[Mamzelle]

But our new RNC chair, who has said some encouraging things recently, needs to take to the bully pulpit, along with other Republicans, and make it clear to the country that these three turncoats are being BOUGHT. They are not speaking for the GOP when they try to draw their tattered and stained RINO garments over this piece of Pelosi-%$#@.

Make some plans, Mike.

[Old Sarge]

WHAT IS MICHAEL STEELE GOING TO DO ABOUT SNOWE, COLLINS AND SPECTRE?

Absolutely Nothing.

[Tarpon]

Steele needs to throw them out of the party. Better to have the caucus vote solidly against than it is to always have a few go along. If you can't stand on principles what do you stand for?

[Sarah Barracuda]

Burns them at the steak LOL..No really, throw them out of the party, enough of this RINO scum. They are rolling over for this fool instead of standing up and FIGHTING. Obama is using these people so that when this bill fails months from now, years from now he can say “Republicans agreed with this bill too” he is using them, don’t these idiots see that, they are being played

[Smogger]

Get a rope. ;-)

[Colonial Warrior]

[karibdes]

Nothing.

[buccaneer81]

Now Corker, too!

[svcw]

What make a public announcement that they have been excommunicated? Why should he do anything, that is the job of the idiots that keep voting them back into office.

[x]

Get after S.P.E.C.T.R.E. old school:

[Diogenesis]

THROW THE TRAITORS OUT. THEY ARE DEMOCRATS ANYWAY.

[darkangel82]

Too late now. They should have been primaried one after the other.

[billorites]

If he's smart, Steele will kiss their behinds and flatter them to a fare thee well.

If you have a problem with the RINO's that Maniacs elect, just wait until you see the Democrats they send to the Senate.

Do I need to remind you of the last one?

For all their faults, too many to enumerate here, the two "old hens" caucus with the Republicans. Usually...

Most of the time...

This I suspect is what Steele means by a "big tent." If you spend any time camping in a tent with others, you learn how to live with the smell of each others farts.

Good tent mates don't comment.

[Natural Law]

A bigger question is what is Mitch McConnell and Jon Kyl going to do about it? As the Senate Minority Leader and the Minority Whip they are the ones who have to herd the cats into a monolithic voting block.

[ex91B10]

There is only one way to stop them now, but few have the nuts required for the task.

[VinL]

"They are not speaking for the GOP"

***********************

Mam, not being to be disrespectful to you, but they are speaking for the GOP--at least, they're speaking for a good number of GOP governors and Senators who need and want this "bailout" to cover their misdeeds.

These three are just the "heroes" who are willing to take the heat, while the others get to say they opposed the bill in order to appease us.

If I'm in error, I'm sure we'll soon hear many Republicans coming out and upbraiding these three for betraying the GOP party platform---but I'm not holding my breath. -:)

Let's not be fooled again.

[lonestar]

Snow, Collins,and Specter have been Blagoed...votes for $$$$.

[arealconservativeforachange]

I’m betting nothing will be done.
I will happily eat my words.

[Mad Dawg]

I don't know what Steele can do, but the rest of the Senate Republicans could refuse to caucus with them and the Senate Republican Committee fundraisers could see that they get none of our dollars.

And that latter means that when the SRC calls you up a-begging, you say, "Not while Snowe, Collins, and Spectre has the elast chance of receiving a penny of my money."

[WorkingClassFilth]

Agreed 100%.

If Steele is going to signal a new game is in town, he needs to can these kneepadists. If he did that, he’d have conservative’s attention front and center. Make a few new changes that buck the old order and he’d have conservatives back on board spoiling for a fight in 2010. In fact, if he publically began grooming a new stable of solid conservative (hint, hint) and ash canning the old turds from selected positions, he’d unleash a flood of renewed support. Add a Palin ticket in 2012 and we’d burn this country down to put her there.

Keep up the same ol’ same ol’ and the pubbies will go nowhere. Leadership - genuine leadership - is all but missing in this nation.

[GreenLanternCorps]

There is nothing Michael Steele can do. US political parties have a very weak whip. In a Westminster style Parliament, they could have their whip pulled and be effectively driven from the party.

However, in the US system, people largely self select their party. All the Party Chairmen do is run the party apparatus, they don't set policy. About the worst that could be done is for The Republican Senatorial campaign committee to either be neutral in a primary fight or support a challenger ina primary.

Frankly with the Senate so tight, I doubt that Mitch McConnell would do anything to punish them. After all, he might need them in the future for another vote on another issue.

I can't think of anytime in US history where a legislator was "thrown out" of a party because of a vote he cast. The last situation I can think of (excepting Joe Liberman's unusual circumstances) was James Traficant over corruption charges.