Posted on 09/28/2015 5:05:58 AM PDT by 1010RD
September 16, 2015
Congressman Jim Jordan Chairman, House Freedom Caucus 1524 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515
HAND DELIVERED
Dear Jim:
When the House Freedom Caucus formed in January, I fervently hoped that it would provide responsible and effective leadership to advance conservative principles in the House of Representatives.
I know that every member of the HFC sincerely supports these principles, but as I have expressed on many occasions during our meetings, I believe the tactics the HFC has employed have repeatedly undermined the House’s ability to advance them. Allow me to review a few examples.
On February 27th, we faced the imminent shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security over the funding of Obama’s unlawful amnesty orders for illegal immigrants. Although the American people overwhelmingly opposed these orders, they also overwhelmingly opposed shutting down DHS. House Republicans attempted to pass a three-week stop gap bill so we could avoid a catastrophic shutdown of our security agencies while continuing to bring public opinion to bear to de-fund the orders. At the behest of its board, most HFC members combined with House Democrats to defeat this effort, resulting in the full funding of these illegal orders for the fiscal year.
In May, the House had the opportunity to adopt the most important free trade bill in nearly two decades, restoring the long-standing and essential process that has made it possible for our nation to negotiate free trade agreements with other nations. At the behest of its board, most HFC members combined with the vast majority of House Democrats in an unsuccessful attempt to defeat this legislation.
Last week, the House was scheduled to adopt the Resolution of Disapproval of the disastrous Iran nuclear agreement – the only legally binding action available to Congress under the Corker Act. Once again, the House Freedom Caucus leadership threatened to combine with House Democrats to defeat the Resolution, forcing the House leadership to abandon it in favor of a symbolic and legally meaningless vote. Ironically, while Harry Reid and Senate Democrats blocked a vote on the Resolution of Disapproval in the Senate, the House Freedom Caucus leadership was instrumental in blocking its consideration in the House.
For several months, Harry Reid and Senate Democrats have threatened to shut down the government on October 1st unless Congress unleashes another unsustainable cycle of tax increases and borrowing. Last week, the House Freedom Caucus formally vowed to shut down the government over funding Planned Parenthood.
I have strongly opposed the public funding of abortions throughout my 29 years in public office, but this tactic promises only to shield Senate Democrats from their responsibility for a government shutdown and to alienate the public from the pro-life cause at precisely the time when undercover videos of Planned Parenthood’s barbaric practices are turning public opinion in our favor. I suspect this is why the leading pro-life organizations have been conspicuously unwilling to endorse the HFC position.
A common theme through each of these incidents is a willingness – indeed, an eagerness – to strip the House Republican majority of its ability to set the House agenda by combining with House Democrats on procedural motions. As a result, it has thwarted vital conservative policy objectives and unwittingly become Nancy Pelosi’s tactical ally.
I feel honored to know and work with every member of the House Freedom Caucus. I have never served with a group of patriots more devoted to our country and dedicated to restoring American founding principles. However, I feel that the HFC’s many missteps have made it counterproductive to its stated goals and I no longer wish to be associated with it.
Accordingly, I resign.
Interesting post/discussion. BUMP!
“It’s all about winning tactics and strategy.”
You sure know the talking points
You could maybe get a radio show on Salem!
“Under a conservative POTUS we will put PP out of the abortion business and cut off their gov milk.”
Who?
Which candidate are you referring to?
Because the better path was to declare the President in violation of the Corker-Cardin Bill by not providing all the side agreements for Congressional review. Then, the sanctions would've stayed in place.
Passing a "Resolution of Disapproval" was exactly what the Corker-Cardin Bill was set up to accomplish -- allowing the GOP to object, but insuring that the sanctions would be lifted and the Iran deal would go forward.
I.e., the Resolution was Kabuki theater, while a vote declaring Corker-Cardin void would've constituted real action.
I can't imagine McClintock's reasons for objecting.
” excuse for not doing anything.” heck!: that was their plan to pass it all along LOL!
Get it passed ( paying off donors) AND get to vote against it. They didn’t want anything to interfere with what they considered a “win-win”.
BTTT.
Is this good or bad?
It should have turned around as fast as when the bamster became president in 2008, heck, if it moved a tenth as fast it would have been at least okay.
But it hasn't, and yet you defend it as if we have actually had a victory already.
If Trump or Cruz win the presidency, it will help to have this control, but claiming they have done something when they haven't is foolish. It's like Hillary saying she accomplished good things as Sec State just by traveling.
Zero.
All they had to do was stand on principle once, but they didn't.
Shame on you for defending that kind of record.
It’s just silly to quote or debate a politician’s press release in this case IMO.
Something constructive to consider is McClintock’s statement on Boehner’s election last January:
https://mcclintock.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/statement-by-congressman-tom-mcclintock-on-the-election-of-the-house-speaker
“I am disappointed in Mr. Boehner’s leadership of the House and have expressed my concerns on many occasions. But shifting this decision from the House Republican Conference to the House Floor opens a Pandora’s Box. ..
Conservatives should beware. On its worst day, the collective judgment of the Republican majority is much more conservative than that of the overall House membership. Shattering Republican unity in the election of Speaker is not likely to end with a more conservative alternative, but rather with a coalition of the most liberal House Republicans and House Democrats.
This happened in the California Assembly in 1994. Dissident Republicans broke with the Republican majority on the vote for Speaker, enlisting the votes of minority Democrats in exchange for a wholesale transfer of power. Though voters had elected a Republican majority, this coalition effectively gave Democrats control of the Assembly.
The proper place to contest a Republican speaker is in the House Republican Conference. “
Of course the U.S. House is not California. But that lesson must have been very painful for him.
And there is now a possibility that RINOs may unite even more with Dems against a more conservative Leadership.
The media would, of course, extol them for bucking Leadership to do so.
That's exactly why he needs to be sent packing, NOW! Before he can do irreparable harm!
Follow the money. The corporate class has bought and owns both parties, which have abandoned the American worker. It explains why another conservative, Ted Cruz, supports free trade and increasing substantially the number of H-1B visas.
And about that 60 votes in the Senate. Why not use the nuclear option that the Democrats did, and kill the filibuster rule. Then rule with 50 votes. If the dems can do it why can’t we?
Tactics like this are what we are looking for.
Thats what people should keep in mind here, he’s disagreeing with the tactics and saying they don’t support the strategic goals.
For instance, if the government is going to get shut down anyways, is it better that it be shut down because Harry Reid is demanding a tax increase, or over Planned Parenthood funding.
Thats a reasonable position to take. There can certainly be disagreement on it, but it is a reasonable position.
Much like Al Capone being taken down for tax evasion. You achieve the goal, just not in the way you’d like (or find the most satisfying)
The issue with that is that it’s too general.
Even the Democrats were smart enough to limit the nuclear option to presidential nominees, so it couldn’t be turned against them in other ways.
A better option would be to sneak a budgetary item or two into a bill, then pass it using Reconciliation. Just like the Dems did with Obamacare.
Great find and perfect quote. That was the purpose of post, to get FReepers thinking long term and seeing that our current crop of legislators is a massive improvement over any Democrat.
The other thing to keep in mind is that the enemy is all around us. It’s billions of dollars daily in free advertising for Demcorats and liberal programs and attacking conservatives. The $4 trillion budget goes to people. How hard would you fight to keep that kind of cash flow coming to your pocket.
It’s going to be a long and arduous fight. We shouldn’t be a circular firing squad, some FReepers delight in that and some are plants.
Free trade is liberty. If you’re not free to trade your services and goods, then you’re a slave.
Well summarized.
Where have we moved the ball forward against any democrat opposition? Where have we really even tried?
You are a libertarian no doubt. I guess you also believe in the "free" movement of labor as well.
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