Shutting Down the Senate's Favor Factory (taxes and spending)

Human Events ^ | 11-20-06 | Robert Novak

[xtinct]

While House Republicans reacted to stinging rejection from America's voters by refusing to change leadership, their Senate counterparts have tried to use their closing weeks in power to enact a last burst of pork-barrel spending. But that effort was stalled last week by independent-minded Republican senators, spearheaded by two abrasive freshmen and one longtime hairshirt. Before Congress recessed Friday for Thanksgiving, the GOP leadership appeared to capitulate.

The freshmen, Tom Coburn and Jim DeMint, campaigning in 2004 in Oklahoma and South Carolina, promised not to fall in line with GOP leaders. Fulfilling that pledge allied them with the long-termer John McCain. They have been backed by Jeff Sessions of Alabama and another freshman, John Sununu of New Hampshire. In the lame-duck session's first week, they played Horatio at the Bridge by combining to block a pork-filled omnibus spending bill.

[GSlob]

Well, [if true] at least something good seems to come out of them. Pleasantly surprised.

[Coldwater Creek]

The bad news is that they are allied with John McCain!

[Mobile Vulgus]

I am happy to see the report.

My only problem is that I hope it isn't just a cynical poly to get the prok barrel spending blocked for now so that it just ends up being voted in during the upcoming Democrat controlled Congress so that the GOP can say "see, Democrats are high spenders".

I just hope it is a REAL attempt to hold down spending instead of a political stunt.

[GSlob]

Well, on this occasion I do not find fault with McCain [again, if the report is true]. So, if he happened to do the right thing, good and well.

[loboinok]

Senator Tom Coburn

It's one of the things Coburn does best.

[goldstategop]

The GOP leadership deserves a long stay in the minority. They don't listen to the voters. Its not for nothing they're termed The Stupid Party.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[AmericaUnited]

Jim DeMint is awesome!!!

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

The Senate needs more like Tom Coburn and Jim DeMint. Don't count on RATS for fiscal sanity.

[Non-Sequitur]

The bad news is that they are allied with John McCain!

Why aren't they allied with George Bush? Why isn't the president taking the lead on this?

[wgflyer]

Why aren't they allied with George Bush? Why isn't the president taking the lead on this?

The president is a liberal. That's why the GOP took such a hit.....too many liberals. My question would be...why do the GOP oscillate between conservatism and liberalism based upon whether they're in the minority or the majority, respectively?

[Non-Sequitur]

My question would be...why do the GOP oscillate between conservatism and liberalism based upon whether they're in the minority or the majority, respectively?

Because it's all lip-service to them.

[Hardastarboard]

The president is a liberal.

Shhh!! Shhhh!!!! You're not supposed to say that on FR!!! Now you'll feel the wrath of God down on your neck. Or at least the Bushbots.

[ByteMercenary]

I'm not sure I would classify Bush as a liberal ... but he is definitely NOT a conservative.

The best quote from the last few days ... who better to lead the GOP in defeat than the folks who led them there.

[Magnum44]

Ok, whats a "hairshirt"?

[SDGOP]

DAMN YOU JERRY LEWIS

[GSlob]

Ok, whats a "hairshirt"?
A medieval garb known to irritate the skin when worn next to the body. Was worn by masochistic types under their more regular clothing as a form of religious penance for their manifold, and no doubt notorious, sins. Probably used here as a lay synonym for "irritant".

[wgflyer]

"I'm not sure I would classify Bush as a liberal ... but he is definitely NOT a conservative."

Yes, I feel the same, sort of. To me, Bush is the new, PC kind of liberal. IMO, Bush sees tax cuts not so much as a great thing for the people, but rather a way to get more revenue for big government spending. He understands that lower taxes generally equates to more commerce, which means more people earning money and thus more tax revenue. The true libs don't seem to comprehend this even in an elementary way. But this also explains why Bush's leadership in the taxation department was so anemic, and why congress never ever bothered to make the much lauded tax cuts permanent. They just didn't believe in them. No do they see illegal aliens as a problem, for they increase commerce as well, and the taxpayers have subsidize them so long without too much griping, until this latest round.

I don't mean to insult the Bushbots. But I think that their zealous anti-liberalism, which I share, has somewhat blinded them to the new PC liberalism that has so disabled the GOP these days. I sure hope it can recover and, as I continue to repeat, return to principle over politics. They're so much better than the dems when they do.