May 24, 2001

George Bush campaigned with centrist talk and a myriad of platitudes, but governs with a far-right walk. An increasingly dumbed-down America, with a 5 minute attention span gave him almost 50% of the vote. And they are now seeing the extremist agenda, that was present all along.

Barely four months after Bush became President—under the most dubious of circumstances—Sen. James M. Jeffords of Vermont, a Republican for over 20 years announced that he is leaving the Republican Party. The arrogance, miserly meanness, and petty acts of retribution from the Bush administration, and the GOP leaders with their extreme right agenda have created an intolerable atmosphere for a moderate such as Jeffords.

Jeffords, who served in congress through Reagan and the former President Bush, announced he would switch his party status to Independent because he must be able to vote his conscience for the state of Vermont, rather than the party lines. These first months of the Bush administration have dramatized how far to the right the Republican party has moved. Bush's first act was an executive order imposing new anti-abortion restrictions on U.S. international aid. Jeffords, as chairman of the committee overseeing labor issues, agreed reluctantly to push legislation overturning workplace ergonomics rules. And the White House education initiative included a school voucher provision Jeffords opposed. When he could not in good conscience support the president's tax break for the rich, the party pundits began attacking him from their perch. These issues vividly illustrated the change within the GOP over the last 20 years.

In a written statement, Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, blamed "short-sighted party operatives" whom he accused of targeting Jeffords. "The party establishment . . . has to understand it is nonproductive for them to threaten retaliation on people who don't vote their way," said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). McCain, who has clashed with both the party and the Bush administration, praised Jeffords for basing his votes on something other than politics. "Perhaps those self-appointed enforcers of party loyalty will learn to respect honorable differences among us, learn to disagree without resorting to personal threats, and recognize that we are a party large enough to accommodate something short of strict unanimity on the issues of the day," said McCain.

"Tolerance of dissent is the hallmark of a mature party, and it is well past time for the Republican Party to grow up," he added.

David Broder - New York Times, after speaking with Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, a Republican ally of Bush, wrote... "Hagel told me, "What is debilitating for us is to have a leading moderate say that 'what I have witnessed is a closed party that has no tolerance for any other point of view.' . . . There is an arrogance here that cost the Democrats control in 1994. When you're arrogant, you get sloppy and don't pay attention, and that is when you get replaced. Republicans up here have gotten too focused on finding our way around issues and not doing the things -- prescription drugs for seniors, patients' rights -- that America expects us to pay attention to. I would hope the president would make this an indicator that he factors into his governance. He has to learn from this -- and not just bring people down and feed them cookies but engage people on some real issues."

In Washington, unlike Texas, reaching across the table requires something more then a pat on the back between the good ole' boys. George Bush's success in his home state, was due to the abundance of conservative Democrats, who like Sen. Zell Miller (GA) and Sen. Ben Nelson (NE), are Republicans in Democratic clothing. The Bush administration's "my way or the highway" approach, put Sen. Jeffords on the highway to Independence.

And what does the White House think of all this? What, us worry?

"We'll be able to get the president's agenda put forward because it's an agenda for the American people," said Chief of Staff Andrew Card.

Right, that overwhelming mandate.