Frist Has Busy 1st Day As Majority Leader (Must Read Last 7 Paragraphs)

Associated Press ^ | 7 Jan 2003 | Alan Fram

[chasio649]

It's a relief to have Lott out of there....I pee and moaned the whole time he was in charge. No wonder few stood by that weasel.

[Dog Gone]

What a wonderful initiation. There's a new sheriff in town.

[Joe Bonforte]

Well, at least one person on the thread noticed that the "victory" expands the role of government and spends more of our money.

I hate to be the oddball, but I feel like I've wandered into a football game party. Everyone is cheering for their side. It doesn't really matter what their side does, as long as they win.

[Dog Gone]

Expanding the role of government is defined several ways. The most common way is whether government is spending less money, but that way is absurd.

As the economy grows, as more people are born, as more pavement is laid, and as people age, more money will be spent. When the country quits growing, it might be possible to use that measure.

If you measure growth in government in terms of influence in individual's lives, it gets harder to measure. There, this administration has removed some regulations and added new ones. The net effect is less hard to quantify, but infinitely harder for the "smaller government" contingent to argue.

[PhiKapMom]

I was so glad to see Lott go and to see Sen Frist named as Majority Leader. The way he ran the NRSC in this last election I thought spoke volumes!

Going to be a different Republican Senate then under Lott. Just saw in an email that Pres Bush not only nominated Pickering but also Owens this afternoon along with 30+ others. Sure didn't waste any time!

[DannyTN]

Doctors are typically that type.

They know what they need, they know what is at state, and they expect people to jump when they say jump. If you are slow or incompetent around a doctor, he wont waste time, he will eliminate you from the care equation.

[Dog Gone]

My first thought after we won the Senate back was about who should be Majority Leader.

My choice was Frist, although I figured Lott would probably win, which he did.

The Democrats did us a huge favor, and I couldn't be more pleased!

[desertcry]

Yes, I enjoyed it very much, thanks for the post. The Senate needed a heart transplant after 2 years of democrat
control. Dr/Sen. Frist showed them how it's done.

[solo gringo]

If trent would have checked his pom poms at the door of the senate bldg. he would have made a good leader.

[PhiKapMom]

The Democrats did us a huge favor, and I couldn't be more pleased!

I will second that statement! Felt like doing handsprings when Lott resigned and Sen Frist took over!

[Southack]

Frist is a knockout! Bringing in Howard Baker for advice is top notch, simply top notch.

This bodes well for our future.

[DannyTN]

Good point.

However, they didn't so much as expand it as just continued what had been in place.

Plus the Democrats had set this up to have something insensitive and uncaring to blame on the Republicans.
It sounds like it backfired and has the potential of making the democrats look insensitive and uncaring instead.

There are better more important ways to reduce the involvement of government and promote the general welfare (original meaning) that aren't as cold hearted as cutting unemployment benefits when unemployment is up.

Pick your battles and win the war.

So yes, hooray for our team!

[upchuck]

Senator Frist, I'm really impressed with your first day. May you have many more successes!!

[Joe Bonforte]

Expanding the role of government is defined several ways. The most common way is whether government is spending less money, but that way is absurd.

{snip}

If you measure growth in government in terms of influence in individual's lives, it gets harder to measure. There, this administration has removed some regulations and added new ones. The net effect is less hard to quantify, but infinitely harder for the "smaller government" contingent to argue.

That's a very convenient position to take if you want to paper over Republican failings. To make up for the fact that Republicans very seldom reduce the size and scope of government in any measurable way, you want to shift the discussion to intangibles and unmeasurable areas. It won't wash.

Money spent by government is indeed a very good proxy for whether we are getting more or less free. When government spends more money, it impacts freedom in two big ways (and lots of small ones). First, we don't get to spend that money, which reduces our freedom. Second, when government spends more money, one of the most frequent direct side-effects is more interference with our lives.

Invoking population rise, inflation, etc. does not help your case. Spending is up per capita, and percentage of income consumed by federal government is now at a post-WWII high (and almost equal to the peak in WWII).

[EODGUY]

I knew about Pickering, but bring Owens back for a fair assessment and FULL SENATE VOTE (and confirmation) is terrific news.

[danmar]

...if this story is for real, well...Mr.Frist just go ahead and follow your own god given gut feeling..., it seem's to me that you know your way around, without any headsup's from GOP talking heads.

GO DOC!!!!!!!

[PhiKapMom]

I didn't know about Owens either but found it when looking for the link for this article I had in my email.

[TrueFact]

OK, you started it....now you have to keep score for the rest of the 108th Congress. :)

[Congressman Billybob]

That's exactly what I said in my UPI column last week. "Incision Decision in the Senate," that was also posted on FreeRepublic. Surgeons are men and women of action, not words. Not surprised to see that proved out on day one.

Congressman Billybob

Click for latest column, "Three Anti-Endorsements." Not yet up on FR, or UPI.

Click for "to Restore Trust in America." As the politician formerly known as Al Gore said, "Buy my book."

[RIGHT IN SEATTLE]

Let's roll!