At the risk of jinxing the election by assuming that the voters will lend Congress to the Republicans in November, the next act of the Tea Party’s hostile takeover of the GOP has already started. From The Hill:
“Look, the time to go along and get along is over,” said Rep. Mike Pence (Ind.), the chairman of the House Republican Conference. “House Republicans know that. We’ve taken firm and principled stands against their big government plans throughout this Congress, and we’ve got, if the American people will send them, we’ve got a cavalry of men and women headed to Washington, D.C. that are going to stand with us.”Pence said his party wouldn’t compromise on issues like spending or healthcare reform, two of the weightiest items on Congress’s agenda next year, when the Republicans could control one or both chambers.
“Look, there will be no compromise on stopping runaway spending, deficits and debt. There will be no compromise on repealing Obamacare. There will be no compromise on stopping Democrats from growing government and raising taxes,” Pence told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt Thursday evening. “And if I haven’t been clear enough yet, let me say again: No compromise.”
His words are meant to soothe conservatives who worry the party might be too accommodating of Obama and the Democrats in Congress.
Their fears were sparked earlier this week when retiring Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) suggested repealing healthcare reform might not be the best approach to the issue. The “Repeal It” argument has been a rally cry for Republicans this election cycle, and several conservative candidates and incumbents backed by the Tea Party movement have signed a pledge to support repealing the healthcare law.”
Pence gets it and he should have around 65 or so new friends to back him up in January.
The Tea Party folks need to stop celebrating by December and get back to work reminding their representatives of both parties what they were sent to DC to accomplish.
As a (lower-case “L”) libertarian, I certainly have no interest in helping the Republican party consolidate power and return to the politics of BIG GOVERNMENT while disimulating with the rhetoric of small government. However, the Tea Parties (yes, plural) folks in the 2nd congressional district of Colorado kindly put a real live small government, liberty-first, return-to-Constitutional-constraints guy on the ballot this year.
I will vote for him with pride.
He may not win in this gerrymandered district that consolidates liberals of Boulder with those of Vail and the I-70 mountain corridor, but that is the legacy of past corruption I can do nothing about.
But no matter who wins my particular CD, I won't cotton a Republican party that plays political games. I will do everything in my power to expose the trickery and lies of those who aren't wholeheartedly behind limited republican government with supporting real (and Constitutional) federalism.
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