Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The House Freedom Caucus Deserves Your Applause
Townhall ^ | Jan 10, 2023 | Andrew Roth

Posted on 01/11/2023 9:09:49 AM PST by Heartlander

The House Freedom Caucus Deserves Your Applause

Whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat, what took place on the House floor last week was the most transparent, honest, and lively debate many Americans – young and old – have ever witnessed. For that, you can thank the House Freedom Caucus.

Had there been no conservative opposition to Speaker McCarthy, it is highly likely the legislative oligarchy that existed under Speakers Nancy Pelosi, Paul Ryan, and John Boehner would continue in the 118th Congress. The People’s House would remain a top-down, centralized body, relegating anyone outside of the speaker’s office as mere spectators in the business of legislating. Washington elites would continue to rule in their own interests. The American people would keep paying for and bearing the consequences of the ruling class’s self-serving agenda. 

The week-long debate forced now-Speaker McCarthy to agree to concessions from the House Freedom Caucus. Last night, the fruits of that debate passed on the House floor in the form of a rules package governing the body for the next two years. What will it look like?

The House of Representatives will now be more decentralized. Committees will have more authority, and there will be fair representation, not just a member who swears loyalty to leadership. Amendments will be allowed on the floor. Legislation will need to have a “single subject” so unpopular bills can’t be packaged together as a “Christmas tree” bill that everyone hates, but everyone supports. If any of these reforms are broken, and a majority of House members are dissatisfied with the speaker’s performance, they can vote him out.

All of these things are common sense reforms that are popular among all voters. Throughout the debate, the GOP Pundit Class - including Sean Hannity, Karl Rove, and Newt Gingrich - made clear that they preferred the status quo and castigated the House conservatives for prolonging the debate. They did so because any disruption would threaten their elite status in that broken system.

Likewise, the Left is trying to stay relevant by claiming that the House Freedom Caucus has weakened McCarthy and such a thing could never have happened when Pelosi was in charge. That House Democrats could not and did not challenge leadership during Pelosi’s tenure is rooted in the Left's desire to submit us all to the impersonal authority of the state. There are brave members that want to take part in shaping our Republic. They just aren't the ones promoted by the Justice Democrats.

Some opine that the entire speaker debate made our great nation look weak and divided. I would argue that this was a huge triumph. I liked the messiness. Democracy is messy. As long as it’s out in the open for people to watch and judge for themselves, not behind closed doors, then we’re more informed and the politicians are more accountable. For the first time in years, you saw a packed House full of members having a high level debate for the world to see. Revel in that for a moment. 

Some people may have strong personality conflicts with the conservatives who fought for these reforms.  But politicians are package deals - it’s difficult to like everything that a single member stands for. But in this particular debate, I hope you agree that the House Freedom Caucus helped restore fairness and accountability – for all members of the House, regardless of party – in what has been a broken institution.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Government; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: corruption; cronyism

1 posted on 01/11/2023 9:09:49 AM PST by Heartlander
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Heartlander

Everyone who denigrated the House Freedom caucus members for not caving in and voting for McCarthy early on can suck eggs. Most of them won’t even admit that they were wrong.


2 posted on 01/11/2023 9:14:30 AM PST by Mr. N. Wolfe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Heartlander

I hope it works as planned.


3 posted on 01/11/2023 9:14:34 AM PST by econjack
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Great, let’s let it play out. No participation trophies until then.


4 posted on 01/11/2023 9:17:10 AM PST by proust (All posts made under this handle are, for the intents and purposes of the author, considered satire.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Heartlander

Yes, it was a positive. Without the Senate they can’t do much though. Hannity, Gingrich and Rove deserve to be put in one of those contraptions where a well-aimed baseball will dunk them into a tank of cold water.


5 posted on 01/11/2023 9:20:06 AM PST by SaxxonWoods (The only way to secure your own future is to create it yourself.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Heartlander

Almost as heroic as the FFs. I love them.


6 posted on 01/11/2023 9:24:17 AM PST by MayflowerMadam (Stupid is supposed to hurt.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Heartlander

Watch what they do and don’t believe what they say.
That’s all I have to say about it.


7 posted on 01/11/2023 9:25:40 AM PST by right way right (May we remain sober over mere men, for God really is our only true hope. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Heartlander

RINO Hugh Hewitt is now boasting about how some of these reps will be primaried, especially Boebart.

I hate that SOB open border globalist schill with a vitreolic passion.


8 posted on 01/11/2023 9:45:40 AM PST by MachIV
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Heartlander

“If any of these reforms are broken, and a majority of House members are dissatisfied with the speaker’s performance, they can vote him out.”

Except that they will most definitely be broken, and you won’t be able to get a majority to vote out the speaker, and we’ll be back to square one. Just wait.


9 posted on 01/11/2023 9:49:41 AM PST by Boogieman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Heartlander

As my grandfather always said :
“Only the result matters.”

House Republicans now seem rather united, that’s very good.


10 posted on 01/11/2023 9:49:42 AM PST by USA-FRANCE
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SaxxonWoods
Yes, it was a positive. Without the Senate they can’t do much though. Hannity, Gingrich and Rove deserve to be put in one of those contraptions where a well-aimed baseball will dunk them into a tank of cold water.

Where a well-aimed baseball will hit them in the package. There, I fixed that for you.

11 posted on 01/11/2023 10:45:28 AM PST by Dr. Marten (Cogito ergo armatum sum.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Heartlander

12 posted on 01/11/2023 11:22:03 AM PST by Albion Wilde ("There is no good government at all & none possible."--Mark Twain)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Heartlander
They have my calls for kudos to be sure. Without them we would fall further into the abyss. God speed to them, and may continued courage propel them onward.

One thing everyone should notice, is how panicked all of the Democrats appear on camera. Love it.

13 posted on 01/11/2023 11:22:51 AM PST by Robert DeLong
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Heartlander

They have my applause. They kept focus even when the entire lousy FOX News channel and many others brow beat them 24/7. Tough Ombres.


14 posted on 01/11/2023 12:08:46 PM PST by vivenne
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson