Posted on 06/29/2007 7:08:48 PM PDT by DieselHoplite
From wiki
[edit] Political career
In 1953, Benson was appointed U.S. Secretary of Agriculture by President Eisenhower. Benson accepted this position with the permission of Church President David O. McKay and therefore served simultaneously in the United States Cabinet and in the Quorum of the Twelve.
Known for initiating Eisenhower's habit of beginning Cabinet meetings with a prayer, Benson cut a controversial figure in politics. Ideologically he was far to the right of Eisenhower, and he was prone to Red-baiting in speeches. In fact he opposed as "socialist" the system of government price supports and aid to farmers which he was entrusted to administer. Nonetheless, he survived in the position for all eight years of Eisenhower's presidency.
Man I missed that headline. News cycles fast (and I wish I had more FReepin time to keep updated).
From NBC's Carrie Dann
GOP presidential hopeful Sam Brownback was very nervous for 11 minutes this morning. That's the time that elapsed between his initial "Aye" vote for cloture on the Senate's immigration bill today -- essentially an expression of support for the Bush-backed overhaul -- and a change to "Nay" before the vote was over.
Brownback likely recognized that a vote in favor of the bill, which is deeply unpopular among many Republicans who consider it "amnesty" for illegal immigrants, would not play well in the GOP presidential race or in a potential re-election bid in his native Kansas (he's up in 2010). He's supported the bill up until now, and voted to bring the measure to the Senate floor earlier in the week.
***Update*** At 2:10 pm ET, Brownback's Senate office issued a press release entitled "BROWNBACK VOTES AGAINST CLOTURE ON IMMIGRATION BILL," but it didn't mention he voted for the bill today before he voted against it. “We need comprehensive immigration reform, but the country is not accepting of this bill,” Brownback stated in the press release. “We need to listen to the American people on both timing and substance. We need to help ‘the widow and orphan and foreigner amongst us,’ but must do so in a way and at a time the American people support. This is not yet the right way. We should let the topic rest for now while we work diligently to secure our borders. Americans support legal immigration, not illegal immigration. We desire to be compassionate but demand adherence to the rule of law.”
I generally respect Brownback as a decent person.
But now he showed he’s in search of a spine and really confused about
all his compassion for the illegals (which he abandoned after 11
antsy minutes).
Brownback is an object lesson as to why we so rarely elevate Senators
to the office of President.
Brownback Says He Intended to Switch Vote on Immigration (Presdiential Candidate CYA Time)
Lawrence Journal & World News ^ | Sam Hananel | By Sam Hananel
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1858307/posts
(might I humbly suggest a check of links in post 39 in case
you haven’t seen those before)
Brownback Scrubs Website of Earlier Immigration Vote
Iowa Indeendent ^ | Thursday (06/28) at 14:08 PM | Ben Weyl
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1857914/posts
The Amnesty Cloture Vote - In Order [Video of Brownback switching]
HotAir.com ^ | June 28, 2007 | AllahPundit
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1857874/posts
He was for using tp before he was against it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.