Redstate

Posted at 7:05pm on May 31, 2006 So Stay Home in November.<br>It's Not Like President Pelosi Will Care.

By Blanton

As I head back out to help a few candidates, let me bring this to your attention:

Even some of us in the field are frustrated and aggravated and ready to call it a day instead of soldiering on toward November. We are tired. Our party leadership could care less about the base -- they view themselves as their own base and screw the little guy.

But there are good men and women in Congress who will be placed in the minority if we walk off the field. Mike Pence, Jeb Hensarling, John Shadegg, etc. do not deserve to be in the minority -- they should be leading the majority.

Frankly, I know a lot of you are ready to call me out on that. Sure, these guys should be leading the majority, but the present majority has so royally hacked off the base, it's the price that must be paid. A friend of mine is rooting for the Dems to take back over the House to teach the Republicans a lesson. Well, let's put this in perspective.

First, don't believe if the House goes Democrat in 2006 that the Republicans will be able to take it back in 2008. That will not happen. It will take four years to get it back. For people who think they will not lose to get over the shell shock of losing, they'll need a minimum of four years to purge, bleed, seek therapy, and get their groove back.

Second, remember who will be in charge of a Democrat Congress. You hacked off with Jerry Lewis on Appropriations? Fine, take David Obey. How about Louis Slaughter for Rules and John Conyers for Judiciary.

In the Senate (yeah, you think you stay home in November that we can lose the House and keep the Senate? Not bloody likely), how about John Kerry as Chairman of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee and Joe Biden on Foreign Relations. Oh, and an Al Gonzales on the Supreme Court instead of a Michael Luttig.

And let's remember that the Democrats want to impeach not just Bush, but also Cheney. Say hello to President Pelosi, third in line to the Oval Office.

Now, buck up and soldier on. It really does matter. And after the election we prepare our coup against Hastert, send Jerry Lewis to the stockade, shore up the RSC, and right the Right in Congress.

Posted in 2006 — Comments (206)/ Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 4:42pm on May 30, 2006 The Agenda -- An Open Thread

By Blanton

Although reviled by the revisionists, the Contract With America was brilliant and powerful in its simplicity, listing as it did a number of issues that showed the bright line between R’s and D’s. These were issues that polled heavily in our favor, but put the D’s in conflict with their core constituencies in one way or another, and none dared endorse any of its provisions. Like I said, brilliant.

What are these issues today? I just read the WSJ piece on the McConnell bill requiring picture ID’s for voters. It polls like 90-10, but not a single D voted for it. They couldn’t, they’d get killed by their constituency. That’s a small issue, but one that would be a no-brainer for the rest of the populace. We need to be looking for issues like that, issues that poll in a lopsided way but that cross-pressure D’s with their core constituencies, like labor, the trial bar, enviros, alternative lifestyle groups.

Here's what I've got (and remember popular and wedge):

1. Gov't issued photo identification to vote
2. End double taxation of dividends
3. Tax reform
4. Allow individuals to buy healthcare across state lines

Posted in Republicans — Comments (88)/ Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 8:33am on May 30, 2006 John Snow Resigns

By Blanton

John Snow, faithful economic steward and not so good salesman, will resign this morning and be replaced by Henry Paulson, a veteran of the Nixon White House. Mr. Paulson has credibility on Wall Street, having spent many years at Goldman Sachs, currently as Goldman's CEO -- that's a huge pick up. Mr. Paulson, like Mr. Snow, is over 60 years old. Mr. Paulson should not only be an aggressive salesman, but will be palatable to the markets.

As we've been reporting/speculating for some time, Snow's resignation has been expected, but the White House has been unable to recruit an effective candidate for his replacement. Having only two years left, no young person on Wall Street really wanted to give up their job for the Bush administration.

It is a good thing that the administration did not go with Andy Card. It is also actually a good thing that they went with the highly respected Henry Paulson.

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Posted at 10:43am on May 26, 2006 The Spanish-American War Is Over

By Blanton

In a bit of news that should not be, but will most likely be overshadowed, the Bush Administration has scrapped the phone tax originally imposed to help pay for the Spanish American War.

Not only has the tax been scrapped, but Treasury Secretary John Snow says that consumers will be able to obtain a refund for the phone taxes paid over the past three years.

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Posted at 11:09pm on May 25, 2006 Attention, Attention in the Congress

By Blanton

You have said that the NSA program is not a violation of our civil rights.

You have said the Patriot Act is not a violation of our civil rights.

You have said the detainment of prisoners in Gitmo is not a violation of their civil rights.

What exactly now gives you the right to tell the American people that the FBI has violated your rights?

Regardless of the merits of your legal argument (which is crap), this is not the political argument you want to be making.

As of this day, the conservative grassroots' motto should be Hastert Delenda Est.

A SPECIAL NOTE TO GOP MOC's: We are your allies. Do you really think the left is going to be more supportive of you? If you do, you are really screwed.

Update [2006-5-26 4:57:55 by Dales]: Last night, in e-mail, another editor shared an anecdote about this kerfuffle, which I will paraphrase here. Said editor was talking with a liberal Democrat friend, and expressed disappointment over Hastert and the GOP on this. The friend said, immediately, that Hastert did it only because he knows a search of his and other offices is pending. That's how the left is going to take this.

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Posted at 8:20pm on May 24, 2006 Redemption

By Blanton

Should you want to see a good Republican in action, turn on C-SPAN and watch Jeff Flake wage war on earmarks. He is rapidly becoming Representative Trainwreck to the Senate's Tom "the Trainwreck" Coburn.

Well done Congressman. If only the rest of your party would get its act together.

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Posted at 5:22pm on May 24, 2006 How to Save Yourself Politically:<br>A Note To GOP MOCs

By Blanton

You might want to copy this and get it out quick. Putting some respectful distance between yourself and your Speaker would be a very good idea in this political climate.

And no, this issue will not go away unless you act quickly.

__________: "I Support the FBI"

Rep. __________ (R-__) today released the following statement
regarding the FBI's raid on the offices of Rep. William Jefferson
(D-LA):

"The case of Democrat Rep. William Jefferson is a disturbing story of the public trust betrayed. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, thousands of his constituents directly affected by the storm looked to Rep. Jefferson for leadership. There are now indications that Rep. Jefferson instead chose to line his own pockets, with reports of a $100,000 bribe accepted on videotape, and $90,000 stashed in the Congressman's freezer.

"In the face of such reports, law enforcement has an obligation to stamp out public corruption wherever it is found. The FBI's raid on Rep. Jefferson's Congressional office was a necessary and appropriate step in this direction."

"I support the FBI. I support the actions of Federal law enforcement to fully investigate corruption charges against elected officials, Democrat or Republican. In my judgment, this action does not raise concern regarding the separation of powers. If the charges are true, Rep. Jefferson has brought shame upon the Congress -- and the halls of Congress are no sanctuary from the long arm of the law."

-30-

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Posted at 5:14pm on May 24, 2006 Speaker Hastert Is a Blithering Idiot:<br>a/k/a Use of Office for Felonies is Okay by Speaker

By Blanton

The Speaker has been AWOL through much of the past year. He has failed to properly restrain Jerry Lewis (the cardinal, not the comedian). He has failed to be a prominent leader on the Republican agenda. The Speaker has been absent from the public stage until the FBI, acting under a lawfully obtained subpoena from a federal district judge, searched Congressman William Jefferson's office for evidence in a criminal probe. Out of an abundance of caution, the FBI had "filter" agents making sure no legislative work was taken.

The Speaker, proving his former career was as a meat head and not a lawyer, is raising separation of powers complaints that a federal court dared let an agent of the executive branch search a public building. His complaint hinges on the "speech and debate" clause in the constitution. The text of which is this:

They shall in all cases, except treason, felony and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other place.

Read on . . .

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Posted at 11:24am on May 23, 2006 Lloyd Millard Bentsen Jr., 1921-2006

By Blanton

Lloyd Bentsen, Texas's former senior senator, Democratic Vice Presidential candidate in 1988, and Clinton Administration Treasury Secretary has died. Mr. Bentsen is remembered for one of the most famous lines in Vice Presidential debates, "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy," in response to then Senator Quayle's comparisons between himself and President John Kennedy.

Ironically, given the liberal natural of the Democratic party, many have speculated that Lloyd Bentsen, a loyal Democrat, could have been President of the United States had he been at the top of the ticket in 1988, instead of Michael Dukakis, but Bentsen could never have made it through the Democratic Presidential Primaries -- and he knew it.

Lloyd Bentsen, dead today at 85.

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Posted at 8:45am on May 22, 2006 Tin Foil and William Jefferson

By Blanton

This "culture of corruption" thing has the potential for humor.

LINK

Posted in Democrats — Comments (7)/ Email this page » / Read More »