Don’t Ignore Next Congress During Presidential Horse Race

Don’t Ignore Next Congress During Presidential Horse Race


“Are the House GOP leaders principled?  Are they smart?  Do conservatives want to work to get those leaders changed in 2013? Earlier?”


By Guest Blogger Richard Falknor on 21 Nov 2011                
                                
“Republican stalwarts want to elect one of their own as president in November 2012. Conservatives (those within the GOP, and some without) want to change the course and size of government starting in January 2013.  Many independents — including voters who gave up on the GOP because of that party’s flirtation with  governmentalism over much of the last decade–  want to see president Barack Obama voted out of office in November 2012.
 
All these groups share the essential goal of replacing Mr. Obama in the White House.

For conservatives and some independents, however, replacing Mr. Obama in the White House is just the beginning of the journey toward smaller, right-sized government.  A newly elected Republican president is unlikely to change the course and size of government without a principled and smart GOP leadership in the Congress.

Do we have such GOP Congressional leadership now?

Here is today’s Wall Street Journal editorial “Balanced-Budget Bust: The House GOP loses its constitutional amendment ploy.”

The WSJ declares –

“Symbolic gambits rarely work in politics, and so it went Friday for House Republicans on their balanced-budget amendment. Not only did they fail to pass the amendment, but they succeeded in giving Blue Dog Democrats political cover as fiscal conservatives. Other than that, Speaker Boehner, how was the ploy?

Republicans had hoped to be able to put Senate Democrats on the spot by passing a balanced-budget amendment in the House without any spending or tax limitation provisions.  Instead, Democratic leaders whipped against the vote, and Republicans fell 23 votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to amend the Constitution.”

(Underscoring Forum’s.)

Conservative organizations, moreover, had written the speaker
“A vote on either a strong BBA or a weak one would meet the requirement of the Budget Control Act. Neither might pass, but a vote for a weak one would give cover to Members who have no intention of stopping the growth of government.  That would deprive the voters in 2012 of the ability to hold accountable Members who are not prepared to vote for a strong BBA with teeth sufficient to take real bites out of big government.

Therefore, the undersigned organizations and conservative leaders urge you, the House Republican Leadership, to make sure that House vote on a balanced budget amendment required by the Budget Control Act be on a strong BBA, not on a weak one.

Grassroots conservatives across America will be watching carefully to see how you handle this opportunity.” (Underscoring Forum’s.)
Representative Paul Ryan was one of only four Republicans who voted against the Boehner Balanced Budget Amendment.

CNS quotes House budget panel chief Ryan –

“’I’m concerned that this version will lead to a much bigger government fueled by more taxes,’ Ryan said. ‘Spending is the problem, yet this version of the BBA makes it more likely taxes will be raised, government will grow, and economic freedom will be diminished.’

‘Without a limit on government spending, I cannot support this amendment,’ he said.”

Are the House GOP leaders principled?  Are they smart?  Do conservatives want to work to get those leaders changed in 2013? Earlier?”

Dell’s Two Cents Worth:  

I certainly agree with Richard and strongly encourage our readers to keep a keen eye focused on your state’s senate race.  A gain of three senators, plus a Republican Vice President, would swing the balance of power in the upper chamber and give Republicans control of all three branches.