Robert Novak: GOP Drinking Its Bath Water

RCP ^ | May 19th, 2008 | Robert Novak

[The_Republican]

Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, at age 38 and having served less than five terms, did not leap over a dozen of his seniors to become ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee by bashing GOP leaders. But an angry Ryan last Wednesday delivered unscripted remarks on the House floor as the farm bill neared passage: "This bill is an absence of leadership. This bill shows we are not leading."

Ryan's fellow reformer, 45-year-old Jeff Flake of Arizona, in his fourth term, is less cautious about defying the leadership and has been kept off key committees. On Wednesday, he said of a $300 billion bill that raises farm subsidies and is filled with non-farm pork, "Sometimes, here in Washington, we tend to drink our own bath water and believe our own press releases."

A majority of both Senate and House Republicans voted for a bill that raises spending 44 percent above last year's, dooming chances to sustain President Bush's promised veto. GOP leaders were divided, with Bush sounding an uncertain trumpet. Today's Republican Party -- divided, drifting, demoralized -- is epitomized by the farm bill.

At the moment Congress passed the farm bill, Republican were terrified by the previous day's defeat in the Mississippi 1st Congressional District, the third straight supposedly safe Republican seat lost in special elections. Fearing a November tsunami for the Democrats, incumbent Republicans talked about following their new standard-bearer, John McCain, against pork. But that's not the way they voted last week.

George W. Bush was just as ambivalent last week. In 2002, he signed a massive farm bill. But with Democrats in control of Congress, Bush preaches the old time religion.

[The_Republican]

Bob Novak Cares! His frustation with the Wall Street Bailout, and now this! The Old Man is looking out for you!

[txhurl]

Back in ‘06 my tagline was ‘we had to kill the party in order to save it’.

But the current GOP spineless jellyfish just won’t die!

[SoConPubbie]

Bob Novak Cares! His frustation with the Wall Street Bailout, and now this! The Old Man is looking out for you!

When Novak comes out strong against Amnesty let me know, until then, I am only half-impressed.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Seventeen pork-minded Republican senators gave the Democratic leadership necessary support to waive from the farm bill the brand new ban of earmarks on a bill that had cleared both houses.

So much for earmark reform. What a disgrace.

[gost2]

The GOVP.

Grand Ole Vampire Party. Sucking the last ounces of blood from us before we drive a stake through its heart.

[stockstrader]

The Republican Party is broken.

It is BADLY BROKEN--and the elections in November will be ugly,,,,,

very, very ugly.

[The_Republican]

Absolutely. However, that is not even the scariest part. What is truly frightful is their solution to get out of the hole they have dug themselves.

I mean does anyone really believe that by giving in to Demorats on these RECORD spending bills and denying President Bush opportunity to veto them, they would somehow gain some goodwill amongst their constituents?

No one gets behind people who have no self-respect.

[Lancey Howard]

The Republican Party is broken.

Yep, and like the sweaty alcoholic who wakes up one afternoon in a dumpster, reeking of gin, urine, and vomit, the Republican party will not get better until it "hits bottom". We can only hope the nation survives long enough for the party to recover.

[Cobra64]

The Republican Party is broken... like the sweaty alcoholic who wakes up one afternoon in a dumpster, reeking of gin, urine, and vomit...

That is a very accurate description of the Republican Party.

[cowdog77]

The Republican Party is broken.
It is BADLY BROKEN—and the elections in November will be ugly,,,,,very, very ugly. “
_______________________

RE-ELECT NO ONE !

[wafflehouse]

thanks, i was looking for a new tagline

[Nathan Zachary]

"The Republican Party is broken."

It's dead. All those spineless cowards and Rino's destroyed it. And yet those remaining STILL won't listen to grass roots party supporters. Best let it die completely. But the problem with that is it will take a a decade to rebuild it. How much of a country will we have left by then?

[saneright]

Laura Ingram has stated that far to many politicians come to Washington DC and turn to the political left. It's a classic example of the inside the beltway mentality that takes over many good people once they reach the shining city on the hill.

To bad nobody ever get to DC and move to the political right.

[doodad]

giving in to Demorats on these RECORD spending bills and denying President Bush opportunity to veto them

I missed something. How is Bush denied a veto on these? Not that he would mind you; the appeasement starts at the top.

[Trust but Verify]

I’m proud to say that Paul Ryan is my Congressman. He should be the frontrunner for John McCain’s VP. He is young, articulate, intelligent, and CONSERVATIVE.

[ishabibble]

It worked with the amnesty bill, and it can work again. Call your congresscritter up and let him/her know that we expect to be represented by them. Don't just sit back and take this because the Republican Party is not going to crawl out of that dumpster without some help. That would be us, the conservative side of America.

http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/mcapdir.html

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

[Sprite518]

I tuned Novak out over 20 years ago. Sorry he is about as exciting as McLame.

[sportutegrl]

It worked with the amnesty bill, and it can work again. Call your congresscritter up and let him/her know that we expect to be represented by them.

That's a good idea, ishabibble. Here's hoping GW vetoes this bill so the Pubbies get another chance.

[ellery]

I’m considering sending money to some of the actual conservatives who voted against this monstrosity. Below is the hall of fame (the folks who opposed the pig-in-slop farm bill).

House:
Akin
Bachmann
Barrett (SC)
Biggert
Bilbray
Blackburn
Boehner
Broun (GA)
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Calvert
Campbell (CA)
Cannon
Cantor
Castle
Chabot
Culberson
Davis, Tom
Deal (GA)
Dent
Dreier
Duncan
Ehlers
Feeney
Ferguson
Flake
Fossella
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Garrett (NJ)
Goode
Granger
Hayes
Heller
Hensarling
Hobson
Hunter
Inglis (SC)
Issa
Johnson, Sam
Jordan
Keller
King (NY)
Kirk
Knollenberg
Lamborn
Lewis (CA)
Linder
LoBiondo
Lungren, Daniel E.
McCarthy (CA)
McCrery
McHenry
McKeon
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller, Gary
Moran (KS)
Nunes
Paul
Pence
Petri
Pitts
Price (GA)
Pryce (OH)
Ramstad
Reichert
Rohrabacher
Roskam
Royce
Ryan (WI)
Saxton
Scalise
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shadegg
Shays
Smith (NJ)
Stearns
Tancredo
Terry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Wamp
Weldon (FL)
Westmoreland
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (SC)
Wolf
Young (FL)

Senate:
Bennett (R-UT)
Coburn (R-OK)
Collins (R-ME)
DeMint (R-SC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Ensign (R-NV)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lugar (R-IN)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Sununu (R-NH)
Voinovich (R-OH)

[dforest]

I’m proud to say that Paul Ryan is my Congressman. He should be the frontrunner for John McCain’s VP. He is young, articulate, intelligent, and CONSERVATIVE.

Shhh, that means he is a target for the new GOP to rid themselves of.

All of those virtues you listed make him dead meat.