From the Financial Times:With Republicans embroiled in an influence-peddling scandal that could threaten their control of Congress, the biggest pressure for reform is coming from lawmakers who charge that the party’s woes have come from abandoning its core conservative principles.
Are you listening, OH GOP? Matt and I have been at loggerheads with the State GOP for months over this issue. We have to go back to core principle and quit taking the Hugh Hewitt approach--it is just about popularity, influence, and winning election. It is about having a vision and fighting for it and getting the people behind it, not just winning a new title.
A group of more than 100 members organised as the Republican Study Committee is hoping to use the leadership race to rein in what they see as runaway government spending championed by Mr DeLay and his allies.
At the top of the conservative reform agenda is an end to the practice of earmarking, in which members can secretly insert into huge spending bills billions of dollars in projects for favoured companies or other constituents – many of whom in turn donate to the lawmakers’ re-election funds. While the practice is not new, it has mushroomed since Republicans captured Congress. Last year 15,000 earmarks were added into various spending bills.
Legislators are facing growing pressure over the practice.
OK, here is my question...They say that earmarking has ballooned under the Republicans. Well, I want a study done on who does more earmarking. Could it be that more earmarking is done because by attaching things to bills that must pass, you get unpopular things passed, vis a vis the McCain Torture amendment and military spending? Could it be more libs have been earmarking? Just a thought. However, this process does need to stop, or give the President the line item veto.
The conservatives are also hoping to reform the congressional budgeting process by sharply reducing the use of “emergency” spending bills, such as those that have paid for the war in Iraq and rebuilding following Hurricane Katrina. They would also reform House rules to allow more challenges to spending bills that exceed agreed budget targets, and to ensure that such bills can be carefully reviewed by lawmakers before votes are held.
More good ideas. Mr. Pence, throw that hat in. Boehner or Blunt are not the answer. We need a true conservative, not someone who plays conservative out here then, "you can find dragging on a cigarette and kibitzing with members and lobbyists in the basement grill of the Capitol Hill Club most nights the House is in session."
ala Mr. Boehner.
Again, we are choosing between two staus quo options...we need something better.
