Posted on 03/14/2005 9:22:39 AM PST by The Shrew
The Free Congress Commentary
Dauntless DeLay
By Paul M. Weyrich
March 14, 2005
In Washington no good deed in Congress goes unpunished. I am serious. Those who seek to do the right things in this city acquire a large target on their backs. In fact, we have a reverse reward-and-punishment system here. If you sell out you are praised. Your picture appears frequently in The Washington Post. You get cited as an up-and-coming leader. You get invited to the right parties. Many political transactions in Washington occur at these parties. Washingtonian magazine suggests that your political party would do well to put such a far-sighted person in the leadership. Your colleagues, some of whom had been downright nasty and hostile while you were still trying to do the right thing, suddenly take a liking to you. More parties. You are mentioned in The New York Times as reasonable.
That even affects how things go back home. A large hometown newspaper which has always supported your opposition suddenly suggests that you might be okay anyway. It feels so good to sell out. On the other hand, if you stick to principle, and especially if you are in the House or Senate Leadership, teams of reporters will be assigned to dig up dirt on you. You are labeled as “inflexible.” Your picture does appear in The Post. But it is your driver’s license picture. You are disinvited to parties and other events. There are rumors about someone in your political party challenging you for your leadership post. The New York Times calls you “ineffective.” Charges are filed against you. Ethics charges are raised concerning the identical things all sorts of Members do but you get singled out. You can show an Ethics Committee opinion saying what you did was permissible. It doesn’t matter. Your colleagues see this as an opportunity to get at you. Charges may even be filed back home. Those charges are an effort to weaken you so you will draw a primary opponent.
Sound familiar? Before Tom DeLay, a small businessman from Houston, got into the Majority Leadership a decade ago, House Republicans were a rag-tag bunch. They went every which way. They seldom won any vote because they were not disciplined enough to stay together even when there were enough defecting Democrats to produce a coalition win. DeLay changed all that. First, as Majority Whip and then following the retirement of Majority Leader Dick Armey as Majority Leader Tom DeLay has fashioned House Republicans as a mighty force which are more disciplined now than at any time since the 1920s.
Thanks to the able assistance of current House Majority Whip Roy Blunt, there is a feeling that House Republicans can pass almost everything.
You may like DeLay; you may dislike him. Whatever, you can’t help but acknowledge his effectiveness. Cross him and you may no longer have your subcommittee chairmanship. Defect on an important vote in the House and bills you are interested in may never see the light of day. He is, if anything, disciplined. And he is tough and serious. He has a compassionate side as well. He has adopted children and helped to care for legions. But when it comes to the House of Representatives he means business.
That is why liberals hate, and I do mean hate, him so much. He defeats them all the time. What has really gotten DeLay in such trouble these days are two public statements. First, the Majority Leader said, “I am dedicated to finding a way to end the practice of abortion as we know it.” Second, DeLay said, “the out of control federal courts must be reigned in.” Lots of Members have made similar statements. The difference is that Tom DeLay means it and is in a position to do something. Liberals know this but they are determined to stop him before he destroys their ideological playground.
The media reports that the Travis County Prosecutor is assembling a potential criminal case against DeLay. Of course, I don’t know the facts but no indictment yet has been returned. There have been accusations that any such case would be politically motivated. That hasn’t stopped The Washington Post and like media from playing up the possibility as if there was a real case. Also questionable is a recent front page story in The Washington Post about a trip DeLay took which turned out to be paid for by a foreign government agent. The agent wasn’t registered at the time and DeLay says he was not informed his benefactor was an agent. You have to read all the way to the end of this huge article about the trip for which the agent paid to find that several Democrats also took the junket. I forget. The Post doesn’t claim it is “fair and balanced.”
There is no question that DeLay has the target I mentioned on his back big time. Perhaps he never should have said what he wants to do about abortion and the courts. I don’t know how you prepare allies for the battle if you don’t let them know what you are up to. If it was a mistake, and that remains to be seen, it is a rare mistake. DeLay makes fewer than most. He may be philosophically aggressive but he is also quite cautious. He seldom shows his cards before he is ready to cash in.
The effort to weaken and punish DeLay is coming from all directions. It is vicious. It saps his seemingly boundless energy. DeLay needs our public support. If we let him hang out to dry how many others in leadership will ever risk trying to accomplish bold objectives? DeLay also needs our fervent prayers. This is spiritual warfare. Make no mistake about it. A Senator who was a close friend for the two terms he served in that body told me he did not want to tackle one of the social issues because “Satan is so strong on that issue that I don’t feel I am spiritually strong enough to go there.”
Abortion is certainly Satan’s work. DeLay’s willingness to go where angels fear to tread is commendable but dangerous. It is the courts, not the people or their legislatures, which have mandated abortion, an end to prayer, an end to mentioning God in public places, a completely Godless curriculum in public education, an end to solely recognized heterosexual marriage, an end to God in our pledge of allegiance, an end to the sacredness of our flag and so on. DeLay is being challenged precisely because he is challenging Satan himself in the legislative arena. Please, please my fellow conservatives of the Judeo-Christian tradition: do not abandon this good man. The consequences of doing so are too terrible to contemplate.
Paul M. Weyrich is Chairman and CEO of the Free Congress Foundation.
Regards,
TS
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Ethics? Democrats? Rules? All in the same sentence? Wow. I am impressed. / Sarcasm Off
You're right. Congressman Delay certainly could use Freeper support.
Regards,
TS
The Dems have double standards and Ronnie Earle is the liberal Dem Travis County DA who tried to indict Senator Kay Hutchison when she was in state govt.
This is pure payback cause DeLay had the guts to push redistricting through and wouldn't let it drop.
The Dems and the Houston Chronicle (NY Times Southwest) have a continuous smear campaign going after him.
Regards,
TS
Regards,
TS
A very informative article.
I'm going to drop Delay a note right now.
I'm going to drop Delay a note right now.
Thanks. That was exactly my intent. Please post it here - as will I mine, later today.
Regards,
TS
Regards,
TS
Bump.
He's a staunch conservative and the long knives are out for him. We'll try to watch his back.
Don't get me wrong, I personally love Delay. But I read somewhere (wish I could remember) that some GOPers are getting a little nervous concerning some of his ethics. I think something might be getting ready to come out...I guess we will just wait and see.
Wish we had a Tom Delay in Michigan bump!
How is your foot?
DeLay is my Congressman and let me tell you the "perception" of wrongdoing is what the media and Dems have been playing for over a year. Funny, nothing ever happens, but the Houston Chronicle has at least a couple of articles a week (often from Washington Post or NY Times reporters) about how "something" is emminent or wrong. Biggest BS smear in the world.
And a lot of the Republican State officials would have made one pass at redistricting and gone away if DeLay hadn't kept the pressure on for fair redistricting.
He has guts and integrity and that's why the Dem's and liberal media types hate him.
ProLife Ping!
If anyone wants on or off my ProLife Ping List, please notify me here or by freepmail.
Thanks for the insight.
Pinging my General Interest and Texas list here.Dauntless Delay
Freepers may want to drop Congressman Delay a letter of support. I received this in a daily email alert which I am sure Freepers would enjoy. You can get it by going to the source URL and signing up.
Regards,
TS
Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my General Interest ping list!. . .don't be shy.
hehe! :^D
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