By Bob Beckel
Democratic Strategist/FOX News Political Contributor

I want to thank the hundreds of FOX Forum readers who commented on my last post concerning the arrogance of George Bush. The response from many self-described “Republicans,” “conservatives” and “right wingers,” brought tears to these liberal eyes. The warmth; “you left-wing commie,” the understanding; “you idiot,” the compassion; “screw you” meant more to me then you can possibly know.

Is it my imagination, or are many of you angry? If I were a Republican and facing the rejection of conservatism on an unprecedented scale this coming November, I suppose I’d be angry as well.Perhaps I can help you understand why your political philosophy is about to be rejected by the American people.

Here are just some of the reasons:

1. Conservatives are supposed to be fiscally responsible yet when your crowd inherited a trillion-dollar surplus from Bill Clinton, Bush/Cheney and a Republican Congress turned it into a $3-trillion-dollar deficit.
2. Conservatives strongly support the war in Iraq but won’t help pay for it. Never has our country been at war without asking and getting our citizens to help bear the financial burden…until this war. Conservatives don’t want to give up Bush’s tax cuts for the top 5% of wage earners to help pay for this war. Why?
3. The American people got tired of being lectured on “family values” by conservative clergy and Republican members of Congress, e.g. Larry Craig, who didn’t practice what they preached.
4. Or maybe the voters got tired of Republicans controlling the US House of Representatives for 12 years during which they handed out more wasteful pork projects than all the pork handed out by Democrats in the 42 years preceding the GOP takeover.
5. Or maybe voters got angry when they learned the Vice President of the United States manipulated intelligence and misled the American people on why war with Iraq was in our national security interests.
6. Or maybe the public didn’t like George Bush vetoing legislation to provide health insurance for millions of kids.
7. Or maybe the public got embarrassed by Republicans in the Bush Administration who refused, in the face of overwhelming evidence, to accept the reality of global warming, aka “The Flat Earth Society”.

It’s not conservatives but conservative leaders who have caused the problems. I’ve seen liberalism hijacked by incompetent leaders and watched the resulting rejection by voters. I know you all think liberal leaders are still not competent, but that’s not the issue. It is time for conservatives to do some soul searching and find new leaders. Believe it or not I wish you well.

You know what’s sad? Most conservatives I meet are nice people. Even those of you who attack me with your comments are probably decent people who believe your political agenda is the right one. For many of the preceding three decades most Americans agreed with you. I believe you love your country and are patriots. I can disagree with your politics but not do it disagreeably.

So what is sad is that I feel compelled to write this because some of you refuse to grant me the same understanding. I believe in a liberal political agenda. I have a right to believe what I believe without you calling me a commie. I also love my country so please don’t call me unpatriotic. I’m a father who loves his family so please don’t accuse me of being “anti-family” as some of you have.

This time around my side will win and I believe by a big margin. You don’t have to like it, but perhaps you might refrain from “hating” my side. In all the years of Republican control I never accused anyone of being unpatriotic, or fascist, or bad people. Maybe you would grant my side the same courtesy.

Happy 4th of July and God bless America and you.