Elephant In Exile

Goodbye Republicanism, Hello Theocratic-Socialism

I was saguine about Bush's speech last night, and was left both disappointed and unsettled. Classic conservatism as we know it in the Republican Party is dead. Fiscal prudence, gone, libertarian respect for individuals bowed to the whims of the religious right, and endless proposals to expand government. This is not conservatism, but a new ideology that mixes massive expansion in government spending and intervention with far right religious dogma. I have so much I want to say about this, but I think Andrew Sullivan covers it best on his blog this morning and in a way much better than I could have written. Please read it, I think it is well written and really captures the feeling of us moderates.

THE END OF CONSERVATISM: But conservatism as we have known it is now over. People like me who became conservatives because of the appeal of smaller government and more domestic freedom are now marginalized in a big-government party, bent on using the power of the state to direct people's lives, give them meaning and protect them from all dangers. Just remember all that Bush promised last night: an astonishingly expensive bid to spend much more money to help people in ways that conservatives once abjured. He pledged to provide record levels of education funding, colleges and healthcare centers in poor towns, more Pell grants, seven million more affordable homes, expensive new HSAs, and a phenomenally expensive bid to reform the social security system. I look forward to someone adding it all up, but it's easily in the trillions. And Bush's astonishing achievement is to make the case for all this new spending, at a time of chronic debt (created in large part by his profligate party), while pegging his opponent as the "tax-and-spend" candidate. The chutzpah is amazing. At this point, however, it isn't just chutzpah. It's deception. To propose all this knowing full well that we cannot even begin to afford it is irresponsible in the deepest degree. I've said it before and I'll say it again: the only difference between Republicans and Democrats now is that the Bush Republicans believe in Big Insolvent Government and the Kerry Democrats believe in Big Solvent Government. By any measure, that makes Kerry - especially as he has endorsed the critical pay-as-you-go rule on domestic spending - easily the choice for fiscal conservatives. It was also jaw-dropping to hear this president speak about tax reform. Bush? He has done more to lard up the tax code with special breaks and new loopholes than any recent president. On this issue - on which I couldn't agree more - I have to say I don't believe him. Tax reform goes against the grain of everything this president has done so far. Why would he change now?

http://www.andrewsullivan.com

Elephant will not be voting for Bush.