Katrina is turning out to be President Bush’s worst nightmare. I am not referring to liberal opposition either. Conservatives are startintg to call out the Republican majority as the spending junkies that they’ve become. Stephen Moore of the Club for Growth exposes a crack in the GOP base:

Alas, in the world of compassionate conservatism, the quaint notion of limited federal power has fallen to the wayside in favor of an ethic that has Uncle Sam as first, second and third responder to crisis. FEMA, despite its woeful performance, will grow in size and stature. So will the welfare state. Welcome to the new New Dealism of the GOP.
Both political parties are now willing and eager to spend tax dollars as if they were passing out goody-bags to grabby four-year-olds at a birthday party. The Democrats are already forging their 2006 and 2008 message: We will spend just as many trillions of dollars as Republicans, but we will spend them better than they do. After witnessing the first few Republican misappropriations for Hurricane Katrina, the Democrats may very well be right.

Ultimately, I am sure the Club for Growth is just venting. But, Republicans need to remember money shouldn’t be used as a band-aid. A real debate on how to repair the Gulf Region should not be avoided. A values debate lead by Bush on how to prevent poverty might be nice too. (oh no, a values debate!!!) All of this being said, the Democrats phony outrage over deficit spending is laughable. They are just angry it’s not their sugar daddy FDR holding Uncle Sam’s ATM.

Archived in: Compassionate Conservatism, Conservatism, Conservatives, Deficit, Democrats, Hurricane Katrina, Republicans, Welfare