Via A Whole Lotta Nothing: Republicans for Humility presents a conservative case against Bush.
Some contend the President utilizes the rhetoric of traditional, limited government, free enterprise American values, which are hostile to the concept of empire, but consistently has advanced policies better described as “corporate cronyism” and international adventurism which undermine traditional conservative values. These Bush Administration policies have paradoxically resulted in a higher rate of growth of domestic discretionary federal spending than under Democratic administrations, have been lax in avoidance of pork-barrel favoritism and overly cozy relationships with particular corporate interests, and have resulted in a reckless foreign policy which has isolated us from traditional allies, inflamed the passions of terrorist enemies, and embroiled us in an ill-advised, nation building war without a discernable end. The constitutional provision of Congressional authority to declare was was subverted by the selective use of cherry-picked “intelligence” (which post invasion findings showed to be inaccurate or exagerrated) cynically presented to Congress and the public to present a public justification for invasion (weapons of mass destruction) which differed from the real motive for war. This real reason was kept from the public and Congress, not only because planning for war with Iraq had begun within the first 10 days of inauguration (8 months before 9/11), not only because the grandiose goals of Administration hawks to forcibly restructure the Middle East and increase American military presence and bases throughout the world offends the American hostility to the concepts of empire and global domination, but because these goals directly contradicted the principles elucidated by presidential candidate Bush in his campaign for the Presidency. Such policies of fiscal and foreign policy recklessness, and abuse of constitutional principles, are contrary to traditional American and conservative values.
I’ve always felt that Bush was not a true conservative. He’s increased government spending and increased the size & power of the government, which are exactly the opposite of true conservativism. I think it’s time for the libertarian-leaning conservatives & groups like the LCR who are disappointed to Bush to split from the republican party and either join the Libertarian party or form a new, real conservative party without the religious rhetoric and social conservatism. Let the republican party push itself further to the fringe with all of the religious wackos.