Posted on 12/25/2011 9:37:10 AM PST by Qbert
Sen. Dick Lugar (Ind.) facing a primary contest from the right in his reelection bid said past Tea Party-backed challenges had “killed off” Republican efforts to take the Senate in the past and could undermine a GOP majority again in 2012.
“A Republican majority in the Senate is very important, and Republicans who are running for reelection ought to be supported by people who want to see that majority,” Lugar said in an interview which aired Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union.
“I think the majority of Tea Party people understand that too,” he added.
Lugar who is facing a tough primary challenge from Tea Party-backed Indiana State Treasurer Richard Mourdock (R) said he was the best GOP option to win the seat and that past attempts by grassroots groups to install candidates they found more conservative had backfired. "If I was not the nominee it might be lost," he said of his seat. "Republicans lost the seats before in Nevada and New Jersey and Colorado where there were people who were claiming they wanted somebody who was more of their Tea Party aspect but they killed off the Republican majority."
"This is one of the reasons why we have a minority in the Senate right now," he claimed.
Lugar said that conservative Indiana voters looking for a candidate should look at his record. "I would say to them respectfully that it is me."
"I have a very conservative voting record over the course of the time I've served," he said.
"Certainly unique, I think, in the Senate, of having been a farmer, a small businessman, a Naval officer, a mayor, a school board member. These are grassroots functions that people are dealing with."
Lugar also denied claims Senate Republicans had undercut the House GOP in the payroll tax fight and warned that the protracted fight would make it “very difficult” to find a year-long tax holiday extension.
Lugar defended the Senate compromise negotiated by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) He said McConnell was committed to a year-long extension but that the deadlock necessitated a short term deal.
“I think that Mitch McConnell offered an avenue, an approach that said this is a serious business, we have to talk about a year solution, but this is not likely to be resolved in the next few days,” said Lugar.
He said senators were forced to act to avoid the wide-ranging repercussions if a deal was not struck saying that wage earners would have seen “the tax holiday go… apart from those who are unemployed on unemployment compensation or the doctors in Medicare.”
He said the Senate GOP position was “why don’t we, as a matter of fact, talk for a period of time but do so after the 1st of January.”
Lugar sounded a pessimistic note about reaching a deal in the next round of fighting over a yearlong extension.
"I think it will be very difficult. Just as the committee of twelve found it would be very difficult even if the objective was to reduce the deficits, the problems of our balanced payments.”
“We just simply find it’s difficult to do in this context, but not impossible," said Lugar.
Lugar said his provision to fast track an administration decision on the Keystone XL pipeline helped sell the deal to Senate Republicans. “One factor that led the Senate to come to a conclusion was the Keystone pipeline,” he said.
“At least 20,000 new jobs, six and a half billion dollar investments from the Canadians and much more oil independence for the United States. A real winner, but President Obama because of environmentalists surrounding the White House apparently literally said we won't do anything until 2013. We said you need to make a decision within 60 days.”
So, when did you give anybody a Senate Majority? Dates, places ~ names please.
GOP ended the Whig Party 1854-1856, and now the GOP needs replacement. Guess we will always have Democrats.
If you’re not “Tea Party”, there is something seriously wrong with your concept of freedom and limited government in the fashion our forefathers believed it should be.
The politicians don't want a balanced budget amendment to start with ~ and they don't care to punish the wicked either.
If this fossil gets re-elected he will be 85 at the end of his term - just retire, already. Make room for someone who’s not on the verge of needing a drool cup, RINO.
Nationally if a Tea Party candidate loses and 200 other win, its a failure of the Tea Party. The Tea Party has to EVERY SINGLE TIME or the RINOS claim Tea Party type conservatives are unelectable. HYPOCRITE RINO’s need to keep there little mouths shut.
TERM LIMITS!!!!!!!!
He is a career politician - being a ‘Republican’ is immaterial to this elite class.
Age 79 - getting perks for 34 years. Long enough!!!
Sorry, I couldn't help myself o2bfree...
Lugar is a Democrat.
Exactly. The problem is that most of the sitting Repubs are perfectly happy sitting as a minority in Congress. It’s the perfect excuse to get paid an executive salary to do nothing. Can’t draft any legislation, the Demos will shoot it down anyway. Can’t make any positive change, don’t have the votes, sorry ‘bout that.
When I say, “Do nothing,” the term is relative. Being a lame-duck Republican means there’s nothing to do for their job, so they can do their contracting scams, influence peddling, insider trading (in spite of some a-hole exposing that it’s legal for Congressmen), and other extracurricular activities.
Why do you think they’re so scared of Sarah Palin? They don’t want somebody like her taking them to task, exposing their scams, and telling them to shut down their shenanigans like she did to them in Alaska. Status quo is how they want to live, piss on making America better. It’s about looting it for all you can, retiring to the Montana ranch or Caribbean, and dying rich in 15 years.
"Power-hungry jerks like Lugar are willing to sacrifice the election to Obama just so they can get their Senate chairmanships back."
I'm almost certain that this flame-out this past week in Congress and McConnell's betrayal of the House GOP had nothing to do with the merits, and everything to do with attempting to protect a tiny handful of lost-cause RINOs. You're absolutely right- these are power-hungry, back-slapping chums who would rather see Obama win than give up their precious seats.
Your question is exactly on point. The only thing a Republican majority would have accomplished is to allow the RINO Republicans to enjoy the perks of the majority.
That's what imperial Japan thought about their emperors reign too.
Lugar, McConnell, McCain, Graham and Boehner can suck it.
Luger’s challenges killed off efforts at a conservative majority.
Lugar doesn't even know what the hell he is these days any more than Helen Keller knew what her surroundings were.
"If this fossil gets re-elected he will be 85 at the end of his term - just retire, already."
Exactly.
In 2012, Indiana will be asked to choose between a hard-line conservative or “Obama’s Favorite Republican,” Senator Dick Lugar. Lugar has a long history of leaning toward liberalism. Here’s the brutal list of 10 of Lugar’s worst offenses from Hoosiers for Conservative Senate. 1. Voted “YES” for the Wall Street Bailout (TARP) and putting taxpayers on the hook. Senator Dick Lugar Supported the Wall Street Bailout. (Oct. 1, 2008, HR1424)
2. Voted “YES” to confirm Elena Kagan for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court.. Senator Dick Lugar was the second Republican to declare his support for this known liberal nominee of President Barack Obama. Lugar knew Elena Kagan was the lead defender of Bill Clinton’s shameless veto of the Partial-Birth-Abortion Ban. Aug. 5, 2010. (Roll Call 229)
3. Voted “YES” for amnesty for illegal aliens. Senator Dick Lugar not only has repeatedly voted for amnesty, but also was a prime co-sponsor of President Barack Obama’s notorious DREAM Act and voted for this bill. Fortunately, conservatives voted against it, and it failed. Dec 18, 2010 (HR5281, Roll Call 625)
4. Voted “YES” to continue taxpayer funding of abortion. Senator Dick Lugar, who claims to be pro-life, voted against Senator David Vitter’s amendment to prohibit funds from being granted to organizations that perform abortions when a woman’s life is not in danger, unless the organization is a hospital. Oct. 18, 2007. (S.Amdt 3330 Roll Call 379) Lugar also voted to support stem cell research, which destroys human life. July 18, 2006 (HR810, Roll Call 206)
5. Voted “NO” to restoring the 2nd Amendment rights to citizens of the District of Columbia. Senator Dick Lugar voted against this basic right to self-defense on February 26, 2009. (S.160, Roll Call 72)
6. Voted “YES” to confirm Sonia Sotomayor for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court. Senator Dick Lugar gave the White House a “resounding victory” by voting for this liberal nominee of President Barack Obama. More than 70% of GOP Senators voted against her confirmation and the NRA publicly opposed her confirmation. Aug 6, 2009
7. Voted “YES” for the Auto Industry Bailout. Senator Dick Lugar gave the Big Labor Union Bosses a big gift by forcing taxpayers to take over GM and Chrysler. In the process, Indiana retirees lost tens of millions in retirement fund savings, thanks to the legally unprecedented, Obama-Orchestrated bankruptcy plan for Chrysler. Dec. 11, 2008. (HR 7005, Roll Call 215)
8. Voted “YES” to allow Social Security Benefits for illegal aliens. Senator Dick Lugar cast the deciding vote against reducing document fraud, preventing identity theft, preserving the integrity of the Social Security system, and granting Social Security benefits to illegal aliens who engaged in unlawful activity. Feb. 18, 2006. (S.2611, Roll Call 130)
9. Voted “YES” to raise his own salary. Senator Dick Lugar voted numerous times to raise his own salary during his nearly four decades in federal office
10. Voted “YES” to confirm activist Federal Judge David Hamilton to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. Senator Dick Lugar supported Hamilton despite his work with the ACLU and ACORN and his openly pro-abortion views. Hamilton also handed down the decision to stop Christian prayer on the floor of the legislature in the Indiana Statehouse. Nov. 19,2009
We could use one for senile old farts that can't remember where they lay their dentures, nevermind reading and voting on legistation several thousand pages thick
Which brings up another pet peeve. All those hangers on need to be fired. legislators need to write and read their proposals.
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