Divided Republicans: "Bushism as a philosophy has yet to establish itself"

[bigtree]

Now it's the Republicans who are divided
No signs of the GOP unity of Reagan years

By E. J. DIONNE
Syndicated Columnist
July 11. 2006
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060711/REPOSITORY/607110317/1028/OPINION02

As it looks beyond the elections of 2006, a Republican Party known for ideological solidarity is on the cusp of a far more searching philosophical battle than are the Democrats, historically accustomed to bruising fights over the finer points of political theory.

The coming Republican brawl reflects the fact that President Bush will leave office with no obvious heir, and Bushism as a political philosophy has yet to establish itself in the way Reaganism did.

The battle for the future defies each party's self-image. In this year's elections, Republicans are painting the Democrats as divided, especially on Iraq and national security, and themselves as united behind a strategy of "victory in the war on terror."

But beneath this year's slogans, Republicans are decidedly mixed in their view of the Bush years, and each of their leading presidential candidates proposes important breaks with the Bush approach.


article: http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060711/REPOSITORY/607110317/1028/OPINION02

[NNadir]

1. Only in these times could corruption, arrogance, myopia, and dogmatism

be confused with a putative "philosophy."

Bush has no philosophy but to pillage.

[niccolos_smile]

9. Agreed. This sullies the name of philosophy.

These people are not lovers of wisdom, seekers of wisdom, or anything else related to wisdom.

[Kip Humphrey]

2. One-Party authoritarian rule or principled conservatism. What a dilemna

I'll bet Nazism wins. Power corrupts and absolute power...

[Swamp Rat]

3. Well, they chose Ann Coulter to represent them...

[kenny blankenship]

4. I suggest a different model, instead of a foundation that persists

once "established", think of a disease like herpes or leprosy--something that flares up hideously for a while, burns out after a while, but keeps coming back.

[Doctor_J]

5. I beg to differ

Bushism is well-established as a complete disaster economically, diplomatically, and humanitarianly.

[Skidmore]

8. And was OPERATIONALIZED by every Republican congressional member

who voted on measures to actively implement it or passively through deciding not to exercise oversight. Nail them to this cross! Every election! Hang the * albatross around their necks!

[bryant69]

6. Well they really need to present their next candidate as a break from

the bush years. President Bush hasn't been a success. So they will either go for a more conservative candidate (someone who will actually cut the budget for example) or they will go for a "moderate" like McCain or Guilliani.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[iconoclastic cat]

7. Perhaps it's because the term "Bushism" has a decidedly

different meaning to most of us.