A large piece of pork pie with my bacon, please

By Aussiegirl

Bruce Bartlett was recently called to testify before a congressional hearing as a hostile witness -- the role that Republicans now have to play when appearing in public and daring to voice conservative ideas.

Apres le hurricane -- le deluge -- torrents of money, promises, recriminations, tears, accusations, rending of garments and the sudden discovery by Republicans that they can demagogue and spend with the poor as their excuse -- but along with all these watery metaphors comes the release of a flood of conservative disgust and disillusionment.

Whatever cunning plan Karl Rove has had in mind all these years (he hasn't shared it with us as far as I can remember), it sure doesn't involve anything to do with Reagan Republicanism. And the Democrats are not doing us any favors by having falling off the edge of the world into the land of "there be dragons", thereby rendering the Republicans as sole players on a stage with only themselves as demented stars and no credible opposition to keep them honest.

I honestly believe that Karl Rove now believes that the only thing that stands between him and permanent power is what used to called the Republican party. As such they appear ready to start the purges. You may refer to your old Soviet textbooks to discover what comes next for those who dare to oppose their Mad King Ludwig ways -- can airbrushed photographs be far away?

Bruce Bartlett: Appalled over pork

Last week I had an interesting experience. I was asked to testify before a hearing of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee. I made it clear to them that I was a Republican, but they said they wanted me anyway. I suppose that they knew that I have become very disturbed by the Republican Party’s fiscal policy and they presumed that I would attack it. I did not disappoint them.

I explained that I am not particularly a deficit hawk, nor do the size of the Bush tax cuts bother me. What really bothers me is the orgy of spending by Republicans. It is just appalling that the recent highway bill had 5,000 “earmarks” in it. These are almost without exception, utterly unjustified pork barrel projects.

I am further appalled by President’s Bush’s unwillingness to use his veto pen to maintain some semblance of fiscal discipline. He is the first president to serve a full term without vetoing anything since John Quincy Adams, who served from 1824 to 1828.