Could Eric Cantor be the next minority whip?

The Free Lance-Star, VA ^ | 11/9/2008 | The Free Lance-Star

[counterpunch]

Cantoring on

Could Eric Cantor be the next minority whip?

REPUBLICANS, licking their wounds after this year's election losses, are casting about for a new face for the party. Will their gazes fall on Virginia's 7th District House member, Rep. Eric Cantor?

Mr. Cantor won re-election to his seat handily on Nov. 4, with nearly 63 percent of the vote versus his opponent's 37 percent, a margin to which he has become accustomed. A congressman since 2001, he has served as chief deputy minority whip for Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., since his second term. On Thursday, Mr. Blunt announced he was stepping down from the position, and has endorsed Mr. Cantor for the job.

"Whips" get their name from fox hunting, where "whippers-in" are responsible for keeping the hounds moving in the right direction, i.e., toward the prey. Likewise, House of Representatives whips arm-twist mem-bers of their own party into voting the way the leadership wants. It's an important, if at times frustrating, position.

Mr. Cantor brings his conservative bona fides as well as his youth to the task of providing new leadership for House Republicans. He holds a master's degree in real-estate finance from Columbia University as well as an undergraduate degree from George Washington University and a law degree from the College of William & Mary, and was instrumental in getting some safeguards for the taxpayers built into the recent financial-bailout bill.

Before the election, the 45-year-old Richmond-area resident told this newspaper that the contest was "all about the economy. My message is simply the fact that we have to work very hard to return accountability not only to Washington but to Wall Street."

A member of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, Mr. Cantor is strong on defense and well acquainted with the challenges of the Middle East: A cousin died in a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv. He was considered a possible vice-presidential pick on this year's ticket.

Forced to reinvent itself, the GOP needs pragmatic conservatives with middle-class empathy to lead the way in Congress. Mr. Cantor has demonstrated his leadership and his fiscal restraint, two qualities the nation now needs. If minority whip is a step toward even higher office, the nation might be well-served.
 

[counterpunch]

This is a good first step, but the real target must be John Boner.

Since taking over the House GOP Leader position from Tom DeLay on February 3, 2006, Boner has over seen a 20% loss in Republican members in the House. This has been an historic loss in under three years.

Such a dramatic partisan switch has not been seen since the Republican Revolution of 1994, and has not happened to the GOP since the election of 1948.

Consider this. Under Boner's 'leadership' of the past 33 months, Republicans have had a 20% decline in the House. That means that the stock market has actually been a more sound investment than John Boner over the last couple years.

It is absolutely insane that the Republicans would keep John Boner in a leadership position after two back to back historic defeats. We must STOP THE INSANITY! Now!

The American people stopped trusting Republicans, because under the 'leadership' of Boner the GOP has had no ideas, no vision, no principles, no direction, no leadership, and no ethics. Neither the facts nor the perceptions will change so long as John Boner remains House Minority Leader.

Boner has been soft on earmarks, soft on ethics. He opposed the earmark moratorium and refused to call for Ney's resignation. He supported the bailout. He's looked the other way on both ethics and spending, and because of this, Republicans are now lost in the wilderness. The man who lead the GOP into the wilderness is not the man to lead them out.

Everyone must contact their nearest Republican representative and demand they push John Boner aside for Mike Pence!
 

[SolidWood]

Cantor will be Speaker of the House 2010 and 2012!

[counterpunch]

No, Mike Pence!
Cantor will make a great second in command for Pence, though.

[SolidWood]

Or that way. :o) No arguing from me. I want just to push the young Reagan Conservatives we have.

[papasmurf]

I’ve looked at Cantor’s ratings from the Conservative rating associations, and he has steadily moved more right each year.

I would have no issue with him being whip. My favorite, though, would be former Ambassador Bolton. LOL

[omega4179]

Thanks for the reminder. We can’t just sit at our keyboards there are things to do to rebuild the party structure so its not a rino and earmark infested bunch of losers in 2010 and 2012.

[Chairman of the Bard]

I've have seen Cantor speak, have met and shaken hands with him. Extremely smart, very impressive. He's by no means a stay in the background, work behind the scenes kind of guy. Cantor's a natural leader, and he knows that this is his time to step forward. No matter what position he takes, it must be a prominent, high exposure, high profile position.

No more country club RINOs, no more gentleman losers.

BTW, anyone know about Congressman Paul Ryan? Talk to me.

[papasmurf]

Oh, and let’s not forget a 100% ACU rated Rep. by the name of Paul Broun from Georgia’s 10th Congressional District.

[lock-on]

I hope they fight back. I am about ready to give up on anyone standing up for the little guy out here. I cannot watch “the one” on TV period. I do like Mike Pence.

[counterpunch]

After so much deadwood was swept out of the GOP this past election, the conservative RSC (Republican Study Committee) caucus now makes up the majority of House Republicans.

This is why we should be seeing a resurgence of back-to-basics Reagan/Gingrich conservatives taking over the Republican leadership in the House. Eric Cantor is one of them. So is Mike Pence. As is Jeb Hensarling.

Hensarling is the current chairman of the RSC, and Pence was his predecessor. Hensarling originally wanted the GOP Conference Chair, which is the number 3 position in the House GOP, but he withdrew for Pence. Instead, I believe Hensarling should get the position and Pence should take Boner’s place as House Minority Leader.

[Clintonfatigued]

I’m for this.

They also need to throw out Tom Cole.

[org.whodat]

Mike Pence, amnesty lite, are was it I’m going to pee on you and tell you it’s raining.

[counterpunch]

“Amnesty lite” only according to nuts like Tom Tancredo.

[randita]

I hope Paul Ryan is in the mix:

http://www.americanroadmap.org/

[counterpunch]

Ryan doesn't appear to be in the mix.
He has declined to run for Minority Leader twice in two days.
 

[ExTexasRedhead]

GOP better go in search of a group with gonads.

[Chairman of the Bard]

Agreed, wholeheartedly.

Any governors, congresspeople, senators or others you’ve identified that fit that description?

[Chairman of the Bard]

Agreed, wholeheartedly.

Any governors, congresspeople, senators or others you’ve identified that fit that description?

[JSDude1]

No, Pence should, and Cantor voted for the bailout!

[JSDude1]

I could support Broun too! Infact I sent him $20 in his first primary, and $40 in his first election!