Posted on 12/19/2002 12:05:52 PM PST by ewing
Sources on Capitol Hill say that Incoming Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi has collected assurances from more than 20 Republican Senators that they will support him in a new election to determine whether Lott will remain as Senate Majority Leader.
'We have got well over 20 and are approaching 26,' says one Lott supporter.
Twenty Six votes ( out of 51 total GOP members) are required for Lott to keep his job.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
We have a Republican platform that deals with race in an equitable manner in keeping with the core values of the Republican Parrty --- the party of Lincoln, in case anyone is under any misconception on the matter.
Now, thanks to former Yellow Dog Democrat Trent Lott, whom Republicans were obviously mistaken to think had given up his segregationist sympathies when he joined our party, we have to defend or otherwise finesse the overtly racist Dixiecrat platform of 1948!
If he had an ounce of decency, backbone or brains, Lott would have stepped down a week ago.
Lott hosed us all good. But we can either choose to compound the error by trying to cover for him or we can set a positive course for the future by repudiating racism and segregation and letting it be known that anybody caught playing racial footsie with the CCC, Bob Jones U or anybody else is just not welcome in the Republican Party.
The big tent doesn't have any room for racists.
I realize that is a distinct possiblity. I'm hoping that Lott has enough honor to not take his ball and go home if he's no longer "leader".
That having been said, I also realize that when one of those RINOs bolts, Lott will effectively not be leading if he were still occupying the Senate Republican leader's office. Considering that is a certainty (the fact that there still hasn't been any mention of cost to Jim Jeffords for his bolt makes it costless even to create a 50-50 tie, at least as long as Lott as "leader"), I'm willing to take my chances on a different leader.
That one really takes the cake. ... has he apologized to the white people of America for this yet?
I'm familiar with the GOP history on racial matters. Unfortunately, thanks to an incredibly biased media, most of America isn't. And nothing will change, regardless of what Trent does or doesn't do.
That says about all there is to say about that matter. If Lott quits the Senate, then we would not want him there anyway.
Well said. Lott is not a good Majority Leader, he has many flaws. Even before this incident, many of us were hoping something would happen to take out Lott. Now it is no longer a good idea, it is imperative for the Conservative cause.
It's not what Trent Lott does that will change minds. Everybody knows that he will say or do almost anything in order to cling to power. His BET performance confirmed that conclusively.
It's what the rest of the Republican Party does that will change minds. If the Pubbies come out foresquare against racism, and accept the reprecussions, then they can start to be taken at their word on racial matters. Republicans have been demonized on racial matters for so long and so effectively, they will have to be obviously and publicly correct on racial matters over and over again before they can expect to change minds. But every time some Bubba does some stupid wink-and-a-nod act like Trent pulled, it will set the Republicans back to square one.
It's very hard to overcome a bad reputation. You have to be better than everybody else and extremely careful in everything you do. Every mistake will be magnified, and will only confirm the worst things that anybody ever thought about you. This is the position the Republicans find themselves in with regard to race.
And Trent Lott is the kiss of death.
Not necessarily. If he resigns prior to 01/01/03, a special election is held within 90 days. If after, the democratic governor would appoint a replacement until the November 2003 elections.
So, if we're going to have to kick the bastard out let's do it NOW!
So should we be looking to get 85% of the racist vote?
How about we just stand for what is right and let the voters come to us?
The Republicans will never be a majority party until they manage to convice minority voters that they can be trusted in racial matters. As long as the Democrats can maintain a stranglehold on the minority vote, they only have to get 30% of the non-minority vote to reach parity. To cede the minority vote to the Democrats is a recipe for long-term electoral decline.
But even if it were not, even if you could balance minorities with racists, I would rather be supported by right thinking minority voters than pander to racists.
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