Redstate

You beat me to it. I would have been slightly nicer, but no quarrel with this.

The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC. I've been usurped!

Regardless of what you think of him on other issues, how many people here think that McCain would have caved on earmarks the way Bush did? Be honest.

John S. McCain III
We've come a long, long way together/Through the hard times and the good
I have to celebrate you, baby/I have to praise you like I should

Unfortunately, President Bush has it.

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Freedom of Religion not Freedom from Religion

Just lame...that's all. Sigh.

At least one more election cycle.

Unfortunately.

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Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.

that will get the politicians out of the money. At least with money, you know what you have. If we get money out of politics, we're left only with politicians!

This isn't directly related to what appears to be a missed opportunity at any pretense of fiscal responsibility by POTUS... but the reason why it is even an issue is the encrusted, arrogant, self-serving, small minded, power hungry Congress.

Let's term limit these pillars of manure and rid our lexicon of the term "career politician".

Is there a phrase that sickens more severely than that one?

If I ran my business like congress ran this country, I would be humiliated, broke, drunk, disgraced, and hopefully unemployed.

President Bush is now my number 2 behind Jimmy Carter as the worst President of my lifetime and is probably a fairly high number historically. Perhaps it's bitterness at what might of been but I'm just plain disgusted.

What the hell is going on out here? - Vince Lombardi

If you have the nerve to veto SCHIP, don't wimp out on this. Come on.

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It's Congress that's desperate to pass a stimulus package that focuses on rebates that don't work. Milton Friedman showed this and even Democrat economists like Blinder have found the same thing.

Rather, I think Bush should unilaterally index capital gains to inflation (which he can), zero out the extra-legislative earmarks (which he can), and tell the Congress to come up with something meaningful.

Blunt never seems to fail to disappoint.

in Congress is undoubtedly telling GWB that his prohibiting them from "bringing home the bacon" will cost them seats in the election. He has never been willing to cross whatever passed for R leadership in Congress.

In Vino Veritas

See my take on it at my blog, Save The GOP, here:
http://www.savethegop.com/2008/01/22/bush-likely-to-cave-on-earmarks/

"Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more; you should not wish to do less" - Robert E. Lee

on Capitol Hill. Small, even medium sized outcries I could accept, but huge outcries would break my spirits. George must feel the same way. Compassionate Corruption or Compassionate Cowardice, either way George is a chip off the old man's block.
Kinder, gentler or New tone, it's worked out the same way and neither Bush will be remembered or thanked by the scoundrels they caved to. Damn sad.

"a man's admiration for absolute government is proportinate to the contempt he feels for those around him". Tocqueville

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/2008/01/despite_blog_sup...

Despite Blog Support, Flake Bid a Long-shot

Every so often, the liberal or conservative blogospheres will get excited and mobilized to make something happen that probably never will. Such is the case with the growing movement to get Arizona Rep. Jeff Flake (R) onto the House Appropriations Committee.

Flake -- the House's best known scourge of spending earmarks and the Appropriations panel in general -- is making a play to get onto the committee, hoping to take the slot vacated recently when Rep. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) was appointed to fill Trent Lott's (R) Senate seat.

Flake's bid has stirred up significant support on conservative blogs like Captain's Quarters, Townhall.com and PoliPundit. There's a Facebook page devoted to his candidacy, and this site hatched by the conservative group FreedomWorks specifically to promote his effort.

There's just one problem: Flake's chances are very, very slim, no matter how many bloggers he has in his corner.

For all his popularity at the GOP grass-roots level and his close identification with the fiscal conservative cause, Capitol Briefing has heard repeatedly over the years from members and staff alike that Flake has a significant number of fellow House Republicans who simply don't like him.

Flake doesn't see it that way, and he told Capitol Briefing last week he was optimistic about his chances.

"I think they're improving all the time because the longer we're here, the the more tired we are of being in the minority," he said.

The typical case for Flake made in the blogosphere is that, as Red State puts it, his candidacy presents GOP leaders with a "great opportunity to prove they are serious about earmark reform and a conservative approach to spending. It's time to put some action behind their rhetoric."

Under the scenario painted by his blog supporters, if Republicans hand the seat to one of Flake's competitors -- who include Rep. Tom Cole (Okla.), the GOP's campaign chief -- it means the party isn't really committed to spending less money and getting rid of earmarks.

But it's not just appropriators and other big spenders who have had their problems with Flake over the years. GOP leaders, even conservative ones, have grumbled that Flake enjoys criticizing his own party and attracting the media limelight too much. And members who have had their projects targeted by Flake before as part of the Arizonian's "Egregious Earmark of the Week" series probably haven't forgotten.

Panel assignments are doled out by the House Republican Steering Committee, which includes members of the leadership, prominent committee chairmen and an eclectic group of rank-and-file members who represent various regions of the country and levels of seniority. Steering makes its recommendations, which must then be ratified by the full House Republican Conference.

The Steering meeting to fill the empty Appropriations slot hasn't yet been scheduled. Is it possible that Steering will vote give Flake the seat? Sure, it's possible, but given how many leaders, current appropriators and party-line committee chairmen there are on the panel, Flake's chances simply aren't good.

And could the full GOP Conference decide to overrule Steering if it votes to give the seat to someone else instead of Flake? Again, anything is possible. But Capitol Briefing definitely wouldn't bet on it.

Now that doesn't mean conservative blogs shouldn't agitate for Flake, even if they're unsuccessful, because GOP members will take notice. For the same reason, liberal blogs should keep up their campaign for impeachment, even if it's not going to happen.

"I think it helps," Flake said of the blogosphere's support for his bid. Asked for an example of when blogs helped shift the debate on an issue in Congress, he cited last year's fight over immigration reform.

But while that debate took place out in the open and an increasing number of lawmakers are paying attention to blogs, the Appropriations contest is one that will be decided the old-fashioned way -- by a secret vote, on paper, behind closed doors. No bloggers allowed.

By Ben Pershing | January 21, 2008; 7:40 PM ET GOP Leaders , House , Purse Strings

we all know he's a big spender that will do nothing on illegal immigration, but he's even making it an easier road for Hillary to the white house(let alone paving it with gold for Obama).

All he has to do is just hold the line for one year for spending increases, keep pushing tax cuts and make some notable deportations of criminal illegal aliens and maybe the GOP could get someone in that might do something(i.e. romney, rudy); but he's going to sail out on the happy feeling off bringing home troops as victors; while leaving the homefront they come do a mess.

Dammit George, you cant lose now; be a conservative for once !

“The American Republic will endure until politicians realize they can bribe the people with their own money.”

I believe Rudy is the best of the candidates and most electable. In this campaign the republican won't just be taking on the democrat, but also the media. This cannot be forgotten and is going to be crucial.

Rudy is the only one I see who will "hit them in the mouth" sort of speak.

No media outlet will carry our water for us like they will for Obama (he is going to be the nominee), and we need a candidate that will pull no punches with the press. He doesn't get defensive and he will attack. Do you think McCain, Romney, or Huckabee have the fortitude for this? I'm not so sure.

Rudy will appoint strict constructionist judges; fight an aggressive war on terror; restrain spending and cut taxes. This is my litmus test for president and I think its time to rally around the best of the candidates who can win.

Loved this part:

Lawmakers, including the House Republican whip, Roy Blunt of Missouri, have cautioned the White House that a furor over earmarks could upend Mr. Bush’s hopes for cooperation with Congress on other issues, including efforts to revive the economy.

Cuz, ya know, earmarks are waaaaaayyyyyy more important than the economic welfare of the average citizen. At least to politicians (spit).

These politicians only care about keeping their jobs. Just like a mule, the way to get their attention it to hit them over the head with a 2x4. We need to primary the ones who are squishy and replace them with real conservatives.

...Bush is a failing president.

1. McCain
2. Thompson
3. Giuliani