Ashton Ellis
Staff Writer
With barely a month to go before Election Day, conservative Republicans should consider the benefits of becoming the minority party in the U.S. House of Representatives. Sure, a number of ineffectual congressmen would be out of a job, and the presumptive Democratic Speaker would be San Francisco’s own Nancy Pelosi, but sometimes things must get worse before they get better. Losing control of Congress’s lower house is the only way conservative Republicans can take back their party.
Specifically, the House leadership has failed in three significant areas: ideology, integrity and ideas. Republicans came to power in 1994 with a mandate to enact the Contract with America. The Contract was an ideological statement of goals that a majority of the Republican members pledged to enact. Chief among these principles was a commitment to reducing the size of the federal government. Beginning in the year 2000 the Republican Congress abandoned this goal and passed entitlement bills for farmers, educators, seniors, drug companies and local transportation projects.
Congressional corruption scandals involving campaign finance violations, lurid sex lives, and bribes are just some of the ways the Republican Congress destroyed its credibility. Yet the worst abolition of integrity occurred in 2005 when a congressional committee subpoenaed Terri Schiavo in an attempt to “save” her from dying naturally. In spite of fourteen court rulings acknowledging her husband’s legal right to end her persistent vegetative state, Republicans such as Tom DeLay sought to score political points with well-intentioned right-to-life supporters. The deed done, Republicans were free to break their promise to push through a constitutional gay marriage ban. After all, a Congressman’s attention span is only so long.
And yet, for all the inconsistencies, the worst offense committed by the Republican leadership in Congress is the total lack of ideas. To date, there has been no floor debate about the rules of fighting an undeclared war on a method of killing (terrorism). There is no plan for curtailing the exploding budget deficit, nor is there an honest discussion about how to fix the onrushing Social Security shortfall. Like border security, each of these important issues is put on hold until after the next election.
2006 marks the third consecutive election where voters are warned to consider the alternative. OK; let’s. If a Democratic majority occurs November 7th, Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco would be the presumptive Speaker of the House. Good ole’ San Fran Nan. Such a move would foreshadow the kind of policies and political tone likely to accompany a hyper-liberal feminist agenda. Think Hillary Rodham Clinton, but with less pressure to compromise. Pelosi’s campaign Web site lists vague priorities including holding Iraqis accountable for their own security, regaining prestige abroad, and making the federal government more visible in Americans’ daily lives. Since these are essentially the goals of the current Republican Congress, why not give the Democrats a shot? At least the country would see if Pelosi & Friends are up to the challenge.
And when they fail the cycle of death and rebirth for the Republican House will be almost complete. Representatives like John Shadegg (R-Ariz.), Mike Pence (R-Ind.) and Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) are some of the bright stars waiting to shine. Shadegg and Hensarling are budget hawks; so far, Pence put forth the best plan to address the multi-faceted illegal immigrant issue.
Failure breeds revolution, and an electoral defeat in November would mean regime change for House Republicans. Sometimes the only path to victory is a tactical retreat. Here’s hoping conservatives are up to the challenge.
10-05-2006