Martinez to become new RNC chief

CNN ^ | November 13, 2006 | CNN

[bordergal]

Open borders loser.

Asa Hutchinson shut down a very effective interior enforcement team in my state when he was at ICE.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

I've often wished that I kept a list of those people. The pro-Harriet crowd were just off the wall!

[PhiKapMom]

I will see if I can get a reaction out of my two Senators from Oklahoma.

Did find this gem:

Of the nine new members of the Senate, seven are pro-life. The new pro-life senators are Mel Martinez of Florida, Johnny Isakson of Georgia, David Vitter of Louisiana, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, and John Thune of South Dakota. All seven are Republican.

Overall, pro-lifers made a net gain of three votes in the Senate.

The closest election in the Senate won by a pro-lifer was a real nail-biter. Mel Martinez defeated pro-abortion Betty Castor (D) in Florida, receiving 49% to Castor's 48%. Out of 7,410,852 votes cast, Martinez won by only 83,582.

[NonValueAdded]

The RNC Chair DOES NOT VOTE ON LEGISLATION. His voting record tells us squat about how he will run the party. If he can't organize his own office, what will he do for the party going into an open Presidential Race??? The only way this could be a good thing is if he's a sock puppet for Rove. Come to think of it, WHY NOT ROVE???

[Arizona Carolyn]

Who else is leaving?

[duckhunter1999]

Gang of 14(not mel)
Republicans
John McCain, Arizona
Lindsey Graham, South Carolina
John Warner, Virginia
Olympia Snowe, Maine (Won in 2006 General Election)
Susan Collins, Maine
Mike DeWine, Ohio (Lost in 2006 General Election)
Lincoln Chafee, Rhode Island (Lost in 2006 General Election)

[edit] Democrats
Joe Lieberman, Connecticut (Lost in 2006 Democratic Primary; won in General Election)
Robert Byrd, West Virginia (Won in 2006 General Election)
Ben Nelson, Nebraska (Won in 2006 General Election)
Mary Landrieu, Louisiana
Daniel Inouye, Hawaii
Mark Pryor, Arkansas
Ken Salazar, Colorado

[Sir Gawain]

Their platform sounds like what the GOP's should sound like:

Seven Principles of the Constitution Party are:

1. Life: For all human beings, from conception to natural death;
2. Liberty: Freedom of conscience and actions for the self-governed individual;
3. Family: One husband and one wife with their children as divinely instituted;
4. Property: Each individual's right to own and steward personal property without government burden;
5. Constitution: and Bill of Rights interpreted according to the actual intent of the Founding Fathers;
6. States' Rights: Everything not specifically delegated by the Constitution to the federal government is reserved for the state and local jurisdictions;
7. American Sovereignty: American government committed to the protection of the borders, trade, and common defense of Americans, and not entangled in foreign alliances.

[onyx]

There's a reason I usually referred to him as Ken...lol.

[bordergal]

D.

[GraniteStateConservative]

So many cabinet spots now are held by nobodies, the WH can easily replace them with Steele without anyone really caring.

[PhiKapMom]

It is not for McCain -- turns out after a few phone calls he aligns himself with my two Senators Coburn and Inhofe and I know for a fact if he was pro-McCain Inhofe would not be happy.

[omni-scientist]

This will give me another chance to write more letters to Mel, and explain how it was his support of AMNESTY that causes me to ignore his pleading for contributions.

[Southerngl]

So we were all right, the GOP, in their infinite wisdom, mistook the loss as a need to move LEFT?

Dang.

[Txsleuth]

I don't think President Bush has anything to do with picking the RNC Chairman...I don't know who DOES..but, I don't think the POTUS does.

[PhiKapMom]

That is true!

[GraniteStateConservative]

Yeah, but they nominated an idiot in 2004 for President.

[Dems_R_Losers]

Anne Northup would have never won an election in that district without the work McConnell did there. It's a miracle she was there for four terms. She was the first Republican ever to hold the seat, which includes all of the city of Louisville.

In 1978, Republicans in Kentucky were having meetings in phone booths. I should know, I was the state College Republican chairman then. We held NO statewide offices, NO Senate seats, ONE House seat, and only 8 of 46 seats in the State Senate. Today, thanks to Mitch McConnell, Republicans hold BOTH U.S. Senate seats, 4 of 6 House seats, the Governorship, and the majority in the state Senate. Democrats tried to knock off three House members in Kentucky, poured millions into the state and they only got one by less than 6000 votes. And this is after a major scandal involving the Republican Governor and his approval rating being at about 20%. THAT is superior campaign performance.

[ElPatriota]

The pro-Harriet crowd were just off the wall!

PLease don't bring bad memories... That was the beginning of GW slide down the hill... it hurts to think aobout it [close to tears]

:)

[tioga]

I believe you are right.

[markomalley]

For those who are interested, here are the issues that helped ACU develop their 2005 ratings:

1
Medicaid Cuts -- Fiscal 2006 Budget Resolution. S Con Res 18 (Roll Call 58) The Senate adopted an amendment eliminating savings in the Medicaid program and other federal programs. The amendment also created a Bipartisan Medicaid Commission to study Medicaid before any cuts are made. ACU opposed this amendment, which was adopted 52-48 on March 17, 2005.

2
Tax Cuts -- Fiscal 2006 Budget Resolution. S Con Res 18 (Roll Call 59) The Senate rejected an amendment striking language in the budget resolution protecting tax cuts. ACU opposed this amendment, which was rejected 49-51 on March 17, 2005.

3
Social Security Benefit Tax -- Fiscal 2006 Budget Resolution. S Con Res 18 (Roll Call 74) The Senate adopted an amendment repealing the 1993 tax increase on Social Security and increasing the five-year tax cut figure by $63.9 billion. ACU favored the amendment. The amendment was adopted 55-45 on March 17, 2005.

4
Spending Increase -- Fiscal 2006 Budget Resolution. S Con Res 18 (Roll Call 75) The Senate rejected an amendment reducing the amount of the tax cuts in the bill by $198 million and increasing spending by $36 million. ACU opposed the amendment, which was rejected 47-53 on March 17, 2005.

5
“ Mexico City” Policy -- Fiscal 2006 State Department Authorization. S 600 (Roll Call 83) The Senate adopted an amendment repealing Reagan’s "Mexico City" policy, which bars U.S. aid to international family planning organizations that perform or promote abortions. Under the amendment, organizations could receive U.S. aid if they used their own funds to provide health or medical services that did not violate federal law or the laws of the country in which they are being provided. ACU opposed the amendment. The amendment was adopted 52-46 on April 5, 2005.

6
Confirmation William H. Pryor, Jr. of Alabama to be U.S. Eleventh Circuit Judge. (Roll Call 133) ACU favored the confirmation. Judge Pryor was confirmed 53-45 on June 9, 2005.

7
Bolton Nomination -- Cloture. (Roll Call 142) The Senate defeated a motion to stop debate and proceed to a vote on President Bush's nomination of John Bolton to be the U.S. Representative to the United Nations. ACU favored the nomination. The motion was rejected 54-38 on June 20, 2005. Although a majority of the Senate favored the nomination, 60 votes are required to stop debate.

8
Climate Change -- Energy Policy. HR 6 (Roll Call 148) The Senate rejected an amendment that would have required U.S. businesses to return to the “greenhouse gas” emission levels of 2000. ACU opposed the amendment. It was rejected 38-60 on June 22, 2005.

9
Fuel Economy Standards -- Energy Policy.  HR 6 (Roll Call 157) The Senate rejected an amendment mandating arbitrary increases in the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards and extending the standards to trucks. ACU opposed the amendment. The amendment was rejected 28-67 on June 23, 2005.

10
Nuclear Weapons Funding -- Fiscal 2006 Energy and Water Appropriations. HR 2419 (Roll Call 171) The Senate rejected an amendment prohibiting development of the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator. ACU opposed the amendment. The amendment was rejected 43-53 on July 1, 2005.

11
Immigration Enforcement -- HR 2360 (Roll Call 182) The Senate rejected an amendment that would have increased funding for immigration and customs enforcement by about $200 million, added 5,760 detention beds, and permitted the hiring of more immigration enforcement personnel. ACU supported the amendment, which failed 42-56 on August 14, 2005.

12
Gun Liability -- Passage. S 397 (Roll Call 219) The Senate passed a bill barring lawsuits against manufacturers and distributors of firearms and ammunition that would make them liable for gun violence. Penalties for violent or drug trafficking crimes in which the perpetrator uses or possesses armor-piercing ammunition are increased to a minimum of 15 years imprisonment-- or, if death resulted from the use of such ammunition, life imprisonment or the death penalty. ACU favored the bill, which was adopted 65-31 on July 29, 2005.

13
Mercury Emissions Rule -- Passage.  S J Res 20 (Roll Call 225) The Senate rejected a joint resolution that would have applied stringent and unjustified emission standards to existing electricity-generating plants. ACU opposed the resolution. It was defeated 47-51 on September 13, 2005.

14
Exposing Earmarks -- Fiscal 2006 Agriculture, FDA, and Related Agencies Appropriations. HR 2744 (Roll Call 238) The Senate agreed to an amendment requiring better disclosure of “earmarks” in spending bills. Earmarks are used to direct spending to specific projects. ACU favored the amendment, which passed 55-39 on September 21, 2005.

15
Minimum Wage Increase -- Fiscal 2006 Transportation, Treasury-Housing Appropriations.  HR 3058 (Roll Call 257) The Senate defeated a procedural motion designed to increase the minimum wage to $5.70 six months after the bill's enactment and to $6.25 one year after enactment. ACU opposed the motion. The motion was rejected 47-51 on October 19, 2005 (60 votes would have been required under Senate rules).

16
Cap on Spending Increases -- Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. S 1932 (Roll Call 286) The Senate defeated a procedural motion that would have allowed an amendment to cap most future spending at 2006 levels. ACU favored the amendment and the motion. The motion was rejected 32-67 on November 3, 2005.

17
ANWR Oil and Gas Leasing -- Budget Reconciliation.  S 1932 (Roll Call 288) The Senate rejected an amendment striking language permitting oil and gas leasing in a small portion of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). ACU opposed the amendment, which was rejected 48-51 on November 3, 2005.

18
Budget Reconciliation -- Passage.  S 1932 (Roll Call 303) The Senate passed a bill that will save approximately $35 billion over five years. ACU favored the bill, which passed 52-47 on November 3, 2005.

19
Habeas Corpus for Enemies -- S 1042 (Roll Call 324) The Senate rejected an amendment granting detainees and enemy combatants the right to petition for habeas corpus in the U.S. civil courts rather than military tribunals. ACU opposed the amendment, which failed 44-54 on November 15, 2005.

20
Tax Increases on Oil and Gas Development -- Tax Relief Act of 2005. S 2020 (Roll Call 332) The Senate rejected a procedural motion on an amendment that would have raised taxes on oil and gas development. ACU opposed the motion. The motion was rejected 48-51 on November 17, 2005 (60 votes would have been required under Senate rules).

21
Federal Interference in Energy Markets --Tax Relief Act of 2005. S 2020 (Roll Call 334) The Senate rejected a procedural motion on an amendment that would have allowed the Federal Trade Commission to interfere in energy markets during emergencies. ACU opposed the motion, which was rejected 57-42 on November 17, 2005 (60 votes were required under Senate rules).

22
Physician Senators Right to Practice Medicine -- Tax Relief Act of 2005. S 2020 (Roll Call 335) The Senate rejected a procedural motion on an amendment that would have allowed physician Senators to practice medicine as long as they charged only for expenses. ACU favored the motion. The motion failed 51-47 on November 17, 2005 (60 votes were required under Senate rules).

23
Extension of Tax Cuts -- Tax Relief Act of 2005. S 2020 (Roll Call 347) The Senate passed a bill extending certain expiring tax cuts and providing tax relief for areas affected by recent hurricanes. ACU favored the bill, which passed 64-33 on November 18, 2005.

24
Block Grant Spending. H J Res 72 (Roll Call 348) The Senate rejected an amendment increasing the amount appropriated under the Community Services Block Grant Act. ACU opposed the amendment. The amendment was rejected 46-50 on November 18, 2005.

25
Work, Marriage, and Family Promotion Reconciliation Act of 2005. S 1932 (Roll Call 363) The Senate passed a budget reconciliation bill containing most of the deficit reduction provisions desired by President Bush. The bill passed 50-50 on December 21, 2005 (Vice President Cheney cast the tie-breaking vote).

For what it's worth, Lindsay Graham scored a 96. Shoot, Rick Santorum only scored a 92!

Not one life issue mentioned in the above scorecard. And the only illegal alien issue mentioned was funding for more immigration and customs enforcement people...not exactly securing the southern border.

So I'd take the ACU ratings with a bit of a grain of salt...