Why do some Repubs now say Bush is not really a Conservative?

Question

we Democrats dont want him!!!

MBush: Republicans who answered previous questions of mine said Bush is not really a conservative, reason being his "Liberal" spending and "Big Givernment" I disagree with that being a liberal thing but thats another question
Also dont call names, I dont do it

ooh also seems like is stance on immigration and maybe other things

Strange but interesting to me, on the Democrat side I would think he is THE right wing, but Im so glad to hear all your answers!! Thank you!!

Answer 1

Because he's no longer of any use to them.

Answer 2

I know this is confusing for people who want clear, black and white distinctions. Not all conservatives agree on all things. Bush hasn't been conservative with respect to spending, immigration or limiting the size of government. It's a mixed bag and doesn't necessarily fall neatly under one of two labels, i.e. Lib or Con. I understand that any number of people here have trouble with nuance and complexity, and prefer to shout slogans, but the world is actually a little more complicated than that.

Answer 3

Two reasons.

1. Since Reagan there have been two kinds of conservatives, we call them neo-conservatives and paleo-conservatives. Paleo-conservatives were all about making government smaller, taxing less, spending less, and balancing the budget. Neo-conservatives believe in tax cuts (steeply slanted towards the rich and corporations) but also spending more. Balancing the budget is not important, at least it's not as high a priority as tax cuts and spending. Bush has taken neo-conservatism so far that even some Reaganite neo-conservatives think he's out of control

2. Bush has the smell of failure on him. To a lot of conservatives, a 'conservative' president is one who makes them feel good, who says things they can delude themselves into believing--like that nonsense about balancing the budget by taxing less and spending more, trickle-down economics, and 'exporting democracy'. Bush has lost his credibility and reflect badly on the whole conservative movement, so lots of conservatives are ready to throw him under the wheels of the bus and go for a Mike Huckabee or a Fred Thompson to change the image of the movement. Same fraud, different face.

Answer 4

Consider that conservatives often tout a philosophy of smaller government. Bush has not done that. They also like to be fiscally conservative, Bush, and several conservatives the past of the past few presidents have not done that. Quite simply, if Bush does not follow conservative doctrine then he is not 100% conservative. While some of his policies might be liberal, I wouldn't call him a Democrat.

Answer 5

He has expanded our government, something conservatives are usually against, and imposed an interventionist foreign policy, another thing that true conservatives are against. Not to mention him running up the debt into the tens of trillions and essentially bankrupting our economy. Real conservatives are actually *good* with money.

Originally conservatives basically wanted what libertarians want now - a small government that is responsible for national security and infrastructure. The government would ideally stay out of our lives as much as possible, and we would be taxed as little as possible. A true conservative might actually get my vote, too bad there aren't any running.

Answer 6

You are incorrect, most conservatives did not think that George Bush was a conservative. His father wasn't and neither is he. The press and the democrats tried to paint him as conservative as an insult.

In case your wondering Bush is a kind of a moderate republican, morally conservative, fiscally liberal, and don't get us started on illegal immigration.

Answer 7

Republicans are right about President Bush not being Conservative, he is a Moderate and also I
think with a little bit of independent mixed in!!

Answer 8

For the same reason that some do not like Huckaby.

His social values are very conservative, but his policies have been more liberal than conservatives who are more Federalist (less power to the Federal government, more power to State government).

Answer 9

Because he spends like a democrat, he's soft on immigration, and he seems to like increasing the size/control of the government. I'm honestly shocked the democrats don't like him. Maybe if he did one of his interns in the oval office the dems could relate to him a little better.

Answer 10

Bush is a conservative. However, he picks the interests of Wall Street conservatives over Christians when a choice like immigration must be made.

A hint to the religious right; look at how many times a person attended church before they became a candidate.

Answer 11

There are other options.

Both parties have become very liberal in their ideas of gov't size, spending, control, and in the fed vs. local level debate.

Bush is so far from being a true conservative is it disgusting. In reality his politics when it comes to economics, globalism, and federal power put him closer to H. Clinton than any other major people right now.