largest expansion of entitlement spending in that program's history.

(snip)

"This is a heavy play to the Republican base," he said. "He almost didn't have a choice, with the deficit so high and them so angry. The one thing he needs most is to make sure those people come out and vote."

(snip)

"He's in so much trouble with the conservative base, he's trying to get that back," Scott Lilly, Democratic staff director of the House Appropriations Committee, said of Bush. "But everything he does destroys any credibility he might have had in terms of being compassionate or moderate. This is a blatantly radical budget."

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6881-2004Feb2.html

[David Dunham]

1. W's Lost His Touch; It's moderates who decide the winner in GE

[AndyTiedye]

7. Bush is Counting on his Base and Diebold

He doesn't believe he needs the moderates.

[MarianJack]

8. Especially...

...since he thinks that the $170,000,000 he's going to spend demonizing our nominee will bring the moderates to him.

We need to do ALOT of word of mouth to counter this, especially since the media will be of no help!

[Jacobin]

2. He's screwed

Trying to have it fifty different ways, IraqNam, blah blah blah blah

[KissMyAsscroft]

3. Everyone knows what he is doing.

Run up the defecit so only the military gets funded. We see through your bullshit and the majority of America is liberal. They are going to kick you out of office.

[aquart]

4. Hell, the conservatives can add, sometimes.

This new budget may be geared to them, but it brings them no joy.

[PaDUer]

9. Again, you can bet

he's going to declare martial law and shitcan the election.

[ChompySnack]

5. Should read: Bush gives reacharound to conservative base

As he bends them over along with the rest of us...

[Corgigal]

6. And baby

that's all he's got. The non bible belt republicans are not going to be voting if he's not careful. He doing the opposite of his Daddy. Still wrong, but hey.

[flamingyouth]

10. Did he ever leave them behind?

The Post thinks this is news? Everything * has done since day one has been a nod to the cryptofascist right wing. :eyes:

[Old and In the Way]

11. Play to that base Dimson, by all means, plat to that base.

65-35, you're going down!

[ithacan]

12. someone must ask * if he believes in separation of church & state

that's one of the ultimate wedge issues the dems can push, maybe not the candidate himself, but others.

FORCE Bush to state unequivocally whether he believes in separation of church & state, or whether he believes, as the Texas GOP platform puts it, that this concept is a "myth."

If he says he believes in separation, he'll seriously p.o. his base, the fundies who basically control the GOP.

If he says he believes it's a myth, he'll seriously alienate lots of secular republicans, including libertarians, who may just decide to stay home.

(for reference:
"Christian Nation – The Republican Party of Texas reaffirms the United States of America is a Christian nation, which was founded on fundamental Judeo-Christian principles based on the Holy Bible."

"Our Party pledges to do everything within its power to restore the original intent of the First Amendment of the United States and dispel the myth of the separation of Church and State."
http://www.texasgop.org/library/RPTPlatform2002.pdf

[Fovea]

15. They are the branch of the Repubs

that was promised Armageddon, and won't settle for anything less
than world war and the forced conversion of the Jews and Muslims.

They want the rapture, and they want it now.

[gasperc]

13. Yeah, whatever...a fucked budget from a fucked up administration

eom

[democract]

14. This is what happens

when you can't sell out the country without everybody noticing.

[ugarte]

16. How long before he comes out for an anti-gay marriage amendment?

The Christian base wants it and Bush is getting desperate.