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As I speak, there is great worry among moderate Republicans regarding the immense Bush tax cuts along with the increasing public unrest and instability with the Iraq occupation.
Look at the news today:
The Republicans barely mustered enough support in the House and saw sure defeat in the Senate. Asked what might make them (the moderates) change their minds, famed moderate Sen. John McCain joked, "Some of us could get killed in tragic accidents."
This budget gave great increases to Administration darlings defense and anti-terror while ALSO giving a portion of Bush's tax cut, creating a historical 387 BILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT. For the supposed "CEO of the White House," he sure knows how to run "company" profits into the ground.
Couple this with recent accusations by Republican leaders of McCain not really being a Republican shows that there is a line being drawn in the sand within the Party, which could only lead to a greater line between fervent Bush supporters and those moderate conservatives who are unsure about the current state of US affairs both home and abroad. It seems the only thing that they can agree on is that gay marraige is bad and Saddam was even badder.
Unfortunately, the Democrats aren't using this decrease in support for the President to their advantage. They have squandered numerous opportunities to gather centrists and swing votes against the Administration. Any change in party politics would surely have to come with a challange that has more of a theme than "lets put Bush back in Texas." Democrats as a whole aren't ready for that, as evidenced by Kerry's overwhelming primary victory and the sudden collapse of the Dean campaign.
What, then, will it take for the GOP moderates to say enough is enough?
Look at the news today:
WASHINGTON - Republicans retreated Thursday and decided to postpone a Senate vote on their $2.4 trillion budget until at least next month, averting a certain defeat by party moderates demanding curbs on future tax cuts.
The decision was an election-year embarrassment for both the Republicans who control Congress and President Bush. It came just hours after Bush met privately with GOP lawmakers at the Capitol and urged them to push the 2005 budget through the Senate.
The House approved the budget, a compromise between the two Republican-run chambers, on Wednesday by a 216-213 vote.
The decision was an election-year embarrassment for both the Republicans who control Congress and President Bush. It came just hours after Bush met privately with GOP lawmakers at the Capitol and urged them to push the 2005 budget through the Senate.
The House approved the budget, a compromise between the two Republican-run chambers, on Wednesday by a 216-213 vote.
This budget gave great increases to Administration darlings defense and anti-terror while ALSO giving a portion of Bush's tax cut, creating a historical 387 BILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT. For the supposed "CEO of the White House," he sure knows how to run "company" profits into the ground.
Couple this with recent accusations by Republican leaders of McCain not really being a Republican shows that there is a line being drawn in the sand within the Party, which could only lead to a greater line between fervent Bush supporters and those moderate conservatives who are unsure about the current state of US affairs both home and abroad. It seems the only thing that they can agree on is that gay marraige is bad and Saddam was even badder.
Unfortunately, the Democrats aren't using this decrease in support for the President to their advantage. They have squandered numerous opportunities to gather centrists and swing votes against the Administration. Any change in party politics would surely have to come with a challange that has more of a theme than "lets put Bush back in Texas." Democrats as a whole aren't ready for that, as evidenced by Kerry's overwhelming primary victory and the sudden collapse of the Dean campaign.
What, then, will it take for the GOP moderates to say enough is enough?
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