Stars and Stripes letter: Conservatives feel betrayed (by Bush)

[lebkuchen]

Conservatives feel betrayed

Conservatives feel betrayed by President Bush because he’s failed them on so many core issues. Christian conservatives view his actions as being in direct opposition to their values. Examples of how this administration has failed to uphold conservative positions are:

1. Military weakness. Military leadership knows that troops are spread too thin, but this administration is proposing further personnel cuts, unaccompanied extended tours, and closing more bases. Cutting veterans’ benefits doesn’t keep the bargain with those who have served and doesn’t help recruitment and retention efforts. Closing European bases doesn’t make strategic or diplomatic sense, since strengthening NATO was stated as a priority in the election campaign and after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

2. Deficit spending. The United States now has a $500 billion deficit, but there is no shortage of future spending plans from the White House, such as a mission to Mars and the recent billion dollar payoffs to tobacco farmers.

3. Bigger government. The largest expansion of government bureaucracy since the Great Society programs of the ’60s was supported by this administration with the passage of the Medicare prescription drug bill.

4. Shortchanging U.S. anti-terrorism. This administration’s budget proposals cut emergency first-responders by $1 billion. Money that should be spent on hardening potential targets in the States, such as bridges, tunnels, ports and transit is instead used to build schools, clinics and infrastructure in other countries, paid by U.S. taxpayers. Terrorism experts maintain that the United States is as vulnerable now as it was before 9/11, but funds for projects remain mostly in Washington.

5. Lying about reasons for war. The 9/11 Commission has concluded that there was no connection between Iraq or Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida. The CIA’s and the U.N. weapons inspections teams concluded before the invasion that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

6. Flip-flopping on social issues. The president says he is pro-life, but appoints judges who aren’t. He hasn’t ended government grants to Planned Parenthood. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney opposed a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, and switched positions only after religious groups objected. Cheney's activist lesbian daughter is paid $180,000 for a highly visible position as his campaign manager.

7. Poor financial planning. The White House will run out of money for the war effort by October. Delaying tax cuts for the wealthiest would have provided a financial cushion, but instead the DOD was told to cut programs across the board.

The death of former President Ronald Reagan was a powerful reminder of what conservatives value most: character and trust. President Bush has proven that he can’t be trusted to strengthen the military, limit government spending, or effectively fight terrorism. Conservatives won’t support someone who breaks promises and does the opposite of what he says.

M.D. Wooldridge
Würzburg, Germany

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=125&article=22996

[lovedems]

1. But they all got their tax cuts!

All of this is fine and dandy but if Bush proposed raising taxes, which would take care of many of these issues, they would turn on him and he wouldn't stand a chance at re-selection.

That is what I don't get about conservatives. They want all of the benefits of government but don't want to pay the taxes to make them possible. They want good roads, good schools, a strong military, a good judicial system...they just don't want to pay for them.

[RobertSeattle]

2. Kerrry Campaign should show the amount of tax cut a E-4 got

compared to the 400K salary of the President.

[lovedems]

5. I remember reading awhile back

I think it was a snip from Perfectly Legal, that stated while someone like me might save a couple hundred dollars at most from these tax cuts, the wealthy individuals are saving maybe 50,000 on their tax cuts.

I would rather pay my extra 200.00 so the other guy has to pay his 50,000.

In short, I agree with you.

[IrateCitizen]

3. While I find Mr. Wooldridge's worldview utterly abhorrent...

... if his disillusionment with Bush keeps him from voting for him this November, then I'm all for it.

After that, it's back to being on opposite sides of the debate.

[lastliberalintexas]

6. My thoughts exactly IC

Amazing that his irritation with Shrub is that he isn't as conservative as he'd like. The ironies and contradictions in his letter show his own ignorance when it comes to political issues (ie, blasting Shrub for increasing the deficit while lionizing Reagan of all people).

But if it keeps him at home (so that no repub gets his vote, even down ballot) or if he votes Constitution or Libertarian party, then I'm in favor of him remaining ignorant. For this election cycle at least.

[lebkuchen]

9. Read another Wooldridge letter here

Google Wooldridge and Stars and Stipes and you will find other letters with similar views as that below.

http://www.stripesonline.com/article.asp?section=125&article=22017&archive=true

Lies and failures

It’s time for Americans to admit that this presidential administration is a miserable failure. It has lied to its citizens and soldiers about the reasons for war, been fiscally irresponsible, and sullied our great nation’s reputation to the rest of the world.

The revelations of prisoner abuse in Iraq reflect the incompetence and poor planning of the Bush administration, not just of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The war and its aftermath were thoughtlessly undertaken, disregarding respected opinions from our intelligence analysts and military leaders about the threat from weapons of mass destruction and the number of troops required.

Rather than taking responsibility, President Bush had CIA Director George Tenet take the fall for the White House failures to prevent the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Now Rumsfeld is asked to do the same for Iraq. Secretary of State Colin Powell and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who once had credibility, were played for fools on the world stage.

Wanting a hurry-up Iraq invasion for political reasons, current civilian leadership didn’t even bother to provide proper equipment and shielding for our soldiers, and we’ve had casualties because of it. The oft-repeated phrase of “best-led, best-equipped” is nothing more than a political response for the ultimate betrayal of our fighting forces. Had we patiently cultivated multinational support, the burden of conquering Iraq and the war’s aftermath wouldn’t have fallen so heavily on U.S. troops, reservists, guardsmen and their families.

World opinion of the United States, which was so favorable after Sept. 11, is now at its lowest level. Jokes about the French are a weak attempt to minimize foreign-relations failures. Support from allies vanished because the war was designed to serve the president’s bizarre oedipal and political purposes. Now the Arab world views us as oppressors engaged in a religious war, not defenders of democratic ideals.

Bush admits he doesn’t read newspapers, except for the sports pages, and dislikes policy discussions. In other words, he chooses to be dumb and uninformed. He and Vice President Dick Cheney operate from the feeling of, “I’m going to do what I want, even if it hurts America or endangers soldiers and citizens.” Their political advisers try to spin this as resolute, strong and committed, but the public sees it as reckless extremism. Today’s complicated world requires thoughtful, deliberative and nuanced policy analysis, a process in which these men don’t engage.

Comparing Bush to President Clinton is irrelevant. References to Sen. John Kerry as a flip-flopper or his war medals come directly from a desperate, embarrassed Republican Party. This president, who vowed to restore integrity to the Oval Office, has done the opposite by being reckless, thoughtless, and having no empathy for those whom his decisions hurt. He can’t even muster the courage to visit the maimed, attend funerals of the fallen, or understand why he should.

Sexual misconduct every day in the White House is preferable to lies that kill and injure soldiers and waste billions of taxpayer dollars. These lies and failures have cost lives, set back the war on terrorism, and harmed our republic. This administration doesn’t deserve another four years.

M.D. Wooldridge
Würzburg, Germany

[IrateCitizen]

15. Now THAT is certainly interesting...

If this is the same person, it's apparent that he/she is a complete chameleon, able to tailor his/her letters completely for the audience he/she has in mind. That is a rare talent, and a quite useful one if the writer is indeed on our side.

Based on the letter you first posted, I'd have guessed the writer was a complete wingnut who was just able to recognize hypocrisy when he/she saw it. But this second letter is in a much different, moderate tone -- which leads me to believe the letter at the top of this thread was all a show, like you said.

[lebkuchen]

7. It is actually a tongue-in-cheek letter, I believe.

Try googling the writer`s name and read his other letters. I think he is challenging RWers to question why they are actually supporting Bush if he is not supporting their causes.


The responses to this letter in Stripes should be interesting.

[reprehensor]

4. Oh yeah! Conservative Dissent is in da house! n/t

[Jacobin]

8. Earth to Soldiers:

Bush* is NOT a conservative. He is a radical RW neo-con ideologue, the furtherest thing from a conservative you can get.

[swinney]

10. Kerry when will you ask these

Four years and is this better?

401k
IRA
Stock Portfolio
Weekly paycheck
Job Security

There are a multitude to ask but where is Kerry where are spokesmen?

[RobertSeattle]

12. I hope he saves this "ammo" until October

Sooooo many Americans don't pay attention to poly-tics during the summer.

[TexasSissy]

11. Mmm...I thought the deficit was over $1 Trillion (not billions).

[zbdent]

13. Wait, on #1 - aren't the troops spread much thinner than any time

under Clinton?

Oh, wait, they're all in Iraq, right? (No, they're in Afghanistan, the "other" war, Germany, etc . . .

[Hubert Flottz]

14. Welcome back lebkuchen!

I missed the Stars and Stripes letters!

If Bush supported the troops he would not have abandoned the Geneva Convention accords! Bush cares about nothing but politics!