Advice for the new Congress from the original conservative insurgent

Washington Post ^ | 01/04/2011 | Marc A. Thiessen

[gitmogrunt]

This week, as conservative insurgents take their seats in Congress, I can't help but think that my old boss, the late Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), would be thrilled. Before there was a Tea Party there was the New Right, and Helms was its most successful leader. He turned his surprise election in 1972 into a three-decade run driving the Washington establishment crazy. Were Helms still alive, he would have some advice for the GOP class of 2010.

Ignore the national media. Once when the New York Times wrote a nasty editorial about Helms, I drafted a vigorous rebuttal. Helms smiled at me kindly and said, "Son, just so you understand: I don't care what the New York Times says about me, and nobody I care about cares what the New York Times says about me." The liberal elites were powerless over Helms because he simply did not care what they said. Neither should you.

Embrace obstruction. Before they dubbed Republicans the "Party of No," the Left dubbed Helms "Senator No." He wore the moniker as a badge of honor. He was unafraid to block bad nominees, bad legislation and bad treaties. If you do the same, the federal bureaucracy will come to fear you - and you will stop bad things from happening without lifting a finger. One State Department official reportedly kept a picture of Helms on the wall behind his desk - a reminder that "that S.O.B. is always looking over my shoulder."

Helms understood that some ideas before the Senate are irredeemably flawed and need to be killed. But Helms also practiced "constructive obstruction" - such as the time he blocked the confirmation of all U.S. ambassadors until the Clinton administration agreed to negotiate on his State Department reform legislation.

[Mr. K]

Ignore the national media. Once when the New York Times wrote a nasty editorial about Helms, I drafted a vigorous rebuttal. Helms smiled at me kindly and said, "Son, just so you understand: I don't care what the New York Times says about me, and nobody I care about cares what the New York Times says about me." The liberal elites were powerless over Helms because he simply did not care what they said. Neither should you.

[A Strict Constructionist]

Advice that all conservatives should take to heart.

[skeeter]

Like Reagan, the rodents in the press had it in for Jesse for years. He just laughed - and they never did touch him.

[Kolokotronis]

Sen. Helms was among the finest men I ever had the pleasure of knowing. I count myself lucky that his door was always open to me.

[Pamlico]

My wife and I had the pleasure of meeting him once at a fundraiser in Raleigh. A nicer gentleman I have not met.

[brothers4thID]

[i]and he would keep the king of Jordan waiting if he saw a group of tourists in the Capitol who looked lost (”Have you come to visit your money?” he would ask). He was kind to liberals and conservatives, senators and elevator operators, and especially to his own staff, whom he referred to as his “Senate family.” A reputation for kindness will serve you well [/i]

This is very true and incredibly important.

[Little Ray]

Darn, I miss Senator Helms.

[iopscusa]

I miss him too. He was a Senator for the ages. should send this to all the R’s that voted for START!