Posted on 11/09/2008 11:11:00 AM PST by BGHater
Rep. Eric Cantor (Va.), who is poised to become minority whip, said Sunday that the House GOP wants to work with President-elect Barack Obama to fix the nation’s problems.
“If you look at the roiling global financial situation, if you look at the fact that much of this country distrusts its government, if you look at the fact that we’re still fighting in two wars, I think that the Republicans in Congress will stand ready to work with this new president,” Cantor said on “Fox News Sunday.”
The lawmaker, who will likely replace Rep. Roy Blunt (Mo.) as minority whip as part of a shakeup of House GOP leaders, argued that the election has shown the Republicans must do things differently to succeed. However, he stated that Sen. Obama’s (D-Ill.) victory, coupled with large Democratic gains in the House and Senate, was “not some kind of shift of the American people toward some style of European social big government type of philosophy.”
Republicans would work with Obama on plans to boost the economy and help small businesses and families, he added.
“There is going to be, I think, a willingness to try and get things done,” he said, but also warned that the offer of cooperation had clear limits.
“If … he veers left and says, ‘No, the way to do this is to crank up the government spending machine and to raise taxes on families and small businesses,’ we’re going to oppose him,” Cantor said. The lawmaker noted that “at the end of the day, I think you will see a Republican Party in Congress serving as a check and a balance against Mr. Obama’s power and Speaker Pelosi’s power.”
Rep. Mike Pence (Ind.), who is also seeking a House Republican leadership post and appeared on the show alongside Cantor, said that, “having dealt with the Democrats on Capitol Hill, and knowing the policies of the president-elect, we’re going to have some pretty vigorous disagreements, and they’re going to be along traditional fault lines.”
Pence pointed to the example of this summer, when Republicans staged a protest against the Democratic majority’s energy plans.
“What we’ve learned is that a minority of conservatives in the House plus the American people equals a majority,” he argued.
Cantor concluded by saying that, despite two large back-to-back defeats, Republicans would not necessarily have to slowly claw their way back to the majority.
“I think it's pretty unbelievable that we sit here today, given this date -- and four years ago the discussion was all about the Democrats unable to find their footing,” he said. “So I do think in this age of the 24/7 news cycle and the Internet world, we're going to have the ability to reach out to many supporters and many people across this nation and allow them to see very quickly the differences in terms of vision of where we want to take this country.”
This better be gamesmanship...
RINO or not? I know nothing of him...
It is, he has to say that. Cantor is one sharp hombre, I have full faith and trust in him, and Bobby Jindal.
When are republicans going to grow a pair? How many trouncings in elections are we going to have to suffer through before we actually have a party that represents us?
Do we have enough house seats and Blue Dog Dems to stop marxism? Mitch McConnell in the Senate is a bull dog. We have to keep Franken & ACORN from stealingt Coleman’s seat.
Sounds like he’s saying: “If Obama wants to be pro business and pro family, we’ll help him, if not, we won’t”
**Sounds like he’s saying: “If Obama wants to be pro business and pro family, we’ll help him, if not, we won’t”**
and hopefully smacks Nobama on the nose with a rolled up newspaper if he starts to go on the carpet!
As a generality, that’s exactly what I’d expect him to say. Actual legislation, obviously the GOP should advocate their position, even if it’s a losing position.
OK, I’ll take your word for it...:)
Cantor is the furthest thing from a RINO. He’s a rock-ribbed conservative and the future of this party.
He, Pence, Palin, Jindal, and Thune will lead us.
The GOP cannot be obstructionist on policies that help. The do have to stand for solutions, capitalism and defending the country against socialism. They don’t control the agenda so people need to be a touch bit realistic on what they are going to be able to do.
He was 100% ACU last year, 96.something lifetime, 7 years.
Luckily there’s it will all have to run through both houses...
A strategy would be to target certain vulnerable Dem congressmen and senators with ad campaigns when critical votes come up...see if we can’t get more to cross over...
I wouldn’t want to be a Dem that won a close one for the next two years...LOL
Yes, it better be.
One of his biggest strengths going forward is his fundraising ability. Conservatives love him, he’ smart as hell, he knows we were trounced on the internet by the dems in 2006 and 2008, he understands what needs to be done to bring us on technical parity with the dems and their supporters (moveon, HuffPo, DU and dailykos) and, like I said, he can raise a lot of money.
You forgot Duncan Hunter, Jr.
We know Barak Obamas record. We know that his voting record is left of socialism. We know that his associates have traditionally been socialists. We will stand firm for conservative principles and conservative ideals. If Mr. Obama decides to promote and defend these principles then we will stand with him. If he decides to go against these principles we will vigorously oppose him.
Thanks!
It is not enough seats that matter, it is that the republicans that take the go along to get along path must be driven from office. Let the legislation be 100% democrat. Give them no cover!
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