Bush Redefined Party, Killed Conservatism

Lending credence to the idea that George W. Bush was no conservative, a new tell-all book Speechless: Tales of a White House Survivor, a former speechwriter paints a picture of the former President as a go-it-alone cowboy. At times, he may also have been an idiot.

[Washington Examiner] Conservatives greatly admired Bush for his steadfastness in the War on Terror -- to use that outlawed phrase -- and they were delighted by his choices of John Roberts and Samuel Alito for the Supreme Court. But when it came to a fundamental conservative principle like fiscal discipline, many conservatives felt the president just wasn't with them.

"Look, I know this probably sounds arrogant to say," the president said, "but I redefined the Republican Party."

You can argue whether Bush was a fiscal conservative at any time in his political career, but he certainly wasn't in the White House. And some real fiscal conservatives, with their guy in charge, held their tongues.

Now, with unified Democratic control of the presidency and both houses of Congress, we're seeing spending that makes Bush's record look downright thrifty. Republicans have again found their voice on fiscal discipline. And some of them wish they had been more outspoken when a president of their own party was in the White House.

Now I wouldn't be so uncharitable as to question the guy's faith or religion because of his politics as some do, because in those I think he is sincere; but as for his governing philosophy as a conservative, Bush stank.