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.

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