Clinton Conservativism v. The Bush Camp
If you are a true fiscal conservative and social moderate (as most reasonable Republicans like to describe themselves), then you should prefer the presidency of Bill Clinton over that of George Bush.
As far as I can see, only three types of folks have an intellecually honest, policy-based preference for Bush over Clinton:
(1) social conservatives (i.e. those who oppose equal rights for gays, and didn't get enough anti-gay crap from Clinton - who gave plenty);
(2) uber-hawks (those who think we should have been starting pre-emptive wars years ago - although you may be disqualified from this category if you criticized Clinton military endeavors);
(3) ultra-rich, especially if in oil industry (those who have benefitted most from Bush's free-spending policies)
If you prefer Bush's policies and you're not in one of these categories, enlighten me.
4 Comments:
Ok, check. ARM falls into category two. Apparently this wasn't hawkish enough for him: http://www.cnn.com/US/9808/20/us.strikes.02/
Next.
ARM, I didn't say it was pre-emption.
So, ARM and T'OD, show me your pre 9-11 demands for the invasion of Afghanistan. Hell, show me Bush's plan for the invasion of Afhanistan prior to 9-11. Gentlemen, if North Korea nuked Japan tomorrow, anyone could say in hindsight that we should have invaded North Korea a long time ago. Unless that person had in fact called for such invasion, that person's righteous indignity would sound as weak as yours.
In any event - check. One more Republican who is willing to sacrifice moderate social policies and conservative fiscal policies for more aggressive foreign policy.
Next.
Lest we forget a GOP House, at the time, desperately trying to manufacture, in Henry Hyde's words, their own Watergate-like proceedings against a popular Democratic president.
In the meantime, al-qaeda mobilized and the Executive was hamstrung by, what amounted to, the most egregiouis presidential witch hunt known to our nation's history.
Pre-emption? The President of the United States was preempted.
Ok ARM. You're a solid Number Two guy, then. You've only helped solidify my characterizations.
However, I don't exactly remember the non-invasion of Afghanistan as being the primary reason you griped about Clinton in law school.
Cheers to Wulfgar.
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