Wes Vernon
Roy Blunt for majority leader
By Wes Vernon
House Republicans have an opportunity this week to do something meaningful to keep their majority.
Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay decided not to reclaim his leadership role. He had been denied a speedy trial on the trumped up charges for which he was indicted by Prosecutor Ronnie Earle, a partisan hack if ever there was one. This is not an ad hominem attack. the man has a long record of abusing his office to settle scores with public figures that he does not like. Earle is surely a poster boy for the clichι that "a prosecutor can indict a ham sandwich."
DeLay is being punished precisely because he has been effective. "The Hill" a community newspaper widely read as its name implies by the thousands who work on Capitol Hill has said DeLay's "effectiveness is beyond dispute." While Newt Gingrich "was the inspirational ideas guy who brought the Republicans to power in the House [in '94], ..it was DeLay, even when he was Majority Whip and ostensibly only No. 3 in the pecking order, who was the driving force once power was within the GOP's grip."
Three candidates are running to succeed DeLay as House Majority Leader. They are Reps. Roy Blunt of Missouri (currently Majority Whip), John Boehner of Ohio (former Chairman of the House Republican Conference), and John Shadegg of Arizona, a member of the always-to-be-honored Class of '94, and son of Steve Shadegg, a crack strategist for Barry Goldwater's presidential bid in 1964. All three have good conservative voting records, though they have parted company on some specific issues, as would be expected. The GOP caucus is by no means a monolith.
It is this writer's opinion that the best man for the job is Congressman Blunt. As Whip, he "kept the trains running" on most issues that conservatives care about, both before and after DeLay's decision not to return the House leadership. For several months Blunt has doubled as acting Majority Leader the No. 2 spot which he now seeks in his own right. His colleagues vote on that this week. The Missourian can justly take a good share of the credit for lining up the votes necessary to pass such high priority legislation in the areas of deficit reduction, border security, tax relief extension, energy policy, death tax repeal, liability reform, and bankruptcy abuse prevention and consumer protection.
Roy Blunt came to Washington in the 105th Congress that convened in 1997. He arrived with a background as a public servant, university president and administrator. He rose quickly to the inside circles of the House leadership, and was elected Majority Whip earlier in his career than any member of Congress in the last seven decades. In 2004, Blunt was re-elected to his seat in Congress with over 70% of the vote in his Southwest Missouri District, defeating three opposition candidates. (Political talent seems to run in the family. In that same election, his son Matt Blunt was elected Governor of Missouri).
Blunt's credentials for the job of the House's second-ranking Republican, second only to House Speaker Dennis Hastert, lie in the fact that he has shown he knows how to lead. The operative phrase is coalition-building. The GOP's margin of control of the House is not so overwhelming that the Republicans can completely ignore Democrats. Some "moderate" (i.e. liberal) Republicans are known to stray off the reservation on some votes, especially on the wedge social issues. DeLay had formed a relationship with enough Democrats to make the difference. A handful of Democrats, mainly from Red States could be convinced to cast crucial votes for bills favored by conservative Middle America. As Majority Whip (the No. 3 post), Blunt has developed that same rapport with those representatives across the aisle. Neither Boehner nor Shadegg has that kind of influence. That could make all the difference with Republican efforts to pass legislation that their voters expect of them.
I will grant that Shadegg's voting record is excellent. But leadership? He has yet to show he has what it takes. Recently he headed the Republican Study Committee the group of 100 or so House conservatives. He did not achieve anywhere near the accomplishments of the current RSC Chairman Mike Pence of Indiana (who himself is destined for bigger things in the future). A voting record is not the sole criterion for leadership. A leader has to know how to make things happen to back up that voting record with alliances, often across the aisle. Blunt is the man for the job.
But while we're on the subject of voting records, let's look at immigration. Blunt voted last month for a bill aimed at putting some teeth in enforcement of the immigration laws, so as to make it harder for illegal aliens to sneak across the border. And by the way, let us not hear about "poor Mexicans" coming here for a better life. Law enforcement and intelligence sources have said there are many OTMs (Other Than Mexicans) crossing the border. Illegal immigration is a threat to our security. If a Mexican can sneak into this country, so can a terrorist from the Middle East. As Ronald Reagan once said, "A nation that cannot control its borders is not a nation anymore."
Congressman Blunt also supported a 2004 amendment that gave local officials the firm go-ahead to report illegals to federal authorities.
Boehner voted the exact opposite on both of those measures. Mark my word. Americans are very upset about this issue. They are frustrated that Democrats look the other way because they think it means more votes for them, while Republicans look the other way because they think it means cheap labor. If the voters are angry enough in November to turn on the Republicans because of failure to come to grips with this, it will not help to have a House Majority Leader with Boehner's attitude. Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo a leader in the effort to curb illegal immigration says he trusts Blunt on the issue, but told the Washington Times that Boehner was "absolutely opposed to what we are trying to do."
Most of all, Roy Blunt should get the job because he is ready, he is able, and he is trustworthy. He is a regular at Paul Weyrich's off-the-record Wednesday luncheons. I have come to know, respect, and trust him.
If your own House member is a Republican, you will be doing something important for your country if you encourage him or her to vote for Roy Blunt. The Capitol switchboard number is (202-224-3121). No time for snail mail, and e-mail is less effective, especially when a vote is so near. Again, it is this week. Your Republican congressman needs to hear from you now.
© Wes Vernon
House Republicans have an opportunity this week to do something meaningful to keep their majority.
Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay decided not to reclaim his leadership role. He had been denied a speedy trial on the trumped up charges for which he was indicted by Prosecutor Ronnie Earle, a partisan hack if ever there was one. This is not an ad hominem attack. the man has a long record of abusing his office to settle scores with public figures that he does not like. Earle is surely a poster boy for the clichι that "a prosecutor can indict a ham sandwich."
DeLay is being punished precisely because he has been effective. "The Hill" a community newspaper widely read as its name implies by the thousands who work on Capitol Hill has said DeLay's "effectiveness is beyond dispute." While Newt Gingrich "was the inspirational ideas guy who brought the Republicans to power in the House [in '94], ..it was DeLay, even when he was Majority Whip and ostensibly only No. 3 in the pecking order, who was the driving force once power was within the GOP's grip."
Three candidates are running to succeed DeLay as House Majority Leader. They are Reps. Roy Blunt of Missouri (currently Majority Whip), John Boehner of Ohio (former Chairman of the House Republican Conference), and John Shadegg of Arizona, a member of the always-to-be-honored Class of '94, and son of Steve Shadegg, a crack strategist for Barry Goldwater's presidential bid in 1964. All three have good conservative voting records, though they have parted company on some specific issues, as would be expected. The GOP caucus is by no means a monolith.
It is this writer's opinion that the best man for the job is Congressman Blunt. As Whip, he "kept the trains running" on most issues that conservatives care about, both before and after DeLay's decision not to return the House leadership. For several months Blunt has doubled as acting Majority Leader the No. 2 spot which he now seeks in his own right. His colleagues vote on that this week. The Missourian can justly take a good share of the credit for lining up the votes necessary to pass such high priority legislation in the areas of deficit reduction, border security, tax relief extension, energy policy, death tax repeal, liability reform, and bankruptcy abuse prevention and consumer protection.
Roy Blunt came to Washington in the 105th Congress that convened in 1997. He arrived with a background as a public servant, university president and administrator. He rose quickly to the inside circles of the House leadership, and was elected Majority Whip earlier in his career than any member of Congress in the last seven decades. In 2004, Blunt was re-elected to his seat in Congress with over 70% of the vote in his Southwest Missouri District, defeating three opposition candidates. (Political talent seems to run in the family. In that same election, his son Matt Blunt was elected Governor of Missouri).
Blunt's credentials for the job of the House's second-ranking Republican, second only to House Speaker Dennis Hastert, lie in the fact that he has shown he knows how to lead. The operative phrase is coalition-building. The GOP's margin of control of the House is not so overwhelming that the Republicans can completely ignore Democrats. Some "moderate" (i.e. liberal) Republicans are known to stray off the reservation on some votes, especially on the wedge social issues. DeLay had formed a relationship with enough Democrats to make the difference. A handful of Democrats, mainly from Red States could be convinced to cast crucial votes for bills favored by conservative Middle America. As Majority Whip (the No. 3 post), Blunt has developed that same rapport with those representatives across the aisle. Neither Boehner nor Shadegg has that kind of influence. That could make all the difference with Republican efforts to pass legislation that their voters expect of them.
I will grant that Shadegg's voting record is excellent. But leadership? He has yet to show he has what it takes. Recently he headed the Republican Study Committee the group of 100 or so House conservatives. He did not achieve anywhere near the accomplishments of the current RSC Chairman Mike Pence of Indiana (who himself is destined for bigger things in the future). A voting record is not the sole criterion for leadership. A leader has to know how to make things happen to back up that voting record with alliances, often across the aisle. Blunt is the man for the job.
But while we're on the subject of voting records, let's look at immigration. Blunt voted last month for a bill aimed at putting some teeth in enforcement of the immigration laws, so as to make it harder for illegal aliens to sneak across the border. And by the way, let us not hear about "poor Mexicans" coming here for a better life. Law enforcement and intelligence sources have said there are many OTMs (Other Than Mexicans) crossing the border. Illegal immigration is a threat to our security. If a Mexican can sneak into this country, so can a terrorist from the Middle East. As Ronald Reagan once said, "A nation that cannot control its borders is not a nation anymore."
Congressman Blunt also supported a 2004 amendment that gave local officials the firm go-ahead to report illegals to federal authorities.
Boehner voted the exact opposite on both of those measures. Mark my word. Americans are very upset about this issue. They are frustrated that Democrats look the other way because they think it means more votes for them, while Republicans look the other way because they think it means cheap labor. If the voters are angry enough in November to turn on the Republicans because of failure to come to grips with this, it will not help to have a House Majority Leader with Boehner's attitude. Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo a leader in the effort to curb illegal immigration says he trusts Blunt on the issue, but told the Washington Times that Boehner was "absolutely opposed to what we are trying to do."
Most of all, Roy Blunt should get the job because he is ready, he is able, and he is trustworthy. He is a regular at Paul Weyrich's off-the-record Wednesday luncheons. I have come to know, respect, and trust him.
If your own House member is a Republican, you will be doing something important for your country if you encourage him or her to vote for Roy Blunt. The Capitol switchboard number is (202-224-3121). No time for snail mail, and e-mail is less effective, especially when a vote is so near. Again, it is this week. Your Republican congressman needs to hear from you now.
© Wes Vernon
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