Posted on 11/16/2005 10:08:12 AM PST by GeneD
New Hampshire Republican Rep. Charles Bass says GOP leaders in the House are ignoring the party’s "fundamental principles” and he’s calling for new elections to replace them next year.
The five-term congressman, co-chair of a group of about 35 moderate House Republicans called the "Tuesday Group,” aired his opinions in interviews with the New Hampshire Union Leader and Boston radio station WBUR.
He said the House Republican conference "would be healthier and more unified if we had real elections and if [former House Majority Leader] Tom DeLay would step aside for the good of the conference.”
DeLay has kept his office at the Capitol and "is still very much around,” said Bass, who wants new elections for leadership "so we have a fresh slate of officers outside of the speaker for the next session of Congress.
"I think that obviously, with the party’s fortunes down, with the message clearly that most Americans would rather see a more moderate form of leadership in the country right now, then it’s time to govern from the middle.”
He said Democrats refuse to compromise, according to the Union Leader, so "in order for us to pass a difficult bill and take hard votes, for better or for worse, we have to do it within our own party.
"Leadership is going to have to accommodate the most moderate and the most conservative members, and both sides have to be willing to give a little.”
With president Bush’s approval ratings reaching an all-time low, and GOP leadership in the House unstable, Republicans are increasingly worried about next year’s congressional elections, the Union Leader noted.
Said Bass: "There are plenty of members of Congress who are concerned about the fact that a lot of their own party, Republicans, are complaining that we seem to be more concerned with the bridge to nowhere in Alaska and earmarks in appropriations than we are about what our fundamental principles are, which is less government, lower taxes and a strong national security.
"So people like me ... are sending a message to our leadership that we want them to shape up and stop thinking about what they can do for themselves and start thinking about the country and what our agenda is and what our priorities are.”
He added: "When we have our majority leader being indicted and a bridge to nowhere, then it’s time for us to reflect upon the Republican Party.”
New Hampshire ping.
He's not a conservative.
Who are the morons who support Bass for congress?
Look at post 19.
His record disputes your argument he is worried about his election. Rather, he sees an opportunity to attempt to direct the agenda to positions he's always supported.
He is going to be first on Tom's list.
I didn't have to read very far to see that this guy is no moderate!
Maybe second. Ronnie Earl has a major butt-whooping coming first!
Hey Bass!.......Get the Hell out of our Party and get over to the Dims where your dumBass belongs.
One of the good things about moving out of New Hampshire...Cheerful Charie is no longer my Rep!
He is deadmeat!
He sure looks like he was separated at birth from Paul Begalla
Better called "The Linguini-Spined Group."
Susan COLLINS R 68 (2004 Ratings)
Olympia SNOWE R 60 (2004 Ratings)
The two Republican Senators from Maine are much, much better than Bass. Even Lincoln Chaffee had a 40!
Really interesting -- Arlene Specter had a 75 and McCain a 72
The Super BASS-O-Matic '76! Yes, the days of scaling, cutting, and gutting are over! Just drop the bass--that's the WHOLE bass--into the super bass-o-matic...you'll have bass that's delicious and ready to pour! And after a few uses it gets to be quite a rush!
Look at the ratings of other Congressmen from this fringe group, and tell me what you think. Note that many run of the mill pretty conservative Pubbies score about 40%, while some hyper liberal congressmen get about 40% to 50% themselves. LOL. I would posit for your consideration that this might not be the best rating service to use. The ACA ratings might be a bit more conventional. Just a thought.
My, my!
Looks like Charlie must have stuck his finger in the wind again.
Maybe he's been having town hall sessions and had his ears singed by his district voters. That's why he's all puffed up.
Truly PATHETIC, we send these guys to represent us?
Did you look at the method of rating the congressmen? They looked at 10 votes during the last session...(1)repeal of the estate tax, (2) restricting CAFE standards, (3) ANWR drilling, (4) unconstitutional federal funding for vocational job training, (5) supplemental appropriations in the 2005 federal budget, (6) unconstitutional federal funding for embryonic stem stell research, (7) withdrawal from the WTO, (8) a cut in funding for the UN, (9) an expansion of the UN and (10) unconstitutional federal funding for mental health screening.
Most of these votes were on issues where there is almost universal agreement among the mainstream conservative grass roots...pluses were given for each vote in accord with the conservative position.
That so many so-called "run of the mill pretty conservative Pubbies" scored so low is less a reflection on the accuracy of these ratings than it is on the pathetic state of what passes for "conservative" these days and how ignorant most of the public is on how each congressman really votes...commonly used labels aside
Also, fellow NH FReepers, FReepmail me with ideas and meeting notices.
I want Bass' head on a pike, as a warning to all the RINO's that stabbing Conservatives in the back comes with a price that is paid in the face!
If having the leadership means having the se Quislings along, then back to the back bench for the (R)'s until they learn the lesson that won in 94!
If the RINO's and Country Clubbers are that much in control, then let the (R) party go the way of the Whigs!
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