There is much on the mark in this thread (thank you, cfbleachers), but like so many other comment threads, too many conservative commenters do not seem to understand politics: “the art of the possible”. “Compassionate Conservative” was GWB’s attempt to counter the leftist caricature of the mean, selfish, heartless conservative they so like to portray. It was the Republican congress that spent like there was no tomorrow. There was excess spending under Reagan as well – spending he had to go along with to get what he needed in military spending. Was the fall of the USSR worth it?
It was Republicans like Denny Hastert and Ted Stevens who voted to spend the money. Should Bush have refused to negotiate and lost the funds to prosecute the Iraq war, which was only and ever about nuclear proliferation and having to do the UN’s job? Far too many “conservatives” blame Bush for things that belong at Congress’ door, that only a dictator could have prevented. In the real world, principles collide, and the choice is sometimes between being rigid or being responsible.
