« AP Reporter Discovers US Military Aircraft in Iraq | Main | Just a passing thought... »

Larry Kudlow Distills The "Ports Kerfuffle"

How to distill the "Ports Kerfuffle" in three paragraphs.

From Larry Kudlows article in National Review Online:

...snip

When you scratch this debate among conservatives deep enough, what you are left with is a clear demarcation between free-traders and protectionists. Those conservatives who oppose the deal are lining up with xenophobic protectionists like my old friend Patrick Buchanan. On the other hand, conservatives in favor of the deal align themselves with the pro-growth, free-trade tradition embodied by Jack Kemp. The Kemp adherents believe in breaking down global barriers in order to enhance prospects for prosperity and freedom everywhere. That’s in large part what the UAE/DP World episode is all about.

Whether it’s anti-Arab Islamophobia or anti-Mexican Hispanophobia, the fear-mongers in the conservative ranks do not truly believe in economic opportunity. Nor do they believe in Ronald Reagan’s “City on a Hill” vision of America, where it is our charge to lead the world toward free-market prosperity, political democratization, and true freedom for all peoples.

Yes, there is a rift in the conservative ranks. Opposing President Bush are those with a vision of pessimism, defeatism, and fear. Supporting the president are those with a Reaganite vision that brims with opportunity, victory, and success in the spread of freedom and democratization. Can there be any serious question that the resounding conservative Republican ascendancy and success of the past 25 years launched by Ronald Reagan and advanced by George W. Bush is built on optimism — and positive results? I think not.

...end snip.

and there you have it. Once upon a time, my dad used to tell me that fear wasn't a characteristic of leadership and people who live in fear or gave council to their fears, werent leaders. The President has taken a risk with the "Port Kerfuffle", but its a risk that a leader would take. You may not respect his decision, but you have to respect his standing by the decision. It does show you that the President believes something is right for the country, he does it no matter the polls. President Bush could very easily react to the Ports deal with a resounding "HELL NO", and by doing so he would climb to his highest ratings since 9/11, but he wont do that, because no matter how it might serve him personally to do so, it would not serve the country or his duty to it as President.

If Congress could show 1/10th the character of the President, we wouldnt have to go through 6 months of opportunistic grandstanding against the "Patriot Act", only to have it pass by 89-10.

There are days when I think that President Bush is the last adult in Washington D.C. If you are one of those convinced that President Bush isnt quite what you wanted from a President, just remember how close we came to having this man in the office of President making these decisions:

Now that you've seen what the past 6 years have been like, do you think President Gore would have agreed with the many decisions that President Bush has made?

Spend a day thinking "what might have been" and you quickly come to the conclusion that we are mighty lucky indeed to have the President we have.

Posted @ March 04, 2006 10:21 AM | Current Affairs