Obama Supporter Reminds Us of Obama Promise of Fiscal Discipline
Back in February, I had meant to blog on Fred Tausch, a New Hampshire man who had donated substantial sums to the Obama campaign, but had launched an effort to stop that Democrat’s spendthrift “stimulus.” But, given the haste with which Democrats moved the spending plan through Congress, I did not have time to blog on it before the legislation passed.
Well, Tausch is back in the news again and there is some speculation he may run for New Hampshire’s open Senate seat next fall. In WSJ.com’s Political Diary (available by subscription), John Fund reports that he is staffing his S.T.E.W.A.R.D. (Stimulating The Economy Without Accumulating Record Debt) operation with veterans of Republican campaigns:
Erin Abell, STEWARD’s executive director, is a seasoned political hand who formerly worked for John McCain’s presidential campaign in the state. Two former aides of ex-Sen. John Sununu have signed aboard the Tausch efforts. Ditto a pair of veterans of last year’s Giuliani and Romney presidential campaigns.
STEWARD has been running radio and TV ads, and funding studies which “highlight the dangers of runaway federal spending.” With Tausch moving from Obama supporter to Administration critics, we see two things, first, that Republicans can win back votes they lost in recent years by returning to the fiscal principles which once defined the party and second, that Obama did so well last fall by tapping into independent voters’ frustration with a spendthrift GOP.
As the first point will come to the fore as the campaigns for ‘09 and ‘10 heat up, I wish now to focus on the second.
When we criticize the President for his liberal agenda, his supporters (when not bashing Bush) will remind us that the Democrat had won election last fall and therefore was entitled to enact his agenda. What they don’t tell you is the number of people like Tausch who took the Democratic candidate at his word that he would bring fiscal discipline to the our nation’s capital, given the Democrat’s repeated promise of a “net spending cut.” Tausch reminds us that many backed Obama precisely because of such promises.
That is, the Democrat won a convincing majority last fall not by focusing on the big-spending, large government agenda which has defined his first five months in office, but by appealing to voters like Fred Tausch and promising to be a responsible, a prudent steward of our nation’s finance.
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And with a filibuster proof majority in the senate, the spending is only going to get worse.
Comment by V the K — June 30, 2009 @ 6:39 pm - June 30, 2009
Emphasis added. Gee… funny how they *didn’t* feel that way about President Bush right about this time in, oh, 2005. (Or 2001.)
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — June 30, 2009 @ 7:49 pm - June 30, 2009
And, it must be said, were idiots for doing so. Oops, sorry, I do want them to keep voting for fiscal discipline and that is not the way to welcome them back. (ILC lashes self with wet noodle)
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — June 30, 2009 @ 7:51 pm - June 30, 2009
ILC, I was hoping someone would catch that use of the word, “entitled,” as I chose it quite carefully.
Comment by GayPatriotWest — June 30, 2009 @ 8:04 pm - June 30, 2009
The Obama depression not only continues but worsens….
June 2009 tax receipts collapse,
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tom-blumer/2009/06/30/june-federal-receipts-dive-continues-does-media-near-silence
Comment by Gene in Pennsylvania — June 30, 2009 @ 8:54 pm - June 30, 2009
I know all politicians lie, but to me Obama is a very big liar, it’s one thing to screw the gays over, then have a cocktail party to make things all better.
It is entirely another to screw over the whole country.
Comment by Leah — June 30, 2009 @ 10:24 pm - June 30, 2009
Hey it was the GLBT reps who stood and cheered for Obama as he promised to do for the gays when he is………….a weaker President as his term progresses. I’ve no pitty for the seals as they clap and bay.
Comment by Gene in Pennsylvania — June 30, 2009 @ 10:47 pm - June 30, 2009
Hey, speaking of fiscal discipline… Guess Who is rediscovering his roots and finally holding the line? (Hint: He’s in CA, and has muscles)
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — July 1, 2009 @ 2:30 am - July 1, 2009
(and I DON’T mean the guy pictured on the link; he’s only the link’s author)
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — July 1, 2009 @ 2:31 am - July 1, 2009
Forgive me if I’m more exasperated with than welcoming of folks like Tausch. Politicians use phony rhetoric because it works. It works because of people like Fred Tausch.
Comment by Ignatius — July 1, 2009 @ 11:04 am - July 1, 2009