Stalwarts Fought Drug Bill 'Til Dawn

Human Events ^ | 12/08/2003 | John Gizzi and David Fredoso

[baxter999]

"This is the story of how a small band of committed conservatives stood up to enormous political pressure and almost defeated a massive new entitlement program proposed by their own party.

Around 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 22, Republican Representatives John Shadegg (Ariz.), Jeff Flake (Ariz.), Mike Pence (Ind.), Trent Franks (Ariz.), and Butch Otter (Idaho), all opponents of the bill, were huddled outside the House chamber. The GOP leadership told them that if the bill were defeated, Majority Leader Tom DeLay (Tex.) would bring up either the same bill again or, amazingly, a Democratic package twice as costly. That proposal, they were told, already had the 218 votes needed to pass.

Worse, they were also told, President Bush was behind the plan, and would sign the Democratic bill if it reached his desk.

Knowing that President Bush has never vetoed a bill, the conservatives were shocked by this appalling threat"

"Other conservatives held firm under enormous pressure, most notably retiring Rep. Nick Smith (R.-Mich.), whose son Brad hopes to win his safe 7th District seat in a crowded Republican primary (see "Politics 2003").

Smith told HUMAN EVENTS he was told his son would get "almost unlimited financial support, plus some nationally recognized names to endorse him," if Smith voted for the drug bill. "This comes after [Brad] had sold part of his property to put his own $100,000 into his campaign," said Smith.

But his son told him, said Smith, "'Hey, Dad, you stick to your guns and do the right thing. I don't want to go to Congress that way.'" Smith didn't waver.

"The only sad part is that I may have hurt Brad's chances of getting in, because some of the members were pretty adamant that they were going to work to make sure he didn't," said Smith. "I thought that after 20 years in elected office, I knew what arm-twisting was. This was pretty aggressive arm-twisting."

Smith refused to name names, but other sources confirmed a report by columnist Bob Novak that Rep. Duke Cunningham (R.-Calif.) had taunted Smith after the vote—waving his checkbook and promising to donate to Brad Smith's primary opponents.

Rep. Walter Jones (R.-N.C.) told HUMAN EVENTS he would rather resign from Congress than support the costly new federal entitlement program.

"[Chief GOP Deputy Whip] Eric Cantor [R.-Va.] did approach me on the floor and asked me if I would vote for the Medicare package," said Jones. "And I said, 'If the Good Lord came down and asked me, I'd say no.'"

[baxter999]

There's more in the article if you want to read it and get that sinking feeling in your gut as you read of Bush's perfidy and treason to conservative principles. Any Bush supporters out there care to explain how President Bush could threaten conservatives in his own party with passing the even worse democratic plan if they didn't knuckle under? Bush is a socialist. Always was - always will be - and this proves it.

[Ahban]

http://www.constitutionparty.com

[Kevin Curry]

Worse, they were also told, President Bush was behind the plan, and would sign the Democratic bill if it reached his desk.

I wonder who told them that?

If this is true, it will seal my decision to leave the 2004 election ballot unmarked for president.

[baxter999]

Appreciate the post. I'm trying to decide whether to join a 3rd party or stay republican. I know the usual rap on 3rd parties is "you're just wasting your vote." But doesn't this article show you're wasting your vote by voting for Bush?

It's hard to leave the party I've supported for so many years. I've worked and campaigned and donated to the Republicans forever. I wonder if I won't have more influence staying put and trying to get in good Republicans and then voting 3rd party in the election.

Here in Utah, there is a caucus system and a closed primary and I hate to give up my influence by leaving.

[baxter999]

Human Events is an old and trusted conservative publication. It has always supported the conservative wing of the party. In the same issue, there is an article by Moore that confirms the particulars of this article. In my judgement, this story is legit - which means we're screwed because Bush has sold us down the river again.

[thoughtomator]

Bush, like his father, seems desperate to lose his re-election bid.

The only reason he won in 2000 is because conservatives were extremely motivated to get to the polls, and to get others to the polls. He's not going to have that in 2004 - with what does he plan to replace those votes?

[Ahban]

you can do both. I have picked ONE good Republican who is worth supporting in a statewide race that no third party can yet win. In smaller district races, where the candidate is known personally to a large percentage of district voters, I am working hard for the Constitution Party to help them recruit good candidates and get them on the ballot.

I would encourage you to have a back-up plan in case the obvious direction the GOP is now taking continues. Its the only prudent thing to do. Having all of your eggs in one basket is bad enough, but when you can see that basket is in a wagon headed right off a cliff its downright crazy!

[baxter999]

Good point. Bush is dreaming if he thinks he'll get liberals to support him. All he is doing is losing his base - and he's got no one but himself to blame.

I predict a Hillary entrance soon to keep Dean from getting too far ahead. I have this recurring dream of watching Hillary take the Oath while First Man Bill stands by and flirts with Chief Justice O'Connor.

[Kevin Curry]

I'll be voting for nothing but Republicans in 2004. But if I had to vote now, I would not cast a vote for president.

President Bush is telling me two things with the Medicare prescription drug entitlement and the campaign reform legislation: 1) he doesn't want my vote, and 2) he doesn't need my vote.

Fair enough. It's time to start looking for a good conservative Republican to support for president in 2008.

[Burkeman1]

A rather sickening read. But if you want traitor fake conservatives who serve the GOP RNC to defend this then ping Sinkspur and Howlin to this thread.

[Burkeman1]

A President Hillary Clinton with the powers of the "Patriot Act" at her disposal would be frightening.

[baxter999]

Lately sinkspur and howlin have both not been commenting much on threads where I've weighed in. Not that they're scared or admit defeat, but I think they think it's a waste of time to converse with me.

On my part, I hold out hope for even them and I am always glad to get their input. And maybe they'll join us conservatives. In my life I have observed many times that those that oppose conservatism the most strongly often become our greatest advocates. From C. S. Lewis, Whittaker Chambers, David Horowitz to Ronald Reagan.

Regards.

[Burkeman1]

It is actually a wast of time to converse with them. They are so GOP line it is sickening. They are just apparachicks in the GOP heirarchy. I can't imagine anyone but a GOP midling idiot employed by the party having their views.

[baxter999]

You're probably right. I've often wondered just who gives paychecks to some of the RINO's on this site. I wonder how they can afford to spend so much time posting inane pro-establishment articles. On the other hand, without them to remind me, I keep leaving my tin-foil hat at the office.

Regards.

[Burkeman1]

I wonder how they can afford to spend so much time posting inane pro-establishment articles.

Check out most threads that criticize Bush on Domestic policy. There are only about 10 to 15 Bushbot posters that defend Bush no matter what for 24 hours at a time! The last CFR post is very instructive. Does Howlin have a Job? Does Sinkspur? How about the half dozen others who defended the indefensible on that thread for nearly 2000 posts over three days?

[thoughtomator]

ping

[Burkeman1]

Bring it.

[thoughtomator]

I just wanted an excuse to use the popcorn smiley, really

[baxter999]

I'm surprized this article hasn't been nuked yet. Got to give Mr. Robinson his due for letting us speak our minds.

[sinkspur]

Does Howlin have a Job? Does Sinkspur?

Speaking for myself, I sell software, and lots of it.

Meanwhile, I notice there's about five guys on this thread, beating off in each other's direction.

Nobody's taking this worn out, lame bait.

[sinkspur]

BTW, jerkweed.

If you mention me in a post, have the courtesy to ping me, so I can answer your damned question.

Coward.

[Burkeman1]

Hmmm - I sold software and hardware for years and made a good coin. What do you sell?

[Burkeman1]

You are correct on that. I should have pinged you. That was not cool.

[sinkspur]

CRM and Data Access (data integration).

[Burkeman1]

Customer Relation Management software? Big area. Hope you do well.

[Burkeman1]

“Attacking” President Bush




November 27, 2003
“Some are attacking the president for attacking the terrorists,” says a new Republican TV ad for President Bush.

In its verbal sloppiness, this message is fully worthy of the president himself. Of course nobody is “attacking” him in the same sense that he is “attacking the terrorists,” with real bullets and bombs. Various people are criticizing him, some with measured language, some with verbal abuse, but all of them are well within the limits of the “freedom” and “democracy” he says he wants to promote around the world.

So why does he allow and encourage his subordinates to imply that his political opponents are on the side of the terrorists?

Nobody knows what Bush means by freedom and democracy, which he seems to equate with each other. In his mouth these terms sound like mere slogans, with no precise significance. He uses them the way Madison Avenue uses advertising jingles, to excite stock responses.

It must be said that his speeches sometimes contain thoughtful reflections, but these are hardly typical of him. It’s as if his speechwriters are doing their conscientious best to supply philosophical justifications for his policies, almost in spite of him. Like most politicians, the man himself is most comfortable with cliché.

Time magazine notes that Americans tend to feel strongly about George W. Bush. There are “those who regard Bush as the very ideal of American presidential leadership and those who regard him as an embarrassing and dangerous usurper.”

Both reactions show a lack of proportion. Bush isn’t a monster, just a mediocrity. If he didn’t just happen to be the most powerful man on earth, nobody would bother deflating him. But his elevation to the presidency has elicited the most preposterous flattery. One columnist hails him as “a statesman of vision and remarkable courage ... a born-again idealist ... a strategic pioneer ... our most decisive president since Harry Truman,” et cetera.

Funny that nobody noticed all these rare qualities when Bush was stumbling and fumbling his way through the 2000 primaries. He didn’t even outshine his humdrum Republican opponents; in fact it was John McCain who impressed people then (don’t ask me why).

But power has its magic. As King Lear says, “Thou hast seen a farmer’s dog bark at a beggar? And the creature run from the cur? There thou might’st behold the great image of authority: a dog’s obeyed in office.” Hamlet likewise remarks, “My uncle is king of Denmark, and those that would make mouths at him while my father lived give twenty, forty, fifty, a hundred ducats apiece for his picture in little.”

Henry Kissinger put it wittily: “The nice thing about being a celebrity is that when you bore people, they think it’s their fault.” And the president of the United States is ex officio the world’s greatest celebrity, even if he’s Jerry Ford.

Jerry Ford! We’d nearly forgotten him! And he’s still alive, even though he was literally attacked twice, both times by women! One of the would-be assassins was Squeaky Fromme, former member of the Charles Manson gang, but I can’t recall the other one’s name.

Jerry Ford! Now there was a real live wire! Nobody ever pretended that he was anything but a dull man. The only time he ever created the least excitement was when he beaned someone with a golf ball. You marveled that anyone would feel strongly enough about him, one way or the other, to shoot at him.

Ford was Bush’s mental peer, but since he didn’t have an army of neoconservative pundits likening him to Newton and Spinoza, it was never necessary to cut him down to size. If you’d put a whoopee cushion on his chair, you’d probably have to explain the joke to him.

Ford was, and is, an unanswerable refutation of the notion that only an extraordinary man, for good or evil, can achieve the presidency; either a man of heroically worthy qualities or a villain “by merit rais’d to that bad eminence.”

Maybe we should resign ourselves to the unflattering truth: our political system isn’t hospitable to men of stature. If a Thomas Jefferson should seek public office today, he wouldn’t get far. Our system would weed him out early.

[sinkspur]

What pathetic bullshit! Did you have to dig this out of a DNC press release?

What's gotten in to you? Are you so opposed to Bush that you would jump to the dark side?

[Burkeman1]

I would rather take a bullet from a foreign enemy than be the victim of assassianition from these clowns plan! Massachusetts and a larger New England are in my scope!

[Burkeman1]

Then do something! I can hunt anytime and anywhere! I would rather a fist fight on video tape before I put you down on the canvass. That way we can show Freepers who smoked who in real time!

[sinkspur]

Huh? Was post 26 from the DNC? It certainly reads like it.

[Burkeman1]

proof

[billbears]

Rep. Walter Jones (R.-N.C.) told HUMAN EVENTS he would rather resign from Congress than support the costly new federal entitlement program

-----

"[Chief GOP Deputy Whip] Eric Cantor [R.-Va.] did approach me on the floor and asked me if I would vote for the Medicare package," said Jones. "And I said, 'If the Good Lord came down and asked me, I'd say no.'"

Thank God there's at least someone in Congress from the state of North Carolina that hasn't sold out conservative principle. We had a chance in 2002 to put a conservative in the Senate but rather we got the Seatbelt Senator. I just hope Burr, if he is the candidate, won't look to the White House before taking a breath in the morning. Unfortunately later in the article I come to read this

Meanwhile, Republican Representatives Richard Burr (N.C.)—a 2004 Senate candidate—Steve Buyer (Ind.), and James Sensenbrenner (Wis.) who voted against the bill in June, voted for it this time. And Rep. Ernest Istook (R.-Okla.) switched in the middle of the voting period from "no" to "yes." All four Republicans gave the same explanation as Franks and Otter: They had been persuaded to believe that their President would actually sign an even worse bill.

Looks like another Republican just lost my vote. Who's in the primary with Burr? Or is this just going to be another repeat of 2002 where our candidate was chosen for us? And it just 'warms' my heart to know the President would be willing to sign an even more expensive bill....

[arete]

If a Thomas Jefferson should seek public office today, he wouldn’t get far. Our system would weed him out early.

Thomas Jefferson today would be labeled as a radical evil-doer and attacked as anti-American for demanding that we follow the Constitution. It's all about grabbing and extending the power of central planners in Washington today. Politicians are not interested in representing the people who voted them in, just the corporations who will make them rich.

Richard W.