Populist tide . . . to victory

The Washington Times ^ | 7-2-04 | Mark Steyn

[JZelle]

On the eve of Independence Day, the people of this great republic declared their independence from the United States Senate under the stirring battle-cry, "No legislation without explanation."

The geniuses who cooked up the "comprehensive" immigration bill's "grand bargain" behind the scenes in the pork-filled rooms originally planned to ram it through in 48 hours before Memorial Day. And, right to the end, the bipartisan Emirs-for-life of Incumbistan gave the strong impression they regarded it as an affront to be required by the impertinent whippersnappers of the citizenry to address the actual content of the legislation.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, dismissed critics of the bill as "racist." Sen. George Voinovich, Ohio Republican, complained that the peasants had somehow got hold of his phone number and he felt "intimidated."

Sen. Trenthorn Lotthorn, Lottissippi Republican, said: who cares if they call? They could call 1-800-BLOWHARD (and leave off the "D" for "Deal's already done") 24 hours a day and he still wasn't going to listen to them. "To think that you're going to intimidate a senator," he scoffed, "into voting one way or the other by gorging your phones with phone calls — most of whom don't even know where Gulfport is." (Gulfport is a port in the Gulf emirate whose grateful people Sultan Trent has ruled o'er lo these many years.)

[Biblebelter]

I love Mark Steyn but revealing that Reid and Lott were blooming idiots was just too easy for a man with his skills.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

"No legislation without self congratulation."
That's a beaut !

[Don Corleone]

In 2008 1/3 of the Senate and ALL of the House must be replaced.....regardless. Its the ONLY message they will understand.The Republic will survive.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Grassley, Lugar, Bond. That’d be a start.

[DancesWithBolsheviks]

Is ‘Populist’ really the right word here?

[Guenevere]

bttt

[Mr. Jeeves]

Its the ONLY message they will understand.

Well, the losers may finally understand it, but their replacements will simply pat themselves on the back and assume that they won because of their own brilliance. ;)

[TonyRo76]

» the bipartisan Emirs-for-life of Incumbistan

LOL!

[TLI]

If the senators have any sense of why they lost, they'll learn their lesson. But initial indications are not encouraging. Predicting victory, Sen. Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania Republican, declared gravely and portentously that "the will of the Senate" would prevail.

" The will of the Senate."

R i i i i i ght.

Can one get Hoppes #9 by the gallon?

[maxter]

There are some great senators and congressmen working hard with principle. Please don’t lump all of them in the same “toss them all out” basket.

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

Sen. Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania Republican, declared gravely and portentously that "the will of the Senate" would prevail.

Shades of ancient Rome.

[Betty Jane]

These are all the 2008 Senate races. Each one who voted against the U.S. should have a primary candidate, whether they are dem or republican.

Retiring senator Wayne Allard (R) of Colorado Possible retiring senators Joe Biden (D) of Delaware, Thad Cochran (R) of Mississippi, Larry Craig (R) of Idaho, Chuck Hagel (R) of Nebraska, Tim Johnson (D) of South Dakota, John Warner (R) of Virginia.

Democratic incumbent races Max Baucus of Montana, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Tom Harkin of Iowa, John Kerry of Massachusetts, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, Carl Levin of Michigan, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia.

Republican incumbent races Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, Norm Coleman of Minnesota, Susan Collins of Maine, John Cornyn of Texas, Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina, Pete Domenici of New Mexico, Michael Enzi of Wyoming, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Pat Roberts of Kansas, Jeff Sessions of Alabama, Gordon Smith of Oregon, Ted Stevens of Alaska, John Sununu of New Hampshire.

Barrasso the new appointee from Wyoming will also have to run in 2008

[6ppc]

bipartisan Emirs-for-life of Incumbistan

I nominate that line for Steynicism of the Week.

[GOPJ]

ping

[GOPJ]

...this was a much more ominous popular insurrection than the conservative backlash against the president's nomination of Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court. Time and again, the remote insulated emirs were offered the opportunity to rise above their condescension and declined to do so. Sen. John McCain (Maverickistan Republican) confidently asserted that he had worked hard on this bill and knew it better than all these no-account nonentities riled up about it and then had to have it explained to him — by bloggers on a conference call — that he had misunderstood a key provision of his own legislation: There was no requirement for illegal immigrants to pay back taxes. Their amnesty would come tax-free. Blustering senators who claimed to have drafted this thing had to be told what was in it by critics who had actually taken the trouble to look at it.

Bloggers rule!

[Bitsy]

In 2008 1/3 of the Senate and ALL of the House must be replaced.....regardless. Its the ONLY message they will understand.The Republic will survive.

Keep Bobby Jendal!

[2ndDivisionVet]

Demand a border fence! Build it NOW!! Beef up the border patrol and close our borders!

U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121

U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121

White House comments: (202) 456-1111

Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep

Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Toll free to the US Senate:

1-800-882-2005. (Spanish number)
1-800-417-7666. (English number)

Courtesy of a pro-amnesty group, no less!!

Republican National Committee
310 First Street, SE Washington, D.C. 20003
phone: 202.863.8500 | fax: 202.863.8820 | e-mail: info@gop.com

[andyk]

Ah, the good old rapier wit of Steyn. :)