Another long time GOP member comes out firmly against George W. Bush, who just happens to be visiting New Jersey today. I hope Bush picks up the Star-Ledger and reads this op-ed piece by Lewis Thurston, former Republican Governor Kean's chief of staff and New Jersey Highway Authority executive director under Republican Governor Christie Whitman.
I would post the link but the Star-Ledger's web site is among the worst in the world and the op-ed pieces havent' been updated yet.
Please forgive any typos as I've gone through all the trouble of typing this out for you. 🙂
You may post your thanks. 😉
And, as always, I'm sure you'll post your opinions.
Monday, October 18, 2004
The Star-Ledger
Page 17
It's not the Grand Old Party anymore
BY LEWIS THURSTON
The party I proudly served in high-level positions in New Jersey government was a party of integrity, true conservation, enlightened government regulation and, above all, fiscal soundness and responsibility. It elected Presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. In our state, it produced successful candidates and excellent officeholders such as Sen. Clifford Case and Govs. Bill Cahill and Tom Kean. Republican presidential candidates carried New Jersey in each election over the 20-year period from 1968 to 1988.
The Republican Party of today is very different, however, especially at the national level. Unfortunately, our hopes that President Bush might really turn out to be a social moderate have been dashed and the catchy slogan "compassionate conservative" revealed to be largely empty political rhetoric.
The president brings his Texas-style "conservative" ideology to the leadership of a party unduly influenced by supply-side economics and religious zealots, practicing excessive corporate protection and embracing a new international doctrine of pre-emptive war. Pat Robertson has a seat at the table. Tom DeLay and the Soutnern Republican congressional leaders aggressively pursue an agenda detrimental to New Jersey and the nation.
Sadly, the Republican Party I knew has abandoned other moderates and me and been hijacked by these neoconservative ideologues.
With this party philosophy and agenda, it is no wonder democratic presidential candidate Al Gore carried New Jersey by more than 500,000 votes four years ago and John Kerry likely will carry it this year. Echoing that national party philosophy, conservative Republican gubernatorial candidate Bret Schundler was soundly defeated by James McGreevey in 2001. Unless New Jersey Republicans understand that they can't win the state without a more moderate and fiscally sound philosophy and agenda, they probably are doomed to defeat again in next year's gubernatorial election.
As to this year's presidential race, the president's record of the last four years does not justify re-election.
With the sympathy and support of much of the world, the president initially handled well the reaction to the 9/11 attacks. However, he then squandered that international good will when he launched an unnecessary war at great cost in lives and dollars on the wrong target. It now seems clear Bush deceived the American people as to the reasons for the war. He continues to make up new rationalizations for his unwise intervention. What happened to the party of integrity?
Demonstrating a lack of understanding of the history and culture of Iraq and the region, he naively promised that the United States would be greeted as a liberator and would bring about virtually instant "democracy." When the going got tougher he indicated we would need to "stay the course" as an occupier for 10 years or more. (Will even that succeed?) What happened to the party of limited engagement?
To try to boost a lagging economy, the president sought help in massive and premanent tax cuts, much of the benefit of which went to the wealthy, who don't need them. But perhaps they will "trickle down." This severely aggravates the already record deficits and guarantees our children and grandchildren will have to pay greatly for the lack of political courage to face the costs now. Our chief executive asks no sacrifice from us for the war on terror or the war in Iraq (not the same). Keep buying your expensive SUVs; we will cut your taxes to help you do it. The old Republican Party of fiscal prudence is spinning it its grave. What ever happened to balanced budgets and pay as you go?
The president's record on protecting the world's fragile environmnent is a sad chornicle of unwise action and inaction. Despite the efforts of fromer Gov. Christie Whitman, Bush's first environmental protections administrator, to get the United States to support the Kyoto environmental treaty, the president shrunk form such leadership. Instead, he supports fossil fuel exploration in sensitive environmental areas more than developoment of alternative energy sources, has done little to combat acid rain and water polluters. What happened to the party of conservation?
Bush and the Republican congressional leaders pride themselves on being "conservative." But true conservatism doesn't include record deficits, record spending and costly, pre-emptive wars.
On Nov. 2, I will be voting for the alternative, John Kerry. If he wins, America has a chance at a fresh, wiser approach to our problems at home and abroad. Let's hope that also will give the Republican Party a chance for a fresh start, a new philosophy and a different agenda. Or is that just wishful thinking?
Lewis Thurston served as chief of staff to Republican Gov. Tom Kean and as executive director of the New Jersey Highway Aughority under Republican Gov. Christie Whitman, among other posts.
I would post the link but the Star-Ledger's web site is among the worst in the world and the op-ed pieces havent' been updated yet.
Please forgive any typos as I've gone through all the trouble of typing this out for you. 🙂
You may post your thanks. 😉
And, as always, I'm sure you'll post your opinions.
Monday, October 18, 2004
The Star-Ledger
Page 17
It's not the Grand Old Party anymore
BY LEWIS THURSTON
The party I proudly served in high-level positions in New Jersey government was a party of integrity, true conservation, enlightened government regulation and, above all, fiscal soundness and responsibility. It elected Presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. In our state, it produced successful candidates and excellent officeholders such as Sen. Clifford Case and Govs. Bill Cahill and Tom Kean. Republican presidential candidates carried New Jersey in each election over the 20-year period from 1968 to 1988.
The Republican Party of today is very different, however, especially at the national level. Unfortunately, our hopes that President Bush might really turn out to be a social moderate have been dashed and the catchy slogan "compassionate conservative" revealed to be largely empty political rhetoric.
The president brings his Texas-style "conservative" ideology to the leadership of a party unduly influenced by supply-side economics and religious zealots, practicing excessive corporate protection and embracing a new international doctrine of pre-emptive war. Pat Robertson has a seat at the table. Tom DeLay and the Soutnern Republican congressional leaders aggressively pursue an agenda detrimental to New Jersey and the nation.
Sadly, the Republican Party I knew has abandoned other moderates and me and been hijacked by these neoconservative ideologues.
With this party philosophy and agenda, it is no wonder democratic presidential candidate Al Gore carried New Jersey by more than 500,000 votes four years ago and John Kerry likely will carry it this year. Echoing that national party philosophy, conservative Republican gubernatorial candidate Bret Schundler was soundly defeated by James McGreevey in 2001. Unless New Jersey Republicans understand that they can't win the state without a more moderate and fiscally sound philosophy and agenda, they probably are doomed to defeat again in next year's gubernatorial election.
As to this year's presidential race, the president's record of the last four years does not justify re-election.
With the sympathy and support of much of the world, the president initially handled well the reaction to the 9/11 attacks. However, he then squandered that international good will when he launched an unnecessary war at great cost in lives and dollars on the wrong target. It now seems clear Bush deceived the American people as to the reasons for the war. He continues to make up new rationalizations for his unwise intervention. What happened to the party of integrity?
Demonstrating a lack of understanding of the history and culture of Iraq and the region, he naively promised that the United States would be greeted as a liberator and would bring about virtually instant "democracy." When the going got tougher he indicated we would need to "stay the course" as an occupier for 10 years or more. (Will even that succeed?) What happened to the party of limited engagement?
To try to boost a lagging economy, the president sought help in massive and premanent tax cuts, much of the benefit of which went to the wealthy, who don't need them. But perhaps they will "trickle down." This severely aggravates the already record deficits and guarantees our children and grandchildren will have to pay greatly for the lack of political courage to face the costs now. Our chief executive asks no sacrifice from us for the war on terror or the war in Iraq (not the same). Keep buying your expensive SUVs; we will cut your taxes to help you do it. The old Republican Party of fiscal prudence is spinning it its grave. What ever happened to balanced budgets and pay as you go?
The president's record on protecting the world's fragile environmnent is a sad chornicle of unwise action and inaction. Despite the efforts of fromer Gov. Christie Whitman, Bush's first environmental protections administrator, to get the United States to support the Kyoto environmental treaty, the president shrunk form such leadership. Instead, he supports fossil fuel exploration in sensitive environmental areas more than developoment of alternative energy sources, has done little to combat acid rain and water polluters. What happened to the party of conservation?
Bush and the Republican congressional leaders pride themselves on being "conservative." But true conservatism doesn't include record deficits, record spending and costly, pre-emptive wars.
On Nov. 2, I will be voting for the alternative, John Kerry. If he wins, America has a chance at a fresh, wiser approach to our problems at home and abroad. Let's hope that also will give the Republican Party a chance for a fresh start, a new philosophy and a different agenda. Or is that just wishful thinking?
Lewis Thurston served as chief of staff to Republican Gov. Tom Kean and as executive director of the New Jersey Highway Aughority under Republican Gov. Christie Whitman, among other posts.
