Frum on Bush's Conservatism
by davidthayer
Solid column today from David Frum on the question of Is Bush Conservative? After outlining some very salient political facts, Frum concludes:
Bush has earned his political success by understanding these trends and adapting to them. Where he can hold onto traditional conservative principles, he does ? as he did on taxes. But where he cannot safely uphold conservative principles, he is not prepared to suffer martyrdom for them. On domestic issues, Bush is not a conviction politician of the Ronald Reagan/Margaret Thatcher type. He is a managerial politician of the Eisenhower/Ford type ? a dealmaker, a compromiser, coping with an adverse political climate. If he could be more conservative, he would. If he has to be less conservative, he will be that too. He?s not steering in some new direction. He?s steering to avoid hitting the guardrails on a suddenly very narrow stretch of road.
I think Frum is right. I think the answer for conservatives lies not so much in “punishing” Bush in the election but finding ways to push the public and politicians rightward (that’s the argument I made here). If Bush feels like he can be more conservative he will be. so we need to help create that environment for him.
Of course it would be nice if Bush were willing to get out front a little, but with a dicey political landscape and the war on terrorism he has his hands full.
Kevin:
Who is this Ronald Reagan? I don’t recall the Reagan who was our president emnbracing glorious martyrdom rather than raising taxes, bailing out Social Security, negotiating import quotas on Japanese cars, etc… Mr. Frum is comparing President Bush to a fiction.
In other words, don’t expect Bush to lead, but merely to follow public opinion?
Josh:
I would love it if Bush would lead more and follow less but politics is the art of the possible. Politicians need to get re-elected so one way to help is to convince the public that our ideas are better and thus provide political cover from Bush.
Orrin:
Yes, conservatives often get all teary eyed about Reagan in a way that doesn’t reflect the historical record but I think Frum is talking more rhetorically. Reagan was willing to say things that were deeply unpopular in a way that Bush isn’t.
Kevin:
So Reagan’s rhetoric excuses his record, but Bush’s more conservative record is inexcusable because he talks nice? Is conservatism become that vacuous?