Battle for GOP's soul(RSC vetos Dreier)

business week ^ | 9-30-05 | Eamon Javers

[Gipper08]

In a tense power play, House conservatives helped derail the rise of Californian David Dreier to be their acting leader with Tom DeLay under indictment

..... But when a rump group of conservative members saw the reports, they banded together to block Drier, who one aide grumbled "is not a true conservative." Among Dreier's faults, in the eyes of this group: The Californian's pro-trade stance and his votes going against conservative "litmus-test issues." He supports stem-cell research, and he opposes a Constitutional amendment against gay marriage.

UP THE BACK STAIRWAY. At a meeting in the Capitol basement, about 30 members of the conservative Republican Study Committee gathered to digest the fallout from DeLay's indictment. Led by Representative Mike Pence (R-Ind.), the group had defied their own leaders in denouncing the GOP's free-spending response to Hurricane Katrina just last week and were in no mood to take orders from the Speaker.

In the closed-door meeting at 1:30 that even key staffers were banned from attending, RSC members decided that they could not tolerate Dreier ascending to such a crucial slot, say inside sources. And even as DeLay was telling the media in a conference room overflowing with journalists that this had been "one of the weakest, most baseless indictments in American history," RSC leaders including Pence, Representative Jeb Hensarling (R-Tex.), and Representative Tom Feeney (R-Fla.) were marching unnoticed up a back hallway to give their thoughts to Hastert.....

As Hastert made the announcement of the new leadership lineup before a battery of TV cameras, other leaders commented on the changes. Dreier, who was standing to the rear of the group, was offered the chance to speak, but he declined, stepping back from the microphones.

[Gipper08]

Thank the Lord for Pence and the RSC, Dreier would have been a disaster for conservatives!

[Republican Red]

I wouldn't have thought Pence had a snowballs chance in hell at getting the Republican nomination in 2008.

I am beginning to think different now. He is really getting his name out their and accruing some power along the way.

Interesting. I think I's better get more informed about this guy.

[EagleUSA]

Thank the Lord for Pence and the RSC....
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I sure hope this goes somewhere. The message of conservatism and RINOs is in the ranks. The RINOs must be cleaned out...at least it is going in the right direction..

[Gipper08]

He has been tested again and again in the past five years.There is more to come.
Medicare debate

http://www.yuricareport.com/Medicare/MedicareBillArmTwistingTactics.html
http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=2542
http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=2461
Budget Battle(if you only read one,read the 4th one)
http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/031005/revolt.html

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/031505/budget.html

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/031605/pence.html

http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/031705/gop.html

http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/033005/pence.html

[OldFriend]

Dreier was on with Hannity yesterday and he was no whiner like Trent Lott.

He spoke to the issues, and went Sean one better. Rather than freezing spending Dreier spoke of CUTTING.

He was very impressive.

[Republican Red]

Dreier was on Tony Snow's show this morning. I thought he came off rather pompous.

He seems like a decent enough fellow and did not complain, or blast his own party but something about him rubbed me the wrong way.

[Gipper08]

He knows he is in serious danger of losing in 06.He only got 54% ina very conservative district.His base is not happy!

[Cricket24]

I totally agree. While David Dreier seems like a nice guy, he is in no way a conservative.

[Happy2BMe]

Do you sense a Change in The Force, Luke?

Have the outcasts had enough?

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In the closed-door meeting at 1:30 that even key staffers were banned from attending, RSC members decided that they could not tolerate (RINO) Dreier ascending to such a crucial slot (Tom DeLay's successor), say inside sources.

And even as DeLay was telling the media in a conference room overflowing with journalists that this had been "one of the weakest, most baseless indictments in American history," RSC leaders including Pence, Representative Jeb Hensarling (R-Tex.), and Representative Tom Feeney (R-Fla.) were marching unnoticed up a back hallway to give their thoughts to Hastert.....

[hombre_sincero]

NO congressman/senator should ever be elected to president - their only experience is in lies & compromise.

The President should be a LEADER! That's why most come from governorships where they have demonstrated LEADERSHIP QUALITIES.

[Morgan in Denver]

No offense, and Mike Pence sounds like one of the good guys. But, why are conservatives always jumping the gun on who would or would not be our next best choice for president? Pence would certainly be a fine addition to the party leadership while he's in the US House, but it seems to be a stretch to say he should be president.

John F Kennedy was a US Senator when he was elected President. Since then, every elected president has been either a Vice-President or he has experience as a state governor. The main reason is there is a defining difference between "representing" constituents and "managing" such as running a state or a nation. Leadership and making executive decisions is vastly different from representing a side of an issue or bringing home the pork.

A past governor has won his election in a state with all parties represented, and supposedly has enough support to carry that state into a national election. Additionally, a governor or the Vice-President does not have the baggage of a past voting record in the House or Senate that were compromises or forced on him by his party leadership, special interest groups or donors.

Right now, Representative Pence would be a better fit for advancement in the US House, where he could help stop the outrageous spending these Prima-donnas are all engaged in. We need conservatives in the US House and Senate just as much as we need conservatives in the White House.

[mabelkitty]

RSC not ready for retirement.
Election only 13 short months away.

[TomasUSMC]

Tancredo 08. Right on the Border and on the Religion of Peace.

[hosepipe]

[ Thank the Lord for Pence and the RSC, Dreier would have been a disaster for conservatives! ]

Dreier IS a conservative.. Pence is proposing RADICAL changes.. thats why hes a republican.. for a free republic.. Dreier is a republican for a free DEMOCRACY.. The difference is basic.. and obvious.. Most/many republicans are in fact democrats with an (R) by their name.. Not a big secret but a precient fact.. Not all christians are christians, not all republicans are republicans.. and by the way not all muslims are muslims..

I'm a Wahabi Republican(metaphor).. and I'm on a jihad..
and proud if it.. All non Wahabi's republicans are cannon fodder, to me. Even democrats are deserving of more respect.. they at least are what they are..

[Txsleuth]

You know how much I respect your opinions...I don't argue with this one...

So I know that you know, I am not being defensive, when I ask then...who do you see now, or off in the horizon that might fit the profile you posted???

You know, Sen. George Allen WAS a Governor...do you think congresscritters that USED to be Governors are not good candidates?

I guess with all of the crap that the dems are throwing against the wall right now, I want/need some good news!!!!

BTW...HI---usually don't see much of you except on Sunday!

[csmusaret]

Time for big spender Hastert to make way for a fiscal conservative. Maybe Pence is making a bid for Speaker.

[F16Fighter]

"Dreier was on with Hannity yesterday and he was no whiner like Trent Lott.

He spoke to the issues, and went Sean one better. Rather than freezing spending Dreier spoke of CUTTING.

He was very impressive."

Yerah, I heard it. It's called "auditioning."

Fact is Drier is a RINO extraordinaire.

Come to think of it, Hastaert has been exposed as a RINO, and Frist is...borderline at best.

[Morgan in Denver]

Hi Txsleuth, we've butted heads but there's never been any problem at my end with it. I really respect your opinion and the way you think things through.

I like Allen but it's way too early for any allegiance to anyone as far as I'm concerned. Allen certainly qualifies as a past governor and I think we have others who will be in the race in the next year or so. Nor am I writing off anyone at this point but a Representative or Senator is really a long shot historically. Not that it can't be done but Senator Dole was not an effective candidate, as much as I like him, as an example of the difficulty in winning.

I really am not worried about our side either. For all the problems we Republicans have the Democrats are more of a pickle than the presss is reporting.

[jla]

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