Paul Weyrich
Envisioning the House leadership
By Paul Weyrich
Last week during our Coalitions Lunch at Free Congress Foundation one of the 80-odd participants learned that Tom DeLay had been indicted in Texas and, therefore, had to step aside as Majority Leader. The wire service story suggested that Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) would appoint House Rules Committee Chairman David Drier (R-CA) as Acting Majority Leader.
One of our participants quickly drafted a letter to Speaker Hastert saying we did not want to undercut the chain of command and we supported Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) to be Acting Majority Leader. Nearly everyone signed the letter. My colleague Bob Thompson sent an E-mail message and acquired some additional signatures. Thompson forthwith hand-delivered the letter.
An hour later we learned that Speaker Hastert had named Blunt the Acting Majority Leader. I was told the next day by a senior House staffer that the letter we sent was effective. I have no evidence one way or the other. I do know the outcome. Blunt is a very able man. Chief Deputy Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) now becomes Acting Majority Whip.
What becomes of Drier? He is the liaison between the House Leadership and House Committee Chairmen. Little harm there. David Drier is no social conservative. He differs on stem cells. He differs on hate crime legislation, which again passed the House over the objection of the GOP Leadership. He differs on many issues, such as economic legislation. Quite apart from undercutting the chain of command, Dreier should not have been considered to be Acting Majority Leader, if indeed he really was. The gentleman never has been elected to a Leadership post. He is not exactly a friend of the Conservative Movement.
Blunt, on the other hand, is a solid friend. Former President of a Christian college, Blunt was elected Secretary of State of Missouri and then to Congress in 1996. Blunt's son is now Governor of Missouri and also is known as a solid conservative. For years Blunt has had an extraordinarily good relationship with the Conservative Movement. He not only explains to a sometimes doubting, sometimes even hostile, audience the reasoning behind certain leadership positions. Most important, he listens. Time and again he has heard various concerns of the Movement. He doesn't make empty promises. He tries to fix problems, such as recently when environmental groups told Blunt that a pending bill by House Resources Committee Chairman Richard W. Pombo (R-CA) was objectionable. Blunt acted so quickly that the environmental groups praised the bill and thanked Blunt for his efforts. Not only does Blunt listen. He keeps his word. On the other hand, when Blunt believes little or nothing can be done he so states.
Representative Blunt is as passionate as I am about certain issues, such as posse comitatus legislation. In fact, I am hard pressed to recall an issue about which I felt very strongly as to which Blunt felt otherwise. I recently and ardently told Blunt that Congress should not repeal the Posse Comitatus Act, which requires that military troops not be used to handle domestic issues. Were the Act repealed President George W. Bush could have the military act as a first responder in national emergencies. That is a terrible idea. Blunt already had argued the case at the White House that morning.
While I regret that Tom DeLay had to step down as House Majority Leader, House Rules require it. When some Members proposed changing the House Rules for the 109th Congress, fearing that DeLay would be indicted, there was a backlash and DeLay objected to the Rules change. However, many legal analysts believe DeLay will not be convicted. I have no way of knowing. I do wish DeLay the best. He has been the toughest and most effective Republican House Majority Leader in my political lifetime.
If Democrats think that having DeLay step aside is a huge victory they may not celebrate for long. House Republicans have a strong bench. In Blunt they will encounter someone who also is tough and effective. They will have a rising star, Representative Mike Pence (R-IN), on their bench. Pence is tough, shrewd and willing to go toe-to-toe with the House Republican Leadership. He chairs the 105-member Republican Study Committee (RSC), the caucus of House Conservatives. The Study Committee thrice has identified spending cuts which could be made to offset Katrina-Rita Hurricane relief spending.
This past week Pence met with Blunt to demand offsets for such spending. Pence insists that the Leadership must cut spending from certain federal programs to pay for the regional damage caused by these hurricanes. Blunt described his negotiations with Pence as "very fruitful."
To hear THE WASHINGTON POST tell it, Pence was taken to the woodshed by the Leadership before he spoke to a convention of young conservatives where he praised the House Leadership. That is not the whole story.
Pence told the Young America's Foundation: "Our party and its rising generation of new leaders face an age old choice: a choice between the belief in limited government and its tradition. And the siren song of the central planner who says that Big Government is good government if it is our government. The Conservative Movement is at a crossroads in America. As the Republican Party did 40 years ago, today is another time for choosing whether we are committed to the ideas of limited government, fiscal discipline and traditional moral values or whether we will continue to sacrifice those principles on the altar of preserving our governing majority. . . I believe that we will choose liberty because, despite the occasional differences of opinion, I believe in the Leadership of this Congress, men and women of integrity and principle who work every day to bring the ideals of our founders into the well of the people's house. I believe we will choose liberty because I believe in the American people. And I believe that we will choose liberty because I believe in God. And I believe as our founders did, as all of our greatest leaders did, that we are one nation under God with a purpose yet to be fulfilled." Somehow THE POST omitted that explanation from its story.
That is not precisely the language of a milquetoast. Yes, Pence praises the Leadership. Why shouldn't he? We could argue that the Leadership should do what Pence wants. In some cases the Leadership does honor his wishes. But the Leadership is pressured by approximately 125 Republican Members who are not as conservative. Pence yet doesn't have a majority but he is doing well representing House Conservatives. Keep an eye on this man.
As a former radio talk show host (yes, Representative Blunt, former Senator William L. Armstrong, President Ronald Wilson Reagan and I had that in common), Blunt knows how to engage the public. Perhaps THE WASHINGTON POST was expecting a speech ripping into the Leadership. That paper covers someone like Pence only when he attacks fellow Republicans. Pence has earned the respect of the Leadership, which is moving his way, even on spending.
One day principled Conservatives will be in the majority in the House. When that day comes, don't be surprised to find Mike Pence Speaker of the House.
© Paul Weyrich
Last week during our Coalitions Lunch at Free Congress Foundation one of the 80-odd participants learned that Tom DeLay had been indicted in Texas and, therefore, had to step aside as Majority Leader. The wire service story suggested that Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) would appoint House Rules Committee Chairman David Drier (R-CA) as Acting Majority Leader.
One of our participants quickly drafted a letter to Speaker Hastert saying we did not want to undercut the chain of command and we supported Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) to be Acting Majority Leader. Nearly everyone signed the letter. My colleague Bob Thompson sent an E-mail message and acquired some additional signatures. Thompson forthwith hand-delivered the letter.
An hour later we learned that Speaker Hastert had named Blunt the Acting Majority Leader. I was told the next day by a senior House staffer that the letter we sent was effective. I have no evidence one way or the other. I do know the outcome. Blunt is a very able man. Chief Deputy Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) now becomes Acting Majority Whip.
What becomes of Drier? He is the liaison between the House Leadership and House Committee Chairmen. Little harm there. David Drier is no social conservative. He differs on stem cells. He differs on hate crime legislation, which again passed the House over the objection of the GOP Leadership. He differs on many issues, such as economic legislation. Quite apart from undercutting the chain of command, Dreier should not have been considered to be Acting Majority Leader, if indeed he really was. The gentleman never has been elected to a Leadership post. He is not exactly a friend of the Conservative Movement.
Blunt, on the other hand, is a solid friend. Former President of a Christian college, Blunt was elected Secretary of State of Missouri and then to Congress in 1996. Blunt's son is now Governor of Missouri and also is known as a solid conservative. For years Blunt has had an extraordinarily good relationship with the Conservative Movement. He not only explains to a sometimes doubting, sometimes even hostile, audience the reasoning behind certain leadership positions. Most important, he listens. Time and again he has heard various concerns of the Movement. He doesn't make empty promises. He tries to fix problems, such as recently when environmental groups told Blunt that a pending bill by House Resources Committee Chairman Richard W. Pombo (R-CA) was objectionable. Blunt acted so quickly that the environmental groups praised the bill and thanked Blunt for his efforts. Not only does Blunt listen. He keeps his word. On the other hand, when Blunt believes little or nothing can be done he so states.
Representative Blunt is as passionate as I am about certain issues, such as posse comitatus legislation. In fact, I am hard pressed to recall an issue about which I felt very strongly as to which Blunt felt otherwise. I recently and ardently told Blunt that Congress should not repeal the Posse Comitatus Act, which requires that military troops not be used to handle domestic issues. Were the Act repealed President George W. Bush could have the military act as a first responder in national emergencies. That is a terrible idea. Blunt already had argued the case at the White House that morning.
While I regret that Tom DeLay had to step down as House Majority Leader, House Rules require it. When some Members proposed changing the House Rules for the 109th Congress, fearing that DeLay would be indicted, there was a backlash and DeLay objected to the Rules change. However, many legal analysts believe DeLay will not be convicted. I have no way of knowing. I do wish DeLay the best. He has been the toughest and most effective Republican House Majority Leader in my political lifetime.
If Democrats think that having DeLay step aside is a huge victory they may not celebrate for long. House Republicans have a strong bench. In Blunt they will encounter someone who also is tough and effective. They will have a rising star, Representative Mike Pence (R-IN), on their bench. Pence is tough, shrewd and willing to go toe-to-toe with the House Republican Leadership. He chairs the 105-member Republican Study Committee (RSC), the caucus of House Conservatives. The Study Committee thrice has identified spending cuts which could be made to offset Katrina-Rita Hurricane relief spending.
This past week Pence met with Blunt to demand offsets for such spending. Pence insists that the Leadership must cut spending from certain federal programs to pay for the regional damage caused by these hurricanes. Blunt described his negotiations with Pence as "very fruitful."
To hear THE WASHINGTON POST tell it, Pence was taken to the woodshed by the Leadership before he spoke to a convention of young conservatives where he praised the House Leadership. That is not the whole story.
Pence told the Young America's Foundation: "Our party and its rising generation of new leaders face an age old choice: a choice between the belief in limited government and its tradition. And the siren song of the central planner who says that Big Government is good government if it is our government. The Conservative Movement is at a crossroads in America. As the Republican Party did 40 years ago, today is another time for choosing whether we are committed to the ideas of limited government, fiscal discipline and traditional moral values or whether we will continue to sacrifice those principles on the altar of preserving our governing majority. . . I believe that we will choose liberty because, despite the occasional differences of opinion, I believe in the Leadership of this Congress, men and women of integrity and principle who work every day to bring the ideals of our founders into the well of the people's house. I believe we will choose liberty because I believe in the American people. And I believe that we will choose liberty because I believe in God. And I believe as our founders did, as all of our greatest leaders did, that we are one nation under God with a purpose yet to be fulfilled." Somehow THE POST omitted that explanation from its story.
That is not precisely the language of a milquetoast. Yes, Pence praises the Leadership. Why shouldn't he? We could argue that the Leadership should do what Pence wants. In some cases the Leadership does honor his wishes. But the Leadership is pressured by approximately 125 Republican Members who are not as conservative. Pence yet doesn't have a majority but he is doing well representing House Conservatives. Keep an eye on this man.
As a former radio talk show host (yes, Representative Blunt, former Senator William L. Armstrong, President Ronald Wilson Reagan and I had that in common), Blunt knows how to engage the public. Perhaps THE WASHINGTON POST was expecting a speech ripping into the Leadership. That paper covers someone like Pence only when he attacks fellow Republicans. Pence has earned the respect of the Leadership, which is moving his way, even on spending.
One day principled Conservatives will be in the majority in the House. When that day comes, don't be surprised to find Mike Pence Speaker of the House.
© Paul Weyrich
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