Posted on 10/19/2010 10:33:15 AM PDT by DestroyLiberalism
PORTLAND, Ore.—Republicans on the campaign trail are bashing the president and his agenda and some are vowing to shut down Washington if they don't get their way. Behind the scenes, key party members are talking a different game.
A number of House Republicans, including some who are likely to be in the leadership, are pushing a post-election strategy aimed at securing concrete legislation, with the goal of showing they can translate general principles into specific action.
Among the ideas is to bring a series of bills to the floor, as often as once a week, designed to cut spending in some way. Longer term, GOP leaders say they recognize they may have to compromise with Democrats in tackling broader problems.
If they recapture the House, Republicans say they are wary of following the example of the class of 1994, which shut down the government in a standoff with President Bill Clinton. Top Republicans contend that passing legislation, or at least making a good faith effort to do so, will earn them more credibility with voters than refusing to waver from purist principles. Races in 2010
"It's pretty clear the American people expect us to use the existing gridlock to create compromise and advance their agenda," said Rep. Darrell Issa (R., Calif.). "They want us to come together [with the administration] after we agree to disagree."
GOP leaders stressed that this depends on the willingness of President Barack Obama to compromise as well. And some say if the post-election atmosphere is especially toxic, such compromises may be difficult.
The approach stands in contrast to the Senate, where Republican nominees including Kentucky's Rand Paul and Nevada's Sharron Angle more clearly represent the anti-establishment instincts of the tea-party movement.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Rush Limbaugh is LIVID at the GOP "leadership" over this story and has been blasting them during his entire radio show today. We need to amplify our voices as well and perhaps it's time to start flooding representatives like Darrell Issa, John Boehner, and Mitch McConnell with some phone calls and e-mails. This reach-across-the-aisle-and-compromise-with-America's-enemies approach CANNOT be allowed to stand for one minute longer!
Once again revealing their true colors as the party of Democrat lite.
There can be no compromise with a group of horrors dedicated to the destruction of the American way of life.
Start by ending USAID, the Dept of Education, and the Dept of Homeland Security (splitting its functions up between the FBI and CIA as needed). Next up, is the BATF.
These gentlemen had better start paying attention.
We want leadership - not pussyfooting.
Period.
A losing position: being too willing to compromise.
We all must write to our “Leaders” and remind them where to go — Repealville!
How much are they willing to cut from obamacare?
How much are they willing to restrict abortion?
How much are they willing to cut the federal budget? 10%? 20%?
What? They aren't willing to compromise on any of that??? Well, then I guess I don't want to compromise either.
Didn’t someone just try to get elected President by saying this?
Well, this is their last chance. Either wake up and figure out what’s going on, or the party will die and all these hacks will be shoveled into the dust bin of history.
The time is now. Time has run out. No more time. Wake up or the party dies. NOW.
I’m afraid they’ve already showed their true colors in Delaware. They know that if O’Donnell wins, the party hacks will lose their jobs. So, they’d rather do anything to make her lose. Well, that is no longer an option. Won’t work any longer.
The only “compromise” that should even be discussed is the same courtesy of “compromise” the RATs showed them!
What’s with these clowns?! Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory again?!
No, no - they should compromise with us, not the other way around.
This is going to have to be a tsunami - not only for the numbers on paper that would send a message, but because that would mean more fresh blood (brand new members of Congress not tainted by the inside the beltway mode of thinking).
These next two years may be the final two years for the GOP. RINOs are politicians before they are anything else.
This is a good thing, and I fully support it. Even if those bills fail or are filibustered/vetoed, it shows the new congress is serious about trying to address problems. I hope these bills are not all symbolic fluff-cutting; I want some bills with serious cuts included in this flurry.
Longer term, GOP leaders say they recognize they may have to compromise with Democrats in tackling broader problems.
This on the other hand is a little unsettling. Politics are of course the art of compromise, but after all we have gone through, they had better not start compromising on our core principals. The article is a little vague on what is specifically meant by this - it could be a trial ballon for traditional GOP surrender, or it could be simply a statement to shut up early complaints from the left. But it feels more likely to be bad than good.
If the Republicans don’t at least force some cloture votes and vetos, if they go right into compromise mode, they will become the Whigs of the 21st Century.
The class of 1994 tried to do too much too fast and lost control of the message - that's what was done wrong, rather than what they were trying to accomplish. There is a difference.
There was a thread here the other day (maybe several) where everyon climbed all over Obama for sayint that one way or another the GOP would take a new tone and “work with him”.
This prompted Gullible Fools into bomarding the place with electons crying “How crazy! Never! No they won’t!”
And now alredy we have the warm up act....
Anyone who thinks the Republicans “get it” now that they are fearing for their survival is insane.
The only thing they “get” is the tone they have to adopt temporarily.
It’s interesting how many here decry the gullilbility of Arizonans re McCain, then proceed to make a showing of their own.
Please identify these “leaders” prior to the election.
“Well, this is their last chance”
LOL!
No, it isn’t.
The next time they will still be the “lesser of 2 evils”. Adn there will still be plenty here crying “a third party is a sure recipe for defeat!”.
Rinse, and repeat....
Can you turn “GOP goes RINO, TPA goes 3rd party” into an effective bumper sticker?
Well, there they go again...
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