Is There a Backbone in the House?
By Bobby Eberle
June 27, 2005
The proverbial smoke is once again pouring from my computer. Am I alarmed? No. The computer meltdown is not being caused by a virus or some other sneaky gremlin, but rather by the heated temperature of the e-mails from irate readers across the country -- loyal Republicans and strong conservatives. The elevated blood pressures are driven by a sense of hopelessness. Conservatives want results, and the lack of action by our Republican majority is wearing down the faithful. Republican leaders are wandering aimlessly with no backbone to fight for issues and no resolve to hold Democrats accountable. Are Republicans really in the majority? Read any of the scores of e-mails in my inbox, and the answer would appear to be "no."
From judicial nominees and the Social Security debate to framing the war in Iraq and immigration, Republicans need to stand up and lead. Time and time again, the Democrats are able to block, obstruct, delay, and spin an issue in such a way that the Republicans are left spinning in the wind, unsure of what to do next. That rumbling you're feeling is not another California tremor -- it's the conservative base becoming angrier by the day.
A perfect example is the debacle in judicial nominations. For years, a group of qualified nominees for the federal bench has languished under the continued and unprecedented use of the Senate filibuster to prevent an up or down vote. President Bush made numerous public statements saying that all judicial nominees who have been voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee deserve a vote before the full Senate.
However, the so-called "deal" brokered by seven Republican senators is a slap in the face of the president and shows that Republicans won't stand and fight. First, Republicans failed to stand together as a caucus. There was no leadership and no coherent strategy. If Republicans in the senate could have just stuck together, they could have changed the rules to prevent the Democrats from using the filibuster on judicial nominees, but, of course, they didn't.
In addition, the "deal" violates President Bush's core statement of all nominees deserving an up or down vote. When the deal was first announced, a flood of e-mail started hitting my inbox from angry readers. In frustration, I fired off an e-mail to an associate at the National Republican Senatorial Committee saying that it appears certain judges will be cast aside in order for others to receive a vote. I was assured via both phone and e-mail that that was not the case and all nominees would receive an up or down vote.
Within just a few days after the deal was announced, senators confirmed on several news programs that some nominees would be "casualties" of the deal. Was there a statement of outrage from the White House? No. The deal went through, and all it showed was that Republicans could not exert the leadership that conservatives across the country are expecting.
Another example is that of border security and illegal immigration. Republicans are supposed to be tough on terror, but when it comes to the thousands of miles of unprotected borders, Republicans are playing politics while the security of America is at stake. To fight a real war on terror, government officials must make it as tough as possible for terrorists to enter the country illegally. Yet, whenever some Republicans come forward and talk about fighting illegal immigration and increasing border security, other Republicans are backing down under fear of being called "racist" or "insensitive."
Perhaps Republican legislators need to increase the calcium in their diets so they can grow a backbone. Instead of the image of tough legislators fighting for conservative values and issues, the images that come to mind more often than not when thinking of Republicans in Washington are those of a family of jellyfish. Democrats go on the attack, and Republicans back down. The American people have picked the Republicans as the party to lead this country. Republicans control the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. Despite this control, Republicans more often display fear rather than leadership.
The remarks of Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) and the lack of outrage expressed by Republicans also have grassroots conservatives voicing their dismay. Sen. Trent Lott, the former majority leader of the U.S. Senate, lost his leadership position for comments much less serious or inflammatory than Sen. Durbin's, yet the constant calls for resignation or censure by the Democrats took their toll, and Sen. Lott stepped down. Sen. Durbin, in comparing actions by U.S. soldiers to those of Hitler and Pol Pot, did serious damage to the morale of our troops and also provided the enemy with much-desired propaganda ammunition. Sen. Durbin's so-called "apology" fell woefully short of being sincere, yet Republicans have let the issue go with little more than a mild protest. Republicans should hold the Democrats to the same standards as the Democrats hold Republicans. These "leaders" must end the constant routine of putting their tails between their legs whenever the heat is on.
Grassroots conservatives have put in hundreds of thousands of hours to help get these officials elected, and it's time that these Republicans delivered. What's next? A liberal nominee put forward as a Supreme Court justice just so the Democrats won't get mad? Deals and compromises can only go so far, and too often, it's the conservative grassroots activists who end up on the short end of the stick. It's time for Republicans in Washington to stand up and fight or step aside and let new conservative leaders do it.
(2) the party faithful view the White House as too timid in response to the judicial nominee deal that was struck; and
(3) this is a beautiful quote from a faithful Republican and should be used as an admission in Democrats' campaign ads in 2006: "when it comes to the thousands of miles of unprotected borders, Republicans are playing politics while the security of America is at stake."
I am interested in hearing everyone's thoughts on this. It certainly made me take heart that Republicans feel impotent and weak right now.
