Mehlman's warning

Townhall ^ | 5/6/6 | Robert Novak

[Crackingham]

Republican National Chairman Kenneth Mehlman went to Capitol Hill last Tuesday to warn the party's House and Senate campaign staffers of dire consequences unless Republicans break the current legislative deadlock. Mehlman stressed the necessity to pass a budget resolution and an immigration reform bill, dealing with two issues that seriously concern the Republican base.

Word circulated around Capitol Hill that Mehlman warned 45 seats could be lost in the House on Nov. 7. He told me that he did not mention that figure and, in fact, believes Republicans would retain control of the House if elections were held today. High-level party sources close to Mehlman estimate the GOP loss could be 25 seats under a worst-case scenario. A 15-seat gain would give the Democrats House control.

Sen. Charles Grassley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, turned down a request to meet in the Oval Office with President Bush and other Senate and House tax legislators last Tuesday because he was scheduled with Iowa constituents.

That marked Grassley's second recent boycott of a high-level meeting about tax legislation. A week earlier, he declined to attend an 8:30 p.m. session in Speaker Dennis Hastert's office because it was so late in the day.

The message from Grassley is that as Finance Committee chairman he is running his own show and does not want to be bossed around by either the president or the speaker.

Outside conservative groups advocating confirmation of White House aide Brett Kavanaugh as a federal appellate judge are not happy with willingness by Senate Republican leaders to grant his Democratic opponents new Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on his nomination.

Democrats say the committee's April 24 interrogation of Kavanaugh is out of date and they want to question the nominee about new controversies, including the Jack Abramoff scandal. Outside conservatives fear this will give Sen. Charles Schumer and other Judiciary Democrats an opening to assault Kavanaugh.

However, Senate Republican strategists feel that the more the public sees the Judiciary Committee harassing judicial nominees, the better off the GOP will be. They are particularly anxious to put Schumer on national television.

An ad filmed last Thursday by the American Family Business Institute targets Sen. John McCain, a prospective Republican presidential candidate, to pin down his vote ending debate on repeal of the estate tax.

The cloture vote on the bill later this month is expected to be close. The ad, distributed through conservative blogs, quotes my column of last Sept. 4 as saying, "McCain told me he will vote for cloture." However, the senator is opposed to total repeal of the tax.

"American family businesses and farmers are counting on John McCain," says the ad. "Counting on him to cast a vote that could save the jobs they create and the legacy they leave for their children." It concludes, "Ask John McCain to keep his promise and end the death tax forever."

[Jim_Curtis]

Mehlman stressed the necessity to pass a budget resolution and an immigration reform bill, dealing with two issues that seriously concern the Republican base.

I think the Republican base is eager to see our current immigration laws enforced but I'm sure they will spin all the anxiety to mean conservatives are eager for the current tough laws to be replaced with some sort of amnesty bill.

[Youngman442002]

I will no Longer give any money to them...If they do not address the immigration issue..hard and now..close the border..kick out the illegals..or make them pay...billions..that is what they cost us...

[Youngman442002]

Amnesty means I buy more AMMO..instead of donate to the Republicans...sorry..but I need to protect myself

[stopem]

This issue is way to hot right now, the dems support the illegal aliens because they are not lawmakers they prefer lawbreakers.

The Republicans should step above the fray and pass strict legislation and get national guard on the border
immediately show that they will not tolerate illegal aliens breaking in to this country because they are TOT (tough on terroists) and stop romanticizing the breakins as being a misdemeaner, it isn't a misdemeaner when a nuclear bomb comes across the border.

[DennisR]

Amen to that. I returned their envelope to them with a contribution of $0.00 and told them I will be glad to contribute if and when I see Pres Bush use his veto pen...just once!!!!! I encourage everyone to do the same - send them a note in their SASE so they have to read it and pay the postage.

[AntiGuv]

45 seats is just a bit extreme. If all the seats on my lists become truly competitive, and if the Democrats won by 1994 GOP proportions, then they'd pick up 38 seats.

[samadams2000]

Like they listen..flush!!!

[NRA2BFree]

Ken heard more than he wanted to hear from me. LOL Suffice to say, he won't be sending me any email asking me to help with the campaign this year.

[ANGGAPO]

That man is living in a dream world. GWB has screwed upon immigration and oil, big time. The MSM is beating him to death with the help of the Dems by planting seeds of discontent on everything. Add to that the pack of wolves that call themselves Republicans in congress who have deserted the president and their party for points in the coming election. This is really a sickening situation. The Dems are setting in the wings with impeachment, big taxes for everyone, and a liberal agenda that will destroy the economy. I can't believe that these ingrates are doing this for the sake of politics.

[repentant_pundit]

Mehlman stressed the necessity to pass a budget resolution and an immigration reform bill

Any bill that gets the border issue off the front pages, right Ken ?

Doesn't matter what "reform" it contains, just as long as it passes, Bush will sign it, right Ken ?

Just like the failed campaign finance "reform", which contained s#i+ Bush had said he would veto...but he signed it anyway !

These guys think we are sooooo stupid...

.

[Krodg]

Sen. Charles Grassley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, turned down a request to meet in the Oval Office with President Bush and other Senate and House tax legislators last Tuesday because he was scheduled with Iowa constituents.

That marked Grassley's second recent boycott of a high-level meeting about tax legislation. A week earlier, he declined to attend an 8:30 p.m. session in Speaker Dennis Hastert's office because it was so late in the day.




Geez...and people wonder why the President can't get anything done!

[axes_of_weezles]

Nah, Just reloading supplies. ;)

[hellbender]

I did something like that recently, but frankly I think only a clerical flunky sees those envelopes. Probably we should send letters to Frist and all the other big-spending Republican congressional "misleaders," saying we will not contribute a penny.

[doug from upland]

Vicente can pay us with oil --- at $30 a barrel.

[Pylot]

The republicans need to actually pass a law that their constituents want, rather than pander to the illegals and their benefactors.

If they try to pass "immigration reform" and it means amnesty the republicans will play right into the hands of the dims.

The dims in turn may very well turn the deal to their advantage because they will put up a full amnesty law, bush will sign it and the dims will reap the benefit of both the illegals and their families voting for them in the future.

[AmericaOne]

I will no Longer give any money to them...If they do not address the immigration issue..hard and now..close the border..kick out the illegals..or make them pay...billions..that is what they cost us...

You want to send a message to the RNC that they will hear loud and clear??? Then do the following:

Send them one of these instead of a donation, using the RNC's own postage paid return envelopes!!!

Send one along to a politically like-minded relative or friend who opposes Amnesty, but doesn’t visit Free Republic!!!

Artwork originally created by FREEPER Prime Choice, of sacredcowburgers.com. Below is the link to the original:

http://www.sacredcowburgers.com/leftovers/showpics.cgi?heres_my_donation

The RNC will miss your money more than they will miss your vote!!! If you do not have access to a printer, then write “Secure Our Borders, Stop Catering to Illegals, Then We Will Send American Dollars” or something similar on your donation slip and return it to the RNC in their postage paid envelopes will work as well as sending the “peso”!!!

If you do want to give financially to Republicans, give only to individual candidates/politicians who support or vote to secure our borders and don’t cater to illegals!!!

[wrathof59]

If dems take the House, Bush is not only impeached but found guilty in the Senate, and he will end up in jail.

And our conservative movement will be set back for decades.

This conservative will never support Bush after he turned his back on us in January 2005.

Let the Latinos support him.

Bush can't even find the guts to defend his own honor and fight when openly being insulted by someone, he'll cower once impeached to the point of total embarrassment.

I'll never vote for another Bush, never.

[reaganandme]

As much as I disagree with the way some Republicans have handled themselves, a Harry Reid Senate or Nancy Pelosi House would be a disaster. Horrible for the economy. Horrible for the war on terror.
We still don't know what a Democratic house will do with Iraq. Will they cut off the spending?
We may soon find out...

[unixfox]

Just "passing bills" doesn't mean sh!t. They have to have meat in em. So far all I've seen from the pubbies is tender veal and lots of soft avacados.

They are all wimps in my book.

[sheana]

I send everything back with "Get your donations from your illegal alien constituency. You listen to them more than me anyway."

I tell everyone that calls the same thing and end with "All my donations have gone and will continue to go to the Minutemen."

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

If dems take the House, Bush is not only impeached but found guilty in the Senate, and he will end up in jail. And our conservative movement will be set back for decades. This conservative will never support Bush after he turned his back on us in January 2005. Let the Latinos support him. Bush can't even find the guts to defend his own honor and fight when openly being insulted by someone, he'll cower once impeached to the point of total embarrassment. I'll never vote for another Bush, never.

Ditto....BIG TIME!

[rrrod]

DOUBLE DITTO

[Torie]

Yep, minus 15 is more like it at present, unless things really start to fall apart, and seats like Bono's in the district I am sitting in at this very moment (drive 120 miles, and watch the outside temperature gage on your car go up 25 degrees), come into play. That was what some guy on steroids at Mydd suggested was happening. They certainly are having a good time over there these days. :)

[Paperdoll]

I wrote Mehlman years ago to complain about Republican policy on our borders. I have also emailed the Whitehouse several times about it through the years, all to no avail. It takes MANY voices for those so far above us to hear the message, I guess. We will see how they receive it on The Hill.

[absalom01]

Harry Reid Senate or Nancy Pelosi House would be a disaster.

Yup, but they only way to prevent that is for the R's to start acting like it. The base is simply on fire over the immigration thing -- no point in trying to pretend otherwise. Without a genuine enforcment bill, the GOP is toast in November.

[ClancyJ]

Go on over to DU - your new home.

[reaganandme]

Without a genuine enforcment bill, the GOP is toast in November.

Even with a genuine enforcement bill, the GOP could be toast in November. If we get a good bill, I hope GOPers come to their senses and realize that we have a lot to lose this election cycle.

[oceanview]

you are setting the bar too high - if the House republicans can stop the senate amnesty bill, they will have accomplished alot - just by stopping it. consider that a majority in the senate (all Dems + 7-10 RINOS) and the administration would support it, having the House stop it would be a major accomplishment.

[sinkspur]

If dems take the House, Bush is not only impeached but found guilty in the Senate, and he will end up in jail.

Another candidate for "dumbest post of the day." The judges will get back to you.

[oceanview]

what are you showing for Peter King from NY? He has a strong opponent now, Dennenberg, very popular around here, especially in the jewish community. King is the last republican congressman on long island, his seat is at risk now in my opinion.

[Biblebelter]

The Republicans have established themselves as a do-nothing congress. They would be better off passing no immigration legislation than the legislation that would satisfy the Bush and the Dems. The political system is rigged after all not for Dems or Republicans but for incumbents and that favors the majority party. Amnesty in any form will set back Republicans in red states for at least a decade.

[absalom01]

you are setting the bar too high....

I'm not trying to set the bar, and I certainly hope that the R's keep control of congress (I'll be doing my normal GOTV this year just like all of the others). BUT, at least in my own (admittedly unscientific and anecdotal) experience, it's simply an observable political fact that the base is BENT over immigration. I've been told more timest than I care to hear that "I'm not going to be walking precincts this year unless we get a border bill."

Maybe people like that are naive, or too stubborn, or even wrong to be so single-issue, but that's where they're at, at this juncture. Based on this, it is my view that if the Reps don't get a bill signed with real, no kidding enforcment provisions (regardless of whatever else it may contain), they are going to have real trouble.

[oceanview]

a bill with enoforcement, and amnesty, also stinks. because the enforcement provisions will never materialize, and the amnesty will.

the only fair compromise bill would have enforcement provisions that were in place for 2-3 years - and only then would some of the "carrots" in the bill be activated. we need a period of time where we have enforcement, border security, and employer sanctions, to provide disincentives for people to stay here (or come in the first place) and allow alot of these illegals to deport themselves.

[Recovering_Democrat]

The Dems are setting in the wings with impeachment, big taxes for everyone, and a liberal agenda that will destroy the economy. I can't believe that these ingrates are doing this for the sake of politics.

That is why we need to bust our @rses to keep the entire Congress in control of Republicans.

[wrathof59]

sinkspur, I'm sick of your personal attacks, it's been going on for months, don't post or reply to me okay

[sinkspur]

No. If you act the fool, I'm going to point it out.

Which means I'll be a busy boy.

[wrathof59]

If you think that impeachment under a dem house and conviction under a RINO senate is far fetched, then you are not in reality.

I've been saying it all year, and if you noticed (if you climbed out from under your rock) it is now an everyday topic, the MSM is already floating trial ballons. It is no longer far-fetched, so take off your rose colored glasses.

Bush has no backing at all now, just wait if the dems take the house.

You can wait under your rock.

[sinkspur]

If you think that impeachment under a dem house and conviction under a RINO senate is far fetched, then you are not in reality.

It is an impossibility. Do you know how many votes are required in the Senate for conviction?

[rodguy911]

I still don't quite get the theory on the republican side.
Is it that if we open the borders, let the illegals have everything for free courtesy of uncle sam and then let them vote, leagl or not that all of a sudden they will chose to vote for Pubbies?

Because we give them more govt. wealth than the rats? Is that it, cause if it is....I still don't get it.
IF that is not the theory why are pubbies willing to allow open borders?

[sinkspur]

Bush has no backing at all now

LOL!!! I believe you were talking about "reality"??

[oceanview]

which "republican side"? there is no uniform opinion.

[rodguy911]

It seems the adm. and more that a few critters have made up their mind that open borders are the best political move. That alone continues to baffle me.

[wrathof59]

Cheap labor with no access to the courts

[hosepipe]

[ Go on over to DU - your new home. ]

SLAP SLAP WAKE UP... Open your eyes.. Bush is a Donkey with a horn rubber banded to his nose looking like a RINO hanging with elephants.. What are you BLIND?..

[hosepipe]

[ Another candidate for "dumbest post of the day." The judges will get back to you. ]

Jealous?.. usually its you trying to moderate proper outrage..

[wrathof59]

It's even more baffling that these posters think that conservatives who point this out are really dems.

I think they're just pubs, not conservatives. Or maybe they can't discern between rinos and conservatives in their minds.

[Criminal Number 18F]

I hope GOPers come to their senses and realize that we have a lot to lose this election cycle.

Well, what are your issues? Mine are:

1. The war

2. The border

3. The judges

4. The pork and corruption

5. The cronyism and backroom dealing (closely related to #4)

6. Civil liberties; the rights of Americans.

On any of those, has this Congress delivered? I say not. On the war, we've seen foot-dragging, we've seen McCain accusing the military of torture, we've seen billions of graft for congressmen and lobbyists jammed into bills.

On the border, they're too busy stuffing their pockets with bundles of dollars from Tyson Foods and other illegal-recruiting scofflaws to listen to, say, constituents. The price of getting your call returned is two to ten thousand dollars, but that still doesn't mean you can get your congressman's vote, because Tyson can outbid you with the money they make paying under-the-table criminals in cash.

The judges. Well, we already have a Democrat, Arlen Specter, running the Judiciary Committee. The Republicans have had an absolute majority for four years and Frist and Specter are more interested in making nice with the Democrats they partner with for $$$$ to support the president's nominees. Now they will probably lose their chance to implement the Constitutional option, because disloyal Specter and cowardly Frist sat on it too long.

The pork and corruption. If you give money to Ken Mehlman he will spend it trying to re-elect Bob Ney, Charlie Taylor, and others who are not going to finish their terms because they have a date with prison coming up. How can we hold ourselves out as an alternative to the Democrats when we have just as many crooks? If some of these guys were not still in Congress in January, the Republic would not fall. Then there's the pork. With the war appropriations, the Katrina bills, and earmarks in general the Republican "leadership" in the House and especially in Frist's eunuch's satrapy in the Senate, the Republicans have completely and absolutely turned into the Democrats.

I guarantee you, any one of the Republicans in Congress or the Senate would step on you to shake Hillary's hand -- because hey, she might be worth some money to them.

Which brings us to the cronyism and backroom dealing -- the wink, nudge as the Bush admin has put up one spoiled nephew or niece after another for jobs that really need to be done by adults... only to have the Senate bless them, and go back to stuffing its pockets.

I don't need to tell you what this Congress's record on my last point, civil liberties, looks like, do I? They have never seen anything they couldn't take from the public or from individuals for the benefit of some corporation (that pays them off) somewhere.

reaganandme, what exactly, please tell me, what of any value do we have to lose? Both houses of the congress, and most of the administration, is sunken deep into a morass of self-serving double dealing. The Republicans have had twelve years in power in Congress. They have completely and utterly failed, unless the purpose of Republicans is to ensure that our representatives and their nieces and nephews have ever more spending money.

The only hope is to keep the two houses of Congress and the Administration weak. They never again should be allowed to be all in the hands of the same party. The Democrats proved that they were unworthy of trust in the sixties and seventies, and the Republicans definitely proved that they are unworthy of trust from 2001-2006.

And yes, I used to contribute to the GOP. And yes, this year I'm sending "Gringo de Mexico" bills. Ken Mehlman wants my money, but he's just going to spend it on attack ads to get Democrat Lincoln Chaffee past a conservative Republican primary challenger.

Politics isn't everything. We survived LBJ, Carter and two terms of Clinton. We'll survive Hillary if it comes to that. I'd rather see her ascendant, as much as that vexes me, than give a dime to Chaffee or Specter, who share her politics, or see Bush's plan for national suicide via criminal amnesty go through.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[hosepipe]

[ I think they're just pubs, not conservatives. Or maybe they can't discern between rinos and conservatives in their minds. ]

Bushbot is the proper term.. I don't know who invented the term but it fits... DU is not the proper place for a sitting President to get "vetted".. Free Republic is.. The ones here that require kid glove treatment to republicans any republicans are enablers.. or worse..

Heck we "vet" each other pretty harshly.. rightly so too.. The President, this president has passed or signed legislation NO democrat could have gotten passed.. Hes a dupe or worse.. Little doubt hes a RINO.. Free republic RINOs(and their dupes) love him..

And I don't think its "cute"..

[wrathof59]

Conservatives openly debating in a conservative forum is great.

Conservatives who post harshly (like I do) and are met by smart alecks who immediately point to DU is assinine.

Their little snotty, ad Hominem attacks are the ones that belong in DU.