Stay Strong John Boehner

Republican Leader, my Congressman and a Great American -- John Boehner -- has an excellent opportunity to demonstrate leadership by moving forward with a conservative agenda. That is, if he doesn't listen to the so-called moderates who would prefer that the GOP not brand itself as the party of tax and earmark reform. CQPolitics has the story.

Moderate House Republicans are pushing back against efforts to march the GOP Conference in a conservative direction for this fall’s campaign season.

The centrists are reluctant to build their campaigns around a promise to stop earmarking funds for local projects or a call for an extreme makeover of the tax code. Those are the priorities of the House GOP’s conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC).

Some moderate Republicans plan to meet Tuesday with John A. Boehner , R-Ohio, to urge the minority leader not to issue edicts that might undermine moderates’ ability to vote in sync with prevailing sentiment in their districts.

An aide to one Republican lawmaker said the moderates want Boehner and the party to focus on gasoline price increases rather than on earmarks, a proposal for a two-tier flat tax or a proposed constitutional amendment to curb the growth of federal spending — all of which are being pushed by the RSC and are embraced by Boehner’s leadership team.

My favorite quote of the whole piece comes next:

“Conservatives want to build a stronger brand for the party. But some moderates feel they each already have their own brand,” said one senior GOP aide.

That would be the brand that lost in the '06 cycle...

My second favorite bit is this:

While the RSC has been pushing for an agenda aimed at energizing the Republican Party’s conservative base, moderates in the Tuesday Group and the Republican Main Street Partnership would prefer a general election strategy that matches up with efforts by presumed GOP presidential nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona to move to the center in order to appeal to independent voters.

...because as we all know, the so-called moderates can win this thing all on their own. Again, see the '06 cycle.

Message to Republican Leader, my Congressman and a Great American -- John Boehner: Stay strong. Stay focused. Stay conservative. The RINOs will turn out to vote for McCain...give the conservatives some reason to show up.