Why would a conservative vote for a Republican President?

[shockingelk]

Conservatives would like to see our nation experience economic growth while keeping inflation down. They would like to see smaller federal government and reign in federal spending. The economy should supply plenty of jobs. Mind you, we can't accomplish any of this by running up the federal deficit. George Bush's administration is not faring well by any of these measures. Conservatives tell us there are extenuating circumstances. However, looking at the track records of the seven presidential administrations that preceded the current one, it's puzzling why any conservative opted to vote for George Bush, a Republican, in the first place.

Figures are yearly averages for the duration of the administration:

GDP Growth

1. Kennedy (D) 5.6%
2. Johnson (D) 4.2%
3 (tie). Clinton (D) 3.5%
3 (tie). Reagan (R) 3.5%

Inflation

1. Kennedy (D) 1.3%
2. Clinton (D) 2.7%
3 (tie). GHW Bush (R) 3.9%
3 (tie). Johnson (D) 3.9%

Growth of Non-Defense Federal Government Employees

1. Clinton (D) -13,125
2. Carter (D) -3500
3. Reagan (R) 375

Federal Spending Growth

1. Clinton (D) 3.56%
2. Kennedy (D) 4.94%
3. GHW Bush (R) 5.40%

Unemployment

1. Johnson (D) 3.7%
2. Clinton (D) 4.9%
3. Kennedy (D) 5.2%

Growth in Federal Deficit (1996 dollars)

1. Clinton (D) -$1.78 billion
2. Kennedy (D) $24.3 billion
3. Johnson (D) $38.43 billion

RESULTS:

Democrats take the Gold and Silver medals in all six events, bring home two Bronze and tie for third twice. Republicans win two Bronze medals and tie for third twice.

Thanks to Rus Barnes ( http://www.apostropher.com/blog/ ) for pointing out the research compiled by Dwight Meredith ( http://www.pla.blogspot.com/ ).

Supporting data can be found at:
ftp://ftp.bls.gov/pub/special.requests/lf/aat1.txt
ftp://ftp.bls.gov/pub/special.requests/cpi/cpiai.txt
http://www.bea.gov/bea/dn/nipaweb/TableViewFixed.asp?SelectedTable=1&FirstYear=2001&LastYear=2002&Freq=Qtr
http://w3.access.gpo.gov/usbudget/fy2003/pdf/hist.pdf

[Booberdawg]

1. "True" conservatives are not happy with bush

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Conservatives I've talked to

aren't planning to vote for Bush. In fact, they think he is dangerous and doesn't represent conservatives at all. The best part about this is that they ARE planning to vote Democratic-they want their votes to count, and they want Bush OUT.

[JVS]

3. Which is why we should make them hold their noses and vote for Kucinich

[JVS]

4. Wow, we are like the East German women's swim team of economics

Totally dominant

[emad]

5. and hopefull with less

patently obvious unwanted bodily hair....

[Caution]

6. For the same reason that liberal is a "dirty" word

propaganda...plain and simple. Liberals need to change that perception and conservatives need to realize that the republican party isn't just plain old conservative anymore.

[izzie]

7. Right on, they save nothing.

Greed Over Principal GOP

[Bandit]

11. "propaganda...plain and simple."

We need a bumper sticker or motto that says "and YOU believed them"

[shockingelk]

8. the reception of this post

... is much warmer than at hannity.com. But it's fun bamboozling Repubs with math. They just don't understand it.

[Midwest_Doc]

9. Conservative vs. Neo-Conservative

Bush is not a conservative, he is a neo-conservative. Traditional conservatives believe in small government, individual liberty, and limited foreign intervention - similiar, in many ways, to Liberterians.

Neo-conservative believe in a large government promoting an ant-progressive agenda, and maintaining the status quo of the powerful.

[K-W]

10. It is a sign of our times

that a group of extremists can hijack one of our major parties. As far as I see it, the reason is that the American people arent properly educated and simply dont place any value on being informed. Our citizens are grossly neglegent in thier responsibilities as voters. The conservative talking points melded and melted into a party whos words are entirely propaganda, and its actions support a very small coallition of extremist views.


A question for those of you older than myself? Did the beginning of the massive propaganda against the left start with the neoconservatives, or was that going on in the republican party before that... You know, I wish someone would write an article comparing the parties and the nature of politics before and after the major party shift in the GOP.

Edit: If said book/article already exists, info would be welcome :)

[zbdent]

12. Two reasons

Bank accounts on Grand Caymen

and

Capital Gains tax cuts

One feeds the other.