I think one would have to have a strong libertarian point of view to take quite this position. The consensus position in the post- War generation has been against appeasement and for strategic resistance to potential adversaries. The break down, in fact, between liberal and conservative has been between satisfaction with "containment" and a call for more vigorous strategic competition, or the more aggressive use of our intelligence and military resources (remember Goldwater asking "Why Not Victory?" in the Cold War). There is a big difference between Johnson's approach to war, with its perennial indecisiveness, and Bush's, which has been bold, successful, and determined.
Compared to Nixon, Bush has done little more than to ensure the effectiveness of his White House. Every President tries to expand presidential privilege.
In general, on the domestic side, there has been neither a large effort to cut back, nor large initiatives to increase, spending, apart from the costs of defense. In that, you may as well compare him to Eisenhower or Reagan, for all that it means to do so........ |
