September 27, 2005
House Conservatives Upbraided by LeadershipThere are a few Republican members of Congress who are trying to fight against pork, but the party leadership refuses to budge.
Rep. Mike Pence, a 46-year-old former radio talk show host from eastern Indiana serving his third term in Congress, is currently chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC). He has tried hard to cooperate with the regular House Republican leadership rather than confront it. So, he could not have been happy last Tuesday when he found himself in a closed-door autodafe, with GOP leaders as the inquisitors and Pence as the heretic.Why is this so important?Pence and the RSC's heresy was to propose that massive federal outlays resulting from Hurricane Katrina be offset by reduced spending elsewhere. Specifically, they requested offsets to cut highway projects earmarked by individual House members, and a delay in implementing President Bush's new Medicare prescription drug subsidy. The negative reaction by the leadership was reflected when Pence, offered a seat at a later meeting, explained that he would be more comfortable standing because House Speaker Dennis Hastert had just tanned his hide.
The beleaguered conservatives see all this spending leading inexorably to a tax increase, which would redistribute the tax burden to the disadvantage of the successful and threaten an economic recession.For those who believe that porkbarrel spending is the only way to stay in power, Arizona's Jeff Flake is a dose of reality.
Flake is a rare congressman who asked for no earmarked highway funds for his district (though it did not keep him from re-election last year with 79 percent of the vote).Those grassroots Republicans who prefer fiscal conservatism over irresponsible profligacy ought to contact these members of the RSC and express support. Likewise, you can inform the leadership that if they keep spending like Democrats, the public will just presume that voting for one party is basically the same as voting for the other.
The GOP cannot preserve its majority if it alienates believers in small government, who were critical elements of the party's governing coalition. Without fiscal conservatives, the GOP will become a minority party. We must save the GOP from its "leaders."
Posted by Jonathan R. on September 27, 2005 03:49 PM
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Comments
"they requested...a delay in implementing President Bush's new Medicare prescription drug subsidy. "
Brilliant! Let's make sure we shave off some elderly voters!
Posted by: The Valiant Elephant ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.gopbloggers.org/nav-commenters.gif)
at September 27, 2005 06:19 PM
Bang the drum slowly, Jonathan. BTW: Is that coat really reversible?
Posted by: Reverend Scaramonga at September 27, 2005 06:21 PM
So lets float that trial balloon.
Pence/Flake 2008
Posted by: Troll at September 27, 2005 06:27 PM
I personally think the present day candidates for 2008 are weak and/ or severely flawed.
Lets find out their stance on Illegal Immigration, a few of the lower numbered Bill of Rights, Affirmative Action, Right to Life/Death ... (what else am I missing?).
After passing those, Check the closets for skeletons, show me some live TV shots that don't make them look like goons or stiffs and lets get this 2008' bus tour to DC rolling.
Posted by: Troll at September 27, 2005 06:34 PM
Looks like I missed my chance to hear him... he was on the radio today.
Congressman Pence will appear on The Sean Hannity Show at 3:30 p.m. EDT to discuss the need for Congress to be fiscally responsible in providing funding for hurricane relief efforts.
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His Bio doesn't look shabby either. Prepare to have a 'conserva-gasm'. Looks like he can talk and is comfortable in front of the TV screen. Looks well groomed and decent. Have to discover out what his kids and wife looks like... could be the clincher!
Congressman Mike Pence was born in Columbus, Indiana, graduated from Hanover College in 1981 and earned his Doctorate in Jurisprudence from Indiana University, School of Law in 1986.
Following graduation from law school, Mike Pence first ran for Congress in 1988 and 1990. In 1991, Pence was named President of a conservative state think tank based in Fort Wayne known as the Indiana Policy Review Foundation.
In 1992, Pence started a career in radio broadcasting and, two years later, Network Indiana syndicated his show statewide. The Mike Pence Show aired weekdays on 18 radio stations. Pence also hosted a Sunday morning political television show in Indianapolis from 1995 to 1999.
Mike and his wife Karen have three children and reside in Columbus, Indiana. When Congress is in session, the Pence family lives in Arlington, Virginia.
Mike describes himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order."
Posted by: Troll at September 27, 2005 06:44 PM
Flake might be a bit too much however.
1) Mormon. Shouldn't be a problem, but this is politics. That might be a bit too much of a religious speed bump.
2) He looks really young... too young, but has been married for 20 years and has 5 kids. As long as he got married 15+ he makes the legal 35 year cut off. He looks 25... everyone might hate him for looking so good. Looks like a rugged version of that actor McConnell? (Ed TV).
Posted by: Troll at September 27, 2005 06:55 PM
