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Pat Toomey: Laffey vs. Chafee (The first skirmish in a very important war)
Wall Street Journal ^ | December 12, 2005 | Pat Toomey

Posted on 12/11/2005 9:32:26 PM PST by RWR8189

Describing his 1976 challenge to incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan wrote, "It was time to scale back the size of the federal government, reduce taxes and government intrusion in our lives, balance the budget, and return to the people the freedoms usurped from them by the bureaucrats."

Reagan helped define the mission of the Republican Party. By re-establishing limited government as the central principle of the GOP, he laid the groundwork for the political revolution that bears his name. Almost 30 years later, the Republican Party is at a similar defining moment. Once again, challengers to certain Republican incumbents are needed to help restore limited government to its rightful place at the center of the Republican agenda.

Today, the Club for Growth PAC will endorse Steve Laffey, the Republican Mayor of Cranston, R.I., in his primary challenge against Sen. Lincoln Chafee. Steve Laffey is a pro-growth, Reagan Republican. Sen. Chafee epitomizes the GOP's waning commitment to limited government and economic freedom.

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Sen. Chafee has consistently opposed tax cuts. Citing the federal deficit, he opposed the Bush tax cuts that have generated our powerful economic expansion. But his concerns about deficits don't extend to government spending. Bills he has sponsored would add nearly a half-trillion dollars in new spending over 10 years. The National Taxpayers Union gave him a dismal 49% rating for his profligacy with taxpayer money. A close ally of organized labor, he opposes school choice, and just last month voted for a minimum-wage increase. A recent Boston Globe profile describes his ideology as "well-suited for a centrist Democrat."

Despite his liberal record, Sen. Chafee is warmly embraced by the Republican Party establishment which dutifully enforces an unprincipled, though ironclad, mutual-defense agreement that ignores ideology.

(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Rhode Island
KEYWORDS: 2006; chafee; clubforgrowth; crossingguards; election2006; laffey; laffeycams; lincolnchafee; primary; primarychallenge; rino; rinos; senate; spycameras; ussenate
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1 posted on 12/11/2005 9:32:28 PM PST by RWR8189
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To: RWR8189

Purge the RINO's, starting with Chafee. Just the sight of this hanky waving fop makes me want to hurl.


2 posted on 12/11/2005 9:38:44 PM PST by who knows what evil? (New England...the Sodom and Gomorrah of the 21st Century, and they're proud of it!)
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To: RWR8189
DO NOT GIVE MONEY TO THE RNC as long as they support RINOs and try to quash their conservative challengers.
3 posted on 12/11/2005 9:46:14 PM PST by msnimje (http://weblogawards.org/2005/12/best_blog.php .. VOTE FOR MALKIN (everyday) -- DON'T LET KOS WIN!!)
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To: who knows what evil?

Chafee is just another Jeffords in waiting. He makes Arlen Specter look like Tom Delay.


4 posted on 12/11/2005 9:48:09 PM PST by Democratshavenobrains
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To: msnimje

Don't confuse NRSC and RNC. NRSC is the campaign committee of the Republican Caucus, of which, Chafee is a member. Therefore, they are probably going to come to Chafee's defense.


5 posted on 12/11/2005 9:48:37 PM PST by Republican Wildcat
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To: Republican Wildcat
The RNC and the president support RINOS like Specter, Chafee, McCain, etc.
6 posted on 12/11/2005 9:51:43 PM PST by msnimje (http://weblogawards.org/2005/12/best_blog.php .. VOTE FOR MALKIN (everyday) -- DON'T LET KOS WIN!!)
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To: everyone

We need to beat this POS.

No money to the RNC or NRSC.


7 posted on 12/11/2005 9:54:01 PM PST by California Patriot
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To: RWR8189

Laffey is someone we NEED to support. I sent $100 a couple of weeks ago. We need to get $$ rolling to his campaign.

Good-bye Chaffee :-)


8 posted on 12/11/2005 9:56:45 PM PST by ShuShu
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To: RWR8189

In March 05, I stopped contributing to the RNC or any national GOP (senate or house) groups. Instead I contribute to only specific conservative candidates opposing either DimWits or RINOs, or to pro-life causes.


9 posted on 12/11/2005 9:58:15 PM PST by rcrngroup
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To: rcrngroup

The group that Mr. Toomey chairs, the Club for Growth, is great.

I send my donations there instead of the NRSC.


10 posted on 12/11/2005 10:00:51 PM PST by RWR8189 (George Allen 2008)
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To: who knows what evil?

You're absolutely correct. Unfortunately our biggest obstacle to purging RINOs is George Bush. Remember when he supported the RINO Specter against a true conservative in the PA primary? And worse, Bush has been a RINO himself on domestic policy. He's not only failed to veto countless pork legislation but has given us the biggest entitlement since LBJ - prescription drugs - which will saddle future generations with trillions in unfunded liabilities. It's great that he's reduced taxes but the other important part of being a fiscal conservative is to cut spending - and on that he's failed miserably. Sadly, he's no Reagan and has made government more intrusive and wasteful. This is one pot that can't call the RINO kettle black. By the way, conservatives should take Bush aside and tell him about Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution and patiently explain to him that there's a thing called a veto - something he apparently doesn't understand.


11 posted on 12/11/2005 10:15:52 PM PST by T.L.Sink (stopew)
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To: All
I truly believe it is the water those Rhode Island senators drink.

I remember in early 1967, when I was Adrmial Moorer's Aide (CNO) at a Friday Night gray flannel suit drinkathon in the Senate Cloak Room. Admiral Moorer was there with a gaggle of Appropriation and SASC Skalawags--lobbying for a new carrier. (I was there essentially as an ornament and as his "horse holder".

Senator Clairborne Pell -- the know-it-all Senator from Rhode Island button-holed me, started a rant on Viet Nam, (I had just returned from a combat tour) -- and then asked me to get him a drink.

I had the great pleasure -- as a young Commander -- to tell Senator Pell to specifically: "Kiss My A##" !!

Later, I told Moorer what had happened with the egocentric senator. The Admiral gave me a "Well Done". We got the carrier, anyway, thanks in no small part to John
Tower and Mendel Rivers.

Unquestionably, the pi##-ant senators from Rhode Island are in a world of their own. I guess the dinky state gives them a false sense of their own importance.

Chaffee's dad was an OK governor. The son is a first rate pussy -- in spades -- who makes the average RINO look like John Burch.
12 posted on 12/11/2005 10:19:50 PM PST by dk/coro
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To: RWR8189

*BUMP for Laffey*


13 posted on 12/11/2005 10:19:50 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj (Cheney X -- Destroying the Liberal Democrat Traitors By Any Means Necessary -- Ya Dig ? Sho 'Nuff.)
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To: who knows what evil?

Toomey needs to go after rino congressmen in gop districts that bush won like bochlert and schwarz. These main street rinos are holding up anwr. Both of them might have serious competition. They are both democrats with only an r by their name.


14 posted on 12/11/2005 10:26:02 PM PST by johnmecainrino
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To: dk/coro

LOL. Great story.


15 posted on 12/11/2005 10:58:24 PM PST by Maynerd
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To: msnimje

In a call from RNC, I voiced the same opinion ad nauseum; I will not donate to the RNC when it uses my money to fight another Republican in my state (Laffey/RI). The RNC was only interested in fighting Hillary in NY, telling me over and over how important my donation would be. No donation--sorry.


16 posted on 12/12/2005 2:43:14 AM PST by Saratogamema (Prayers are always needed--for our President, our troops, and our Nation's people.)
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To: RWR8189

Look at Mr. Reagans idea of the way it outta be then look at Mr. Bush and his ever increasing budget and ever increasing govt intrusion into everyday existance.
Mr. Bush a true conservative? I think not.


17 posted on 12/12/2005 3:03:55 AM PST by Joe Boucher (an enemy of islam)
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To: RWR8189

Here's one for Steve Laffey. President Bush and the White House can stay out. Rick Santorum better not even think about helping Chaffee, etc.


18 posted on 12/12/2005 3:25:25 AM PST by Nextrush (Hell no, RINO's must go)
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To: RWR8189

Laffey is pro open borders, anti-gun and anti-business. He's a socialist, just like Chafee, but more dangerous because he has ambition, where Chafee is just there for the perks and to avoid working for a living.


19 posted on 12/12/2005 7:02:17 AM PST by the gillman@blacklagoon.com ("It's time for a f****** war, so join the army of hardcore")
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To: dk/coro

Chafee and his family live in Virginia.


20 posted on 12/12/2005 7:03:29 AM PST by the gillman@blacklagoon.com ("It's time for a f****** war, so join the army of hardcore")
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