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?

John Thune for President?

Sen. John Thune has been talking about running for president recently. He has been a solid U.S. Senator, but is he the person we want to nominate to run for president? The following article from Erick Erickson of RedState is a must read for anyone thinking of supporting him for president.

John Thune’s Tan Is Starting to Resemble Toast

Posted by Erick Erickson (Profile)

Friday, October 1st at 11:43AM EDT

151 Comments

Let’s be honest for a minute. John Thune is a great United States Senator from South Dakota. But the only reason people talk about him for President is because he’s a good looking guy in a city full of lesser looking people, is tall, and has an attractive wife.

Other than that his greatest accomplishments are doing nothing. But he gives a great talk about biennial budgeting, the topic of choice for establishmentarians who want to show a little leg.

The other day, Thune went on record dinging Jim DeMint for helping conservatives get elected. Thune also sided with Lisa Murkowski on her keeping her Senate seat.

Now comes word that Thune is doing zilch, zip, nada to help tea party backed Senate candidates.

In fact, in a review of Thune’s giving:

• Thune’s PAC gave $10,000 to Shelby (appropriator with no real race) and $5,000 to earmarxist Trey Grayson, but nothing for Rand Paul (anti-earmarker in tough race), even post-primary.
• His PAC gave $10,000 to Murkowski (earmarxist party traitor), but nothing to Joe Miller (anti-earmark primary winner).
• His PAC gave both Crist and Rubio $5,000.
• Thune’s PAC gave Jane Norton $5,000 but gave Buck nothing. Update: Thune has now given to Buck and will be doing a fundraiser for him.
• His PAC gave earmarxist Bob Bennett $10,000 for a 100% safe GOP seat, but only gave $5,000 to the anti-earmark Pat Toomey who’s running in blue PA.

This guy has all the makings of a Presidential candidate . . . in an Aaron Sorkin drama for NBC. That’s about it. By every other measure he is toast.

Frankly, the talk about Thune 2012 is a greater commentary on the vapid nature of inside the beltway punditry and Senate egos than on his actual, factual chances. Need we roll the tape on Senate Republicans who’ve won the White House? Bob Dole will run the slide projector while John McCain serves crow.

The Rubio WIN in Today’s Debate

"Charlie Crist avoided debating Marco Rubio for almost year – and now we know why!

This morning's debate was a clear victory for Marco Rubio as he showed why he is the only candidate in this Senate race that can be trusted to go to Washington, stand up to the Obama-Pelosi-Reid-Meek agenda and offer a clear alternative. On the other hand, because Charlie Crist had no vision, record or conservative principles to promote, he did what politicians do – distort and attack.

Floridians were able to see the clear policy differences that exist between Marco Rubio and Charlie Crist.

See for yourself here.

The record is clear. Whether it's the stimulus, cap-and-trade, ObamaCare or raising taxes, Charlie Crist's unhealthy appetite for bigger government is out of step with mainstream Floridians. His insistence on distorting Marco Rubio's record is a disservice to millions of Floridians who are tired of the politics-as-usual that Charlie Crist insists on peddling. Marco Rubio has a proven record of standing up to liberal agendas: whether it's being a consistent voice against the Obama/Pelosi agenda in Washington DC or stopping Charlie Crist's liberal agenda in Tallahassee by blocking his efforts to expand gambling or stopping the Crist cap and trade mandate.

Now it's time to stand with the ONLY conservative in this race we can trust to stand up to the dangerous liberal agenda happening in Washington right now. We need you to stand with Marco today by contributing to his campaign. And share this highlight from the debate with your friends. Tell them why you are supporting Marco.

Together, each of us can make a difference and put this country back on the right track by electing principled conservative leaders like Marco Rubio!

Thank you for your support,

Team Rubio

P.S. - Senator Jim Demint joined in watching the debate and had this to say after – we think it summed up pretty well and hope you share his enthusiasm as we move to the next level in this campaign.

Special note from Jim Demint: 'Like many Republicans across the country, I watched today's debate with great interest. With every passing day, my support for Marco Rubio grows stronger and more enthusiastic. Today's debate showed exactly why more and more Republicans are excited by the conservative renewal that's building in Florida because of Marco's candidacy.'"

Crossposted @ WCTRC

Charlie Crist to Run as Independent? - Arlen Specter 2.0

Everyone knows Charlie Crist has two options: 1. lose embarrassingly to Marco Rubio in the primary, or 2. switch parties. RedState today posted an article predicting option 2, saying that the evidence points to the fact that Crist may be turning to the blue side, or becoming an independent. He was caught having a private meal with VP Biden in Miami, and has returned to "embracing the Obama stimulus fraud" - I'd say that's pretty conclusive evidence.

However, everyone also knows that before Crist switches, he's gonna smear Rubio like crazy. Well folks, the games have begun. Today it was discovered that Crist took Rubio's private credit card records from the Republican Party of Florida and leaked them to the press. Although Rubio has only used the cards to help get Republicans elected within the state, he also used them for several personal expenses. What Crist did NOT elude to in the leak, was that every single one of those personal expenses were reimbursed to the state by Rubio.

This is yet another example of how "Republicans", e.g. Arlen Specter and Charlie Crist, will do anything to get elected with little concern for their values and constituents. If Crist becomes an independent it will be concrete evidence that his Republican title was all for show.

Marco Rubio, Someone who is Unafraid to be a Republican

In Virginia this year we elected Ken Cuccinelli, someone who was unafraid to run as a conservative and is unafraid to govern as such.

In 2010 we have that person in Florida with Marco Rubio. Marco Rubio is running against Charlie Crist for the Republican nomination for the 2010 Florida Senate race. In the following video Marco Rubio advocates a Republican party that stands up for conservative principles and runs on center right conservative values. Rubio is a conservative, he can win, and Republicans across the country need to stand with Rubio.

Mike Huckabee Endorses Marco Rubio for U.S. Senate

In this video Mike Huckabee announces his support for Marco Rubio as he seeks the Republican nomination to replace Mel Martinez in the U.S. Senate.

Mike Huckabee also issued a statement in which he was highly critical of the Republican establishment's support for Charlie "I love the bailout" Crist.

“I’m disgusted that they would take a position in a hotly contested race when you have a quality candidate like Marco Rubio, who was the youngest Speaker in the Florida House,” Huckabee told The Hill. “This is not just some nameless, faceless guy that decided to throw his name in, who had no chance and no credibility.”

He continued: “I thought that their endorsement not only was premature, but was outrageous. And they ought to get behind the guy who would do a whole lot more, in my mind, to unite and fire up Republicans, and that’s Marco Rubio.”

“The establishment Republicans have made this endorsement for the same reason that they’re in so much trouble,” Huckabee said. “They go out there and support stuff like TARP bills and stimulus packages, pork-barrel spending and huge debt, and they wring their hands and act like, 'This is not good, but we don’t have a choice.' "