In his latest State of the Union speech, President Bush laid out his vision for America: more federal government spending on various new domestic programs and more foreign intervention to create free market societies and democracies, especially in the Middle East.
On the international front, President Bush stated the United States government should bring “free elections, free markets, a free press and free labor unions to the Middle East”. In short, a major goal his administration is to conduct a widespread program of nation building. This is in sharp contrast to the statement Bush made during the 2000 campaign, when he called for a “humble” foreign policy.
President Bush reiterated a typical view of U.S. policymakers, namely, “it is mistaken, and condescending, to assume that whole cultures and great religions are incompatible with liberty and self-government. I believe that God has planted in every human heart the desire to live in freedom. And even when that desire is crushed by tyranny for decades, it will rise again.”
The president made one of the most egregious arguments in his address with the above assertion. Some people who supposedly are the recipients of God’s blessing for freedom become tyrants. The tyrants crush the people’s burning desire for freedom, and thus the United States must save the oppressed with military intervention.
And, there is more: “As long as the Middle East remains a place of tyranny and despair and anger, it will continue to produce men and movements that threaten the safety of America and our friends“. According to Bush, the tyrannies in the Middle East cause the young people in the region to hate America. Talk about transference of hate. The dictators and ruling families of the Middle East are a bunch of skillful leaders who can deflect their people’s anger toward the United States. Instead of overthrowing their tyrannical regimes, young people have decided to become bombers, hijackers and mass killers of Americans.
If the United States withdrew from the Middle East militarily and politically, there is a high probability that the anger toward America would disappear. A possibility that the Bush administration does not even consider.
The president concluded his section on foreign policy with the following statement.
“America is a nation with a mission, and that mission comes from our most basic beliefs. We have no desire to dominate, no ambitions of empire. Our aim is a democratic peace — a peace founded upon the dignity and rights of every man and woman. America acts in this cause with friends and allies at our side, yet we understand our special calling: This great republic will lead the cause of freedom”.
More than 200 years ago, Washington, Adams and others articulated America’s most basic beliefs, a noninterventionist foreign policy–friendship and commerce with all nations, entangingly alliances with none. This principle would guarantee that the United States would have peaceful relations with all peoples of the world.
On the domestic front, President Bush now wants the federal government to become marriage counselor to the masses and guardian of young people’s sexual mores. He also wants to “defend” marriage, with a constitutional amendment, if state activist judges continue to rule that marriage can be between individuals of the same sex.
President Bush also wants the federal government to “stand with our families to help them raise healthy, responsible children. And when it comes to helping children make right choices, there is work for all us to do”. The president was referring to reducing illegal drug use among youngsters.
In the final analysis, President Bush wants the federal government to “help” families with the challenges youngsters face everyday. It sounds like the president has embraced Hillary Clinton’s “it takes a village” theme to raise children.
The president also wants to increase federal tax dollars to faith-based groups. He spoke proudly of both the new Medicare prescription drug benefit and the No Child Left Behind Act. The latter greatly increased federal government control over public education. And, he wants to legalize in effect illegal immigrants.
On the bright side, President Bush want to make permanent the tax cuts that were enacted over the past two years.
President Bush is presiding over a GOP version of the New Deal and Great Society. In fact, Bill Clinton could have given Bush’s State of the Union speech, and Republicans would have been up in arms over Slick Willie’s use of the federal treasury to buy votes. Remember, it was Bill Clinton in his 1996 State of the Union Speech who said the “era of big government is over” to thunderous GOP applause. This year, GOP members of Congress gave the president thunderous applause when he announced more government initiatives and spending. How times have changed.
While Democrats want the federal government to provide for the people’s material needs, the Washington Republicans want that plus they want the Leviathan State to make people virtuous and spread democracy and free markets around the world.
For limited government conservatives and independents, President Bush has repeatedly demonstrated that he has turned his back on the promises he made during the 2000 campaign. However, enough rank-and-file Republicans and independents may help reelect President Bush next November, proving the following statement true, again.
“What a good fortune for governments that the people do not think”.
“Published originally at EtherZone.com : republication allowed with this notice and hyperlink intact.”