Mitch McConnell: Accomplishing Things as Minority Leader

Not long after the elections, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell joined Sen. Jim DeMint's efforts to put a caucus moratorium on earmarks. This was a pleasant sign that McConnell understood what the November elections were all about.

Sen. McConnell kicked off the lame duck session by releasing a letter signed by the entire caucus, promising to filibuster every bill until the Bush Tax cuts had been extended, and the government has been funded for the following year. As a result of this commitment, it seems that eventually the Democrats will grudgingly agree to a two year extension of all the tax cuts. This is quite the legislative accomplishment for a party that still has very little in this session of congress.

McConnell Listens to People; Backs DeMint's Earmark Ban

In the summer of 2009 Sen. Jim DeMint decided to endorse a largely unknown state legislator battling a sitting governor for the Republican nomination for Senate. At the time this primary challenge was considered a quixotic quest, and a political impossibility. After Marco Rubio won overwhelmingly in the general election, Sen. DeMint turned his sights to passing a Republican Senate Conference ban on earmarks. At the time, Sen. McConnell, along with D.C. lobbyists, and conservative senators like Sen. Inhofe, and Sen. Thune were leading the fight to protect earmarks. Grassroots groups like FRC, RedState, and AFP joined Sen. DeMint in the trenches pushing hard for Senate Republicans to take this first symbolic step in the war on spending.

Today Sen. McConnell announced that he was going to support an earmark moratorium for this session of congress.

"Nearly every day that the Senate’s been in session for the past two years, I have come down to this spot and said that Democrats are ignoring the wishes of the American people. When it comes to earmarks, I won’t be guilty of the same thing.

Make no mistake. I know the good that has come from the projects I have helped support throughout my state. I don’t apologize for them. But there is simply no doubt that the abuse of this practice has caused Americans to view it as a symbol of the waste and the out-of-control spending that every Republican in Washington is determined to fight. And unless people like me show the American people that we’re willing to follow through on small or even symbolic things, we risk losing them on our broader efforts to cut spending and rein in government.

That’s why today I am announcing that I will join the Republican Leadership in the House in support of a moratorium on earmarks in the 112th Congress."

Is there a purpose for earmarks? Yes. However it is very encouraging to see Sen. McConnell listen to the American people and support banning them for this congress as they work on solving the major fiscal crisis in this nation. A leadership willing to listen to the American people instead of blindly doing what they desire inspires hope and renews confidence.

With senate Republicans joining House in banning earmarks, and most of our presidential contenders supporting the effort as well, the party is solidly on the right side of this issue.

Marco Rubio's strong challenge to Charlie Crist lead to many other conservative challenges this cycle, and ultimately to a more conservative Republican Senate Conference. Let's hope this victory on earmarks is a sign of even better things to come legislatively this congress. Extending the Bush Tax Cuts? Balanced Budget Amendment?

Pray and Work: Jim DeMint and the Earmark Ban

Jim DeMint is leading an effort to push for a ban within the Senate Republican Conference on earmarks. Tony Perkins and FRC are issuing a call to prayer for DeMint as he fights for a conservative senate. RedState has the battle plan for helping DeMint politically.

Are earmarks a way for the legislature to direct how money is spent as opposed to the executive? Yes.

Have they been added to bills regularly to encourage people to vote for bills? Yes.

In this way they lead to excess spending, and need to be banned for now.

Also call Mitch McConnell and let him know he needs to stop fighting against this effort.

For the record earmarks are not the solution to the deficit/spending problem in D.C. They are a key first step, partially symbolic partially meaningful, that must be followed by other things that will eventually culminate in a balanced budget amendment.

President Obama’s “Sarcastic Summit”

Today, the President held his "Healthcare Summit" at the White House, inviting Republicans and Democrats to come to the table for discussion on a "bi-partisan" solution to healthcare. However, we are now seeing that the President's pledge to hear both sides of the isle has again not come to fruition. A "talk clock" was kept by GOP aids and they timed the President speaking for 119 minutes – that's 9 minutes more than the 110 minutes Republicans used. The Democrats consumed 114 minutes, giving them a total of 233 minutes.

As the Washington Times puts it –

From the beginning, no one could agree on anything, even how much time each side had used. When a miffed Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, pointed out early on that Democrats had controlled 52 minutes to Republicans' 24, Mr. Obama jumped in to dispute even that.

"I don't think that's quite right," he said.

Sarcastic count #1.

With a twinkle in his eye, he added: "You're right, there was an imbalance on
the opening statements because - I'm the president." Half the room laughed. "I
didn't count my time in terms of dividing it evenly."

Sarcastic count #2.

Each time a Republican sought to break in to rebut a point made by the president or a fellow Democrat, Mr. Obama looked a bit frustrated and made clear who was in
charge of the bipartisan discussion.

"Let me just finish, Lamar," he said during his rebuttal to the senator's opening
statement. "No, no, no, no. Let me - and this is an example of where we've got to get our facts straight," he said when Mr. Alexander sought to clarify a point.

Sarcastic count #3.

The bitterness that underlies the contentious health care reform debate burst to the surface fairly quickly, when Sen. John McCain, who lost to Mr. Obama in the 2008 election, lectured the president about what he called a backdoor process to produce the Senate bill.

"John, can I just say -" Mr. Obama interrupted.

"Can I just finish, please?" Mr. McCain said tersely before continuing, refusing to yield the floor.

"Both of us during the campaign promised change in Washington," Mr. McCain said. "In fact, eight times [as a candidate] you said that negotiations on health care
reform would be broadcast on C-SPAN cameras. I'm glad that more than a year
later they are, here. Unfortunately, this product was not produced in that
fashion; it was produced behind closed doors."

Clearly irritated, Mr. Obama furiously flipped through the pages in a briefing book in front of him as Mr. McCain spoke. When he finished, the president teed off on his former adversary.

"Look, let me just make this point, John, because we are not campaigning anymore. The election's over," he said, staring at the Arizona Republican.

"I'm reminded of that every day," Mr. McCain shot back with a tight smile, adding
that despite that fact, "the American people care about what we did and how we
did it."

Mr. Obama didn't smile as he continued to scold the senator. "We can have a debate about process or we can have a debate about how we're actually going to help the American people at this point. And I think that the latter debate is the one that they care about a little bit more."

Annnd the icing on the cake – Sarcastic count #4.

The president also took a swipe at Rep. Eric Cantor, Virginia Republican, who sat behind a 3-foot stack of papers - a copy of the legislation produced by the Senate.

"Lemme just guess: That's the 2,400-page health bill," he said, his voice
dripping with sarcasm. "When we do props like this, you know, stack it up, and you repeat 2,400 pages, et cetera, you know, the truth of the matter is that health care is very complicated. And we can try to pretend that it's not, but it is."

Let me just add that Mr. President wasn't the only one playing coy today. Nanci Pelosi pulled it off awfully well –

In hour six, a moment occurred that summed up the bipartisan spirit that existed in the room. Listing the problems with the Senate bill, House Minority Leader John A. Boehner concluded: "I could go on and on and on."

"You have," Mrs. Pelosi said with a tight smile.

Mitch McConnell: Americans Are Common Sense Conservatives

In a speech reminiscent of George Allen, the Senate Minority leader talked about common sense conservativism at the FRC Action Conference.

"Most Americans are common sense conservatives, while most running D.C. are not."

He took Obama to task on two issues on healthcare.

1. The idea Americans can keep their own coverage under the plan
2. The idea abortions will not be funded under the plan.

He spoke of the triumph of common sense conservatives in America. The three examples he used were the slow down of the health care bill, the fight on Guantanamo, and the fight over spending.

McConnell made the point that in the first 50 days Obama cost America more money than Iraq, Afghanistan, and Katrina combined.

I hope McConnell continues to be successful in his opposition to the many things Obama is trying to Rahm through this congress.

Jeff Sessions for Ranking Member on the Judiciary Committee

The following is an excellent post by Yankee Philip concerning an aspect of the fallout of Specter's party switch.

Call on the Senate Leadership. Tell them to remain "Robust".

Jefferson "Jeff" Sessions III is now looking to become the ranking member of the Republican Party on the Senate Judiciary.

There are calls from "establishment" Republican types to promote Chuck Grassley or Orin Hatch into that position.

If Grassley or Hatch get the job, it will take a "go along , get along" view of the party. Sessions is more likely to bring a leadership role to the position. He is more likely to take his job as leader of the opposition seriously. The others will more likely acquiesce to whatever Senator Leahy and his cronies recommend.

You know Leahy didn't bow down to the Republican majority. They fought tooth and nail. They fought hard enough to keep Sessions from the bench. Why should the Republicans do any less? Why should the Republicans become the lap dogs for the Democrats? Do we want another Supreme Court Justice that looks to Europe for guidance?

We need to urge Mitch McConnell to promote Sessions as the ranking member. We have to call Senator McConnell and let him know . We have to email him.

Mitch McConnell’s phone number is 202-224-3121. Video beneath the fold.. We must convince Senator McConnell to remain Robust.

Trying to Stop the Stimulus Bill in the Senate

Last week the $819 Billion Stimulus Bill came up for a vote in the House of Representatives, and it did not receive a single Republican vote.    Eric Cantor, the man responsible for lining up those votes, did an excellent job explaining why he and his colleagues opposed the bill.  While those were not enough votes, we have a chance to stop the bill in the senate this week.  The Senate Republicans lead by Senators McConnell, and Kyl are opposing the bill, and seem to have the votes to block it.  If we can hold this caucus together, and pick up a couple Democrat votes, we will be able to stop this bill.  

Please contact your senators as soon as possible, no matter what party they belong to, and urge them to oppose the stimulus bill.  The number for the congressional switchboard is 202-224-3121.