Jun 06 2007
The End Of The Conservative Run
It looks like the Immigration Hypochondriacs might just make permanent the current amnesty program of useless laws and inflexible idealogues which has allowed the current situation to be created in the first place. Most people do not understand the stakes. Those that do, don’t care. If the Immigration Bill fails to pass, that will end the conservative revolution. It will have officially run its course.
Mark it down as a product of the movement’s success. Taxes are low, our military is still being invested in and modernized. Free market practices are still free and infecting much of government. Faith and family are not stigmas anymore. George Bush will go down in history as being incredibly successful. He cut taxes 3 times and helped keep our economy from taking a big hit from 9-11. He did work to slow the discretionary spending (much of the growth under Bush was in military and national defense). He made the lives of all our seniors better by leaps and bounds by making prescription drugs available to them at reasonable, free market prices. No child is being left behind. No federal money is being used to harvest the unborn for research. Parent’s must be notified and give permission before anyone can perform an abortion on their child. And he brought an end to partial birth abortion. He would have done more, but the far right was fed up with all this pogress and wanted control of the agenda – to keep it pure.
Basically we have done what the coalition could agree on. We hit the end of the tunnel when the far right started attacking conservative moderates as unclean and unworthy – starting with Harriet Miers. The Tancredo crowd (just another variant of the Buchananites) are so paranoid they cheer such isolationist stunts as not printing their propaganda in spanish to reach out to our new neighbors and co-workers and help them assimilate. I am sure many Latinos are grateful not to have to read the animosity coming from this minority.
While the coalition agreed on strengthening the borders, the immigration hypochondriacs cannot abide dealing reasonably with the illegal immigrants here now, and future immigrants, through a temporary guest worker program. So much so they would leave us with the current mess so they could stop what the rest of the coalition supports. They have decided to end the coalition – they will not support all its views. And in fact, they have had nothing but animosity and hate for those who do support the full package of immigration reform. Thus ends the GOP’s governing coalition.
Instead of a guest worker program without any path to citizenship we have the same old mess as today. Instead of being able to deport immigrants (legal and illegal) for violent crimes, we get to deal with them as career criminals. Instead of being able to crack down on employers and enforce tax and labor laws, we have will not have the tamper proof ID that eliminates all the excuses that make enforcement impossible. We are left with more of the same mess.
Oh, but the self destruction brought on by the immigration hypochondriacs does not end there. Not only do the save all that they ranted and raged against for years in place, they totally neuter the only national GOP force left in the country: Bush. There will be no new tax cut legislation now. Way to go dysfunctional GOP! There will be no more efforts to protect and respect human life. And so on. That is the end result of this, no more conservative agenda. If Bush fails on this bill he becomes the lame duck President and nothing passes. This is the short sightedness of the far right. If they cannot get what they want – so no one gets anything.
We have come to the end of the tolerance of the conservative movement as it is now constituted. Just like the Democrats have been boiled down to the fringe liberal base, so too has the GOP been boiled down to its inflexible, intolerant fringe base. It had to happen. As we knocked things off the conservative agenda we began to run out of common ground. We in the middle thought we could do more – the far right said they were done. No more compromises. No more impure legislation. No more impure nominations (take from our pool and no where else). No more.
Strangely, this may be the last thing we all agree on. No more. It is over. All polls show people jumping ship from the two now completely dysfunctional parties. The unaffiliated voters are growing in number and, therefore, in voice. We do not need mob (party) dogma. We will use our democratic right to pick the right solution – not the right party. In the new electronic age there is nothing to stop coalitions from forming and building quite rapidly. These topical coalitions will then measuring candidates relative to the goals of that coalition. Soon candidates will find they need endorsements from multiple ‘parties’ associated with specific topics. We will have the “low tax” group. The “win Iraq” group. The “comprehensive immigration reform” group. You would find me in all those camps. The candidate who carries the support of the most camps I associate with gets my vote.
I thought the GOP would weather this storm and pull back from the brink. Clearly I over estimated the right’s ability to lead. They have become the haven of people who cannot abide diversity of views. Just like the liberal democrat party. Thankfully America is more than the two parties. Much more. Bush’s term will basically end if this bill fails. He will be able to sustain the war effort – and could possibly pull out a success if things keep going they way they are with al-Qaeda being routed by the Iraqis themselves now. And all those who decided to end his term a year early will try and be Bush supporters again. Won’t that be funny? The people who see him as a traitor today trying to ride his coattails tomorrow. Which is, of course, all these fair weather allies have been doing this entire time.
It was a good run. Lots of good things were accomplished, starting with the end of life-time welfare back in the 1990’s. But we are out of common ground. Used it all up apparently (at least that is what the far right is telling us). Now on to other things, and other alliances.
I’m casting my own vote of “no confidence” in the present conservative movement as well.
WOW, pretty bold. So, if we don’t make what is Illegal, legal, the conservative movement is over? I’d say, if this passes, the conservative movement is over. Just look how scared the Dem’s are on showing ID in the Voting Booth. I have to show ID to buy a 40 oz. bottle of beer, why should I not have to for something as important as who is Representing me in Gov’t.?
The fact is, they want even more of these people voting than are now.
And if we don’t build a complete border wall, they will keep comming. And the Garbage will continue to pile up, and those deported previously, will continue to return.
RALEIGH, N.C. — There is new information about a man accused of driving drunk and crashing into two cars Monday morning on I-40.
Federal authorities say the driver, who first said he was Michael Delatorre, is really Ricardo Contreras.
Immigration and Custom Enforcement officials say Contreras is in the country illegally, and that he had been picked up by ICE officials in California and deported twice in April of 2004.
False Id, Driving Drunk, and of course, now he has killed.
State Troopers say he was driving while impaired and crossed the median on I-40, slamming into two cars.
The driver of one of those two cars, 54-yea-old George Smith of Cary died at the scene.
And of course, all those who were suppose to have been deported, all 623,000 of them, will be granted amnesty.
http://sessions.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=275456
God I love this Country!
SO TRUE:
One state lawmaker says he’s tired of excuses from government officials. He says this is proof our immigration system is severely flawed.
State Representative George Cleveland is steamed knowing the man who caused the wreck is not only here illegally, but has been booted from the U.S two times before.
“We’re illegal alien friendly with our policies,” said Jacksonville Republican George Cleveland.
Rep. Cleveland has introduced several bills aimed at clamping down on illegal immigrants, but his measures have not gotten anywhere.
He wonders how many lives need to be lost, how much money spent until the public says enough is enough.
“For us as taxpayers to put this guy in jail for 20 years, at $25,000, $27,000 a year, it’s insane, and deporting isn’t working either, we need to secure the border,” Cleveland said.
I have one question for all those opposing this bill:
Show me how in the hell you could get what you want through the senate and house, therefore making a change happen? SHOW ME. EXACTLY HOW YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOALS. I want to see how you will make progress HAPPEN on the immigration issue.
If you can’t then I am holding you personally responsible for the destruction of America (current immigration running wilder for years to come and a socialist bought and paid for president turning us into Europe).
Ivehadit,
They have made it clear they have no solution, they only want to stop anything they disagree with. And since they cannot get anything they support through without adding things they disagree on to get the votes, we are stuck with the mess again.
Can’t you see. They ARE the problem. Have been for 3 years now. They are the reason we still have the mess. And that is reason enought to end the coalition. Conservatives/GOP, whatever you call them, are out of gas.
AJ, I don’t know about you, but I certainly feel liberated at this point. I feel more accurate in calling myself a “Wall Street Journal Republican” than I do calling myself a conservative.
http://calledasseen.blogspot.com/2007/06/right-goes-kos.html
AJ, I couldn’t agree with you more. I have had it with them. 🙂 They have once again shown their ugly side which is, as far as I am concerned, the same coin as the ugly left, just the opposite side. What a dance these two do with each other. ..never getting anything done.
Go George Bush! Proud to be your supporter for years to come.
I like that Harold! WSJ Republican!
Sadly, Hillary or Edwards or Obama will be in OUR House in November. I am sick, sick, sick about this. It is beyond serious.
And don’t you know the dems are laughing all the way to the House…they are the party of hispanics and the downtrodden for decades to come…they get their open borders for years to come…and the republican party is the party of ugly, mean, restrictionists. Nice work, Laura, Sean, Mark, et al.
They are the reason we still have the mess.
I would say, government refusal to adequately enforce our laws, is the reason we still have a mess.
Obviously, you refuse to even look at the 20 flaws Jeff sessions points out. Well, they are tremendous. But, taking AJ’s logic, we must overlook them, because well, just because! We must pass this bill that is why!
I’d go along with this bill IF they would do one thing first. Care to guess what that is? Yes, SECURE THE BORDER! Don’t talk about it, don’t promise, yet again to do it in the future, after Amnesty, just do it! But we just wont now will we.
Cptn. Ed:
McConnell and most of the GOP caucus see their way clear with a filibuster. They believe that they can satisfy the Republican base by tubing this bill, and explain to moderates and centrists that without serious amending, it was too flawed to pass anyway. The CBO analysis certainly helps that case, in that it predicts only a 25% improvement in ending illegal immigration.
What, only 25%, gee, how could that be? Why AJ told me the problem would be solved by Passage of this Bill.
Add Ted Kennedy’s comments today, and this failure, and what do we have?
And senators voted 62-31 to preserve special rights for illegal aliens to get ahead in the citizenship line, defeating a Republican amendment that would have put them on an even footing with future immigrants for getting green cards.
Why I swear, AJ told me that they would go to the END of the Line.
Ivehadit,
Guiliani, McCain or Romney will be President most likely. They are despised by the far right – which means they are a shoe in. The country is center right. If the Dems go liberal and the GOP goes center right the GOP wins. If the GOP goes right and the dems go center left the Dems win. Apparently a far right candidate is scarier than a left of center one (before the conservative coalition ended this was not true). Fring on fringe? Heaven help us!
Probably Giuliani, AJ. I do not see anyone toppling him at this point.
Stevevvs,
The far right owns the immigration debacle – and deservedly so. They have succeeded in making permanent all they railed against out of irrational fear long time illegal aliens may one day become citizens. I warned the right not to over react, it would destroy what little credibility they have left. They took the path of self destruction.
We got the message. Far right wants purity. Enjoy your echo chamber – all 10-20 percent of you. You are on your own from here on out.
Loophole 1 – Legal Status Before Enforcement
Loophole 2 – U.S. VISIT Exit Not In Trigger:
Loophole 3 – Trigger Requires No More Agents, Beds, or Fencing Than Current Law:
Loophole 4 — Three Additional Years Worth of Illegal Aliens Granted Status, Treated Preferentially To Legal Filers:
Loophole 5 – Completion of Background Checks Not Required For Probationary Legal Status:
Loophole 6 – Some Child Molesters Are Still Eligible:
Loophole 7 – Terrorism Connections Allowed, Good Moral Character Not Required:
Loophole 8 – Gang Members Are Eligible:
Loophole 9 – Absconders Are Eligible:
Loophole 10 – Learning English Not Required For A Decade:
Loophole 11 – Earned Income Tax Credit Will Cost Taxpayers Billions In Just 10 Years:
Loophole 12 – Affidavits From Friends Accepted As Evidence:
Loophole 13 – Taxpayer Funded Legal Counsel and Arbitration:
Loophole 14 – In-State Tuition and Student Loans:
Loophole 15 – Inadequacy of the Merit System:
Loophole 16 – Visas For Individuals That Plan To Overstay:
Loophole 17 – Chain Migration Tippled Before Being Eliminated:
Loophole 18 – Back Taxes Not Required
Loophole 19 – Social Security Credits Allowed For Some Illegal Work Histories
Loophole 20 – Criminal Fines Not Proportional To Conduct:
If You truely can read the Senator Sessions Press Release, and this does not bother you, It is not people like myself that are the problem. I encourage you, read it, this was just the Headline. Read the Details, Please!
Please, explain to me, sense you say we are a “Democracy”, how in a democracy can 10 to 20% stop anything??????
Democracy is Majority Rule. Where is the Majority?? Can 10-20% stop anything?
The same way “60”‘ is a majority.
Again, show me how to get what you want through the senate and house now because in Jan. ’09 the global socialists will have controll of all 3 branches of government. Big win for Soros.
Geez stop the fuckin whining about this bill crashing, it would be the best thing for the US if it did.
Enforce the laws on the books. Get rid of the Amnesty cities and towns, force them to enforce the laws. Secure the damn borders and stop BS’ing about the money it will cost. We spend more on farm subsidies then ti would take to build a barrier to slow the flood of illegals.
Seriously think about letting 10 to 20 million Mexicans become legal, allowing them to vote, and think about the government that will be voted in by them. Every one complains about the nutroots taking over a party, now imagine a foreign country taking over? Do you think Mexico would have a problem with sending politicians to the US to become citizens then get voted in by the legalized illegals? They would then press their agenda based upon what Mexico wants them to do. But instead of doing it on the streets via marches and protests they would be doing it in town halls, state chambers, and Washington DC. Think about a town, city, county, or state deciding it wants to secede. Sometimes an the most well intentioned idea is just plain wrong. If you think letting the illegals become legal this easily, and in these numbers is a good idea then you are really short sighted.
We’ve done this before, 1986 being the last time, we traded amnesty for border security. 20 million illegal immigrats and 21 years later we are fighting over essentially the same legislation that has already failed.
The people want security first, no strings. It’s not hard to understand, it’s not even hard to do. Prove to us that the border is secure then we’re (many of us) willing to discuss guest workers and paths to legalization of those already here.
The “can’t we all get along republicans” do no represent this party or the conservative movement anymore. You need to realize that your views are in the minority. We’re tired of the conservative base being misrepresented. We are taking back our party and our country!
http://www.conservativesuperiority.com
AJ, I have hoped that that would be the case but Hillary/Edwards are shrewd and can con a lot of people. And at the rate things are going, I am worried how Rudy can make it to November. I like Rudy/Romney for a 16 year run.
Steve, the same way “60” is needed for a “majority”.
A.J., I am inclined to agree with your assessment. (Caveat: I reserve the right to change my mind since this whole ride has been such a roller coaster with another wild turn every 15 minutes.)
But you know what? I am no longer terrified about the situation in Right Wingdom. The good news for me personally, over this last 2 years or so: I’ve dropped a LOT of really unnecessary baggage and mental pressure from forces which used to control me to a great degree — more than I can believe when I look back. I almost feel like I’ve left a cult and been deprogrammed. I may end up officially becoming an Independent if the GOP leadership succumbs to the insurgents.
The baggage removed includes Talk Radio, FoxNews, most of the right wing blogosphere, myriad orgs pestering me with one scary letter after another and requests for $$, stupid & expensive subscriptions to websites, newsletters, etc. etc. All of these elements seemed so important and so productive to me through the 90s and for a long while after 9-11. But like you said, the run is probably over. As humans tend to do, many “influentials” got a bit full of themselves and began to believe they are the arbiters of all justice, authority, discourse and behavior. The power (and the financial yield) was too tempting. They came up against W’s unique personality and steel spine and when he didn’t follow orders as prescribed, well it was time to show him who’s boss. I feel responsible for helping to create this monster, and I’ll keep on doing what I can to keep myself honest and to say what I think about the ongoing melt down.
A few people, beginning of course with W, have risen to the top and avoided the pitfalls and nonsense. You are one of those rare people as well.
I have to stop now because all of a sudden this is feeling too much like a g-d funeral. Please keep posting as the situation unfolds. I depend on your analysis to help keep me sane. Same goes for Ivehadit, LSU, Harold, et. al. Love “WSJ Republican” by the way.