We Need More Facts and Less Generalities
As a Conservative, I have several real problems with the Administration today, and I guess I have had them for a while, but just didn't want to lay the facts on the table. For what they are worth, here is my current list of issues that need to be explicated in far greater detail by Bush himself, before I am truly back on board.
1) I believe we have all heard the general outlines of the action plan for Iraq from Bush. What we haven't heard are incremental progress reports with positive measures of what is going on there. What we do get are daily attacks on the policy for Iraq by the opposition, but little of substance from the Administration. In fact, it seems from observation that the Bush Administration is loathe to go into details with the public. We hear of sweeps through the Eastern part of Iraq to clear the terrorists out, but we get no further information about the place of concern after the battle is over. Sweeps are great, but unless you occupy the territory, the terrorists will be back in business there very soon after the last troops withdraw. So what towns are being strongly held by our side now, and what towns are still in doubt? More details like these would help tremendously. There are other measures of success also that we can think up and report on to give a more complete picture of whether we are winning or not. How about coming clean on the real status of Iraqi forces?
2) Party discipline seems to have gone out the window for the GOP. I get no warm feeling that the Republican members are all lined up behind the Bush agenda, or any other agenda for that matter, except personal advantage. They are faced with an opposition that votes en masse for their views by and large. We should see more unity of purpose and action now from the GOP. The leadership has defaulted in the last months.
3) The situation with illegal immigrants has been booted down the road for far too long by this administration. The basic elements of a plan was given here earlier, and I see no reason to hold off on solving this problem-- starting right now. Bush should step up and outline the entire problem and the steps he is championing as soon as possible. I do not think he has done this in a convincing manner, and with measurable results.
4) The budget is a football also, with some in the GOP playing games again. I believe that the pork in the budget should be eliminated entirely. What has Bush said about this? Nothing. What about the deficit? Are we on track to reduce the deficit or not, and if not why? What is to be done over the next three years to get the budget in line?
5) I am sure that there are good reasons for Bush to travel all over the world now, but with the Party and agenda in jeopardy here, perhaps it would be in our best interest in Bush stayed around to clean up the disarray that I think I see in the Party.
# posted by Mannning @ 2:10 PM
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