Posted on 04/26/2005 10:44:00 AM PDT by IleeneWright
There is an undeniable fury building among Republican voters coast to coast. It has now been almost six months since that euphoric day last year -- November 2nd -- when Republicans stunned Democrats across the board. Not only did President Bush handily beat John Kerry, but the GOP did what few predicted -- it managed to pick up four seats in the Senate. John Thune's victory over Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle in South Dakota was extra sweet.
That seems like six years ago, not six months ago. Talk to your average Republican voter today and you will find a mood that ranges from anxious/concerned to enraged/frustrated. Yes, the Iraqi elections were amazing. Yes, the President's commitment to the spread of liberty is stalwart. Yes, his European "Unplugged" tour was a necessary step.
The focus here is not President Bush (although in an ideal world he would be stronger on the stump on issues beyond social security reform). After the mid-term elections, President Bush will be on his way out, a "short-timer." The future of the Republican Party depends more on what happens now in Congress.
So what has our Republican majority in both houses of Congress gotten us lately? Well, the Terri Schiavo bill-regardless of what you think about its merits -- was at least bold. Then there was the bankruptcy bill. Good stuff, though hardly the legislation that will get voters running to the polls next election.
Of course being in the majority sometimes requires deal-making. Sometimes it requires delaying victory on one issue in order to win support on another more important issue. But sometimes being in the majority just requires that you act like you are in the majority.
This year, with a Republican majority in Congress, we have watched as 20 percent of the President's appellate court nominees are left twisting in the wind. With a Republican majority presiding, we have watched as John Bolton, the President's nominee for U.N. ambassador, has been personally and professionally maligned. With a Republican majority, we have seen spending skyrocket to obscene levels. With a Republican majority, we have seen the Democrats out-maneuver Republicans in the public-relations game with lame lines and gross misrepresentations.
Okay, the Senate did pass tort reform.
But a bill here or a bill there is simply not going to be enough to stem the tide of Republican voters' righteous anger about what many are calling "Creeping Wimpiness." Did thousands of volunteers work tirelessly to give the GOP this majority only to allow the minority to roll them on judges, policy, and other nominations? Did millions of generously open their wallets to the RNC only to see John McCain, Chuck Hagel, Lincoln Chafee, and George Voinovich help the Democrats when we needed them most?
Now is not the time for Republican Senators to cling to niceties. It is not the time to call for more discussions or negotiations. Now is the time for action. Allowing the Bolton nomination to be delayed was unforgivable. (Chairman Richard Lugar was caught totally off-guard by Voinovich's joining the Dems push to delay the Bolton vote.) Allowing Chuck Schumer and Barbara Boxer to brand nominees such as Janice Rogers Brown (an African American California Supreme Court justice) "extreme", was a colossal mistake. Most of the country still does not know that never before in the history of this country has the filibuster been used to block a vote of an appeals court nominee!
The frustration felt by many GOP voters has created a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for conservative politicians. For the first time in decades, we have no clear front-runner for the next GOP nomination. For the first time since George W. started his presidential campaign in the late 1990s, there is no clear standard-bearer for conservatives to rally round.
If a senator or governor can seize this moment, and create the type of bond with conservatives that Bush created during his nomination battle with McCain, that person could be on his way to the White House. If no one steps forward, and conservative voters increasingly watch their party kowtow to the McCains, Hagels, and Chafees of the mushy middle, then those voters will disengage from this party, meaning that the mainstream press will enjoy covering the elections of 2006 and 2008 a lot more than they enjoyed the election 2004.
This is theyear of the final Republican hoo-rah. They have to 2006 to prove they're worth a damn. Because conservatives aren't like the sheep Democrat. If they don't partially privatize SS, reduce spending, and reform the federal laws concerning almost everything then they simply will not see me in 2006.
Not surprising when most people can't tell you who the Vice President is. However, I am sure those very same people could tell you who was kicked off the Survivor island last week.
It has gotten to the point holding my nose is not enough anymore to vote for some of these clowns. I need a stiff shot of bourbon before I walk in to the polling place. I am done past getting tired of voting for rinos whose so saving grace is they are not rats.
And there is NO excuse for that.
A vacuum has been created by a lack of Republican leadership,
and the rats are filling it.
There are not enough Republicans willing to call the RINOs out. Where's the party outrage? Where's the RNC outrage? Where's the President's outrage? Where is Bush saying "Get SS reform done. With personal accounts, and I mean now." ????? I've had enough of these unprincipaled weaklings. They regularly snatch defeat from the jaws of victory while the rest of the party blinks blankly at the mess.
lucianne is reporting that Laura was operated on today for breast cancer. Let's all pray for her.
Hmmmmmmmmm, I'm exactly the opposite.
Coincidence?
If the "Gelding Old Party" doesn't get its collective act together they won't have to worry about being the Majority party in the House and Senate in 2007.
1)Illegal immigration
2)Judges
3)Runaway spending
(can you say "balanced budget" and "budget cuts" in the same sentence, Mr. President?)
Uh, the bankruptcy bill was not "good stuff". Anyone who thinks it was is not really interested in winning elections in the future.
It just looks like a gift to credit card companies who think they can't make enough money charging poor people 35% interest. People's typical impression of what Republicans stand for, and all that.
It just looks like a gift to credit card companies who think they can't make enough money charging poor people 35% interest. People's typical impression of what Republicans stand for, and all that.
35% interest??????
Perhaps it's time to apply for a DIFFERENT credit card? I'm pretty sure the Republicans aren't responsible for YOU choosing a credit card that charges 35% interest!!!!! lol
I couldn't have said it better! BINGO!!!! Apparently the RNC doesn't access the Internet? One good GOOGLE would OPEN THEIR EYES!!
This is theyear of the final Republican hoo-rah. They have to 2006 to prove they're worth a damn. Because conservatives aren't like the sheep Democrat. If they don't partially privatize SS, reduce spending, and reform the federal laws concerning almost everything then they simply will not see me in 2006.
MOST IMPORTANT SENTENCE:
"conservatives aren't like the sheep Democrat"
EXACTLY!!! It's not about just "being" the Majority! It's not about just having won a Republican seat in the WH at ANY expense!
It's about actually DO SOMETHING!!! Have they been around the liberals too long, that they no longer are able to see the forest from the trees?
Apparently they are not aware of the NEW grass roots POLITCAL PARTIES which are now rapidly being established to replace the REPUBLICAN PARTY? A PARTY, which WILL NOT allow, nor TOLERATE RINOS?
lucianne is reporting that Laura was operated on today for breast cancer. Let's all pray for her.
Oh no! You're kidding? She absolutely has my prayers!
Well I don't, personally. But I'm not the people I'm talking about here, that we're trying to convince. I dare say that if we said we only want financially responsible people to vote for Republicans, we'd probably never win another election ever.
America was not having a big crisis with credit card companies not being profitable enough. The Republicans could have been doing something useful that a majority of the people would actually support, like, say, spending time trying to get conservative judges approved.
Most of the country still does not know that never before in the history of this country has the filibuster been used to block a vote of an appeals court nominee!
Unfortunately, I don't think they care!
Never before have we stood by and allowed a court to order the 14 day long DEATH of an innocent, disabled American!
They don't care about THAT either!
It has gotten to the point holding my nose is not enough anymore to vote for some of these clowns. I need a stiff shot of bourbon before I walk in to the polling place. I am done past getting tired of voting for rinos whose so saving grace is they are not rats.
"rinos whose so saving grace is they are not rats."
But they ARE! LIBpublicans! LIBERALS in Republican clothing!
I'm so fed up with those who are SUPPOSE to be standing on the issues that matter most to me and that matters most to ALL those who have continually supported the Republicans, to find that they have NO SPINE! NO BACKBONE! NO MOXIE!
They are either unbelievably insecure COWARDS, or they know that the DNC has some FANTASIC dirt on them and feel compelled to tow the LEFT'S line?
Ooops!
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