Free Republic

GOP politicians talk a big game about fiscal conservatism and balancing the budget—especially with a $29.8-trillion-and-counting national debt and runaway inflation. But which elected Republicans actually practice what they preach? To find out, we looked at SpendingTracker.org’s rankings for how much spending each Senate Republican voted for during the previous session of Congress. (Data for the ongoing session is, by nature, incomplete). We looked at the data for all the spending they voted for, not just bills that ultimately were passed, because SpendingTracker says this gives a “fuller picture of intentions versus results.” Here are the 10 most fiscally-conservative Republicans...

Blunt Burr Cassidy Capito Collins Cramer Crapo Fischer Graham Grassley Hoeven McConnell Murkowski Portman Risch Romney Sullivan Tillis Wicker

President Joe Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill nears certain passage in the Senate with the blessing of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), even though he strongly opposed a trillion-dollar spending program proposed by President Donald Trump in 2016. “What I hope we will clearly avoid, and I’m confident we will, is a trillion-dollar stimulus,” McConnell said in December 2016 after Trump won the presidential election. Trump campaigned on the idea of massive infrastructure spending, a proposal that McConnell was not eager to endorse. “We need to do this carefully and correctly, and the issue of how to pay for...

President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) shared the podium in the Rose Garden this afternoon, where the two men tried to downplay to reported souring relationship between the White House and Senate Republicans (via ABC News): Trump claimed that his relationship with McConnell is "outstanding," a refutation of reports ranging back to the summer that documented growing frustrations between the two powerful Republicans.After first discussing his administration's current efforts at a tax overhaul, Trump suddenly pivoted to describe his rapport with McConnell."My relationship with this gentleman is outstanding [and] has been outstanding." Trump said.McConnell later...

Republicans are finally getting smart on Obamacare. It took one of the savviest Republican senators -- Ted Cruz of Texas, with an assist from Mike Lee of Utah -- to get the GOP to figure out how to replace Obamacare, reduce premiums and save money for the government, all without alienating millions of voters. He's pulled the Republicans' fannies out of the fire, flipping a losing strategy into a big-time winner. The Cruz amendment -- which has been inserted into the GOP Senate health plan -- is smart, because it doesn't take anything away from anyone. If you want Obamacare,...

Sen. Jeff Merkley spoke for over 15 hours, protesting the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch, saying how this seat on the high court is stolen, and that the integrity of the courts would be undermined for decades if the Senate confirms him. Yes, a man who received the American Bar AssociationÂ’s highest rating is going to denigrate the courts. This is bath salts logic, but Merkley has been one of GorsuchÂ’s early (and vocal) opponents. HeÂ’s from a blue state. And his base is frothing at the mouth to go all-out war, even in the face of defeat....