« BACK  |  PRINT

RS

EDITOR OF REDSTATE

The White House Is Not Enough

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  June 18th, 2012 at 04:46 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Consider this Wall Street Journal editorial your must read of the day. It highlights why adding conservatives to the United States Senate is so important.

This past week, Republican in the Senate, including Mitch McConnell’s leadership picks, sat idly by saying nothing while the Senate Democrats pushed forward the nomination of Andrew Hurwitz, who helped formulate the reasoning behind Roe v. Wade while a law clerk. Hurwitz is quite fond of that bit of his legacy.

Andrew Hurwitz’s nomination could have been blocked from consideration had just one more Republican voted no.

John McCain, Jon Kyl, and Lamar Alexander all voted for cloture. Most troubling, Harry Reid slid Hurwitz’s nomination to the floor with the unexpected request of a voice vote and the Republicans present did not object. It’s a technical issue, but I will put it to you this way: both Senators and outside groups who were trying to stop Hurwitz understand that Hurwitz’s confirmation was part of a deal struck by Republican and Democrat leaders in the Senate. The GOP Senators were too scared of the “war on women” angle to pick a fight over Hurwitz. I’m sure we’ll see the GOP’s payoff in the farm bill.

Only after Hurwitz had secured the confirmation hurtle did Mitch McConnell boldly and bravely declare the GOP would shut down further judicial confirmations for the year. Leadership staff would have you believe the Hurwitz mess was just a run of the mill loss and there was no back room whispering involved and timing of the shutdown of confirmations occurring after Hurwitz was just coincidental.

Likewise, Marco Rubio helped round up votes to get Mari Carmen Aponte confirmed as ambassador to El Salvador. Ms. Aponte dated a Cuban spy for 20 years, was a director of La Raza, and she has incensed Catholics in El Salvador with her political activism in support of gay rights.

Now sixteen Senate Republican have managed to keep sugar prices high to help corporate interests, though in a time of economic recession doing so hurts American consumers and keeps prices artificially high — not to mention keeps us from having coca-cola made with real sugar unless we get the kosher or Mexican varieties.

This is why we must continue supporting Ted Cruz. Between David Dewhurst and Ted Cruz, there is no doubt Cruz will side with Jim DeMint and Dewhurst with Mitch McConnell. It’s not enough to get a Republican in the White House if we don’t have conservatives in the Senate to both help and guide a conservative agenda for America.

Tags: , , , ,

COMMENTS

POSTING RULES  |  LOGIN TO COMMENT  |  REGISTER TODAY
  • joydbrower

    I’m sick UP TO HERE with the shenanigans and under-handed dealings of the GOP-e in the US Senate! They ALL deserve a swift kick to their collective backsides and a vote out of office!! Yes, indeed, let’s hope more true Tea Party Conservatives find their way to the Senate in 2013!! Mitch McConnell actually makes me nauseus to even LOOK at him – the chinless wonder! BTW, for which position was Hurwitz being nominated?

  • moonmad

    In the larger sense not the immediate quid pro quo legislative dealings. Does McConnell et al not realize if they looked past the next PAC donation that they would be enshrined if they actually fought for conservative principles. Is their reach so short their grasp so small that they just can’t see? I’ve said of cities like Atlanta and Memphis that if they had really honest Mayors & councils the people would chain them to their offices and let them govern until they died. These senators appear smaller and sleazier every day. Rubio disappoints me. The man has less strategic vision than I do and that ain’t much.

  • MrDaveRite

    We did move the balance sheet in Indiana, perhaps in Nebraska, we have a good shot in North Dakota, and Missouri, but we MUST win in Texas! There is no excuse for sending another squish from Texas.

  • edintexas

    Will be richer by one more dedicated Leftie now.

  • spolson

    I am confident that the republicans will take over the government again this election, however, they will also fail to correct the “business as usual” They are too afraid of looking like they don’t know what they are doing to not play along. Fact is they are too worried about how they look to be who they are.

    Obama doesn’t pay any attention to the “Rules” or the laws. He makes laws and ignores the will of the people and the congress.

    Procedure and decorum are pointless if they can be ignored. Nothing can happen to you as an elected official accept not get reelected, so stand up and do what is right. Censure only means you fight for what you believe in. There are people in congress who are buffoons and criminals. Impeachment is just a mock trial. Lots of money is spent and nothing happens. So without being a criminal or an idiot their is freedom to do the right thing. There are plenty of people who do it very successful and very reelectable.

  • Worldbroker

    Confidence comes with hard work.

  • mikeymike143

    lets send jim demint some more help.

  • mikeymike143

    guess he wants a tea party primary challenger.

  • celador2

    Rubio was never more than a Bush Family protege who told a needy group of voters what they wanted to hear in a year hungry for red meat conservatism. Sound bites from rookies will do it every time if repeated enough.

    Then came fast track to super star and VP projections promoted by TV like Fox news and various pundits who claim incredibly the GOP should pick a VP like DNC do–on ethnicity,, that sort of thing. Pick a nominee on things that one was born with not earned. Rubio is Hispanic and a magic one apppaprently according to Bill OReilly claims he can lure Mexican Hispanics to the GOP if the VP nominee.

    Not without a price. And DNC lite never makes it, does it?.

    Rubio works on an amnesty bill with Democrats that Romney–now that Romney has won nominaton—will study closely.. Romney is ready to go with a path to citizenship too, just watch. The Obama amnesty is over a million and all family members get a ride too. Its overwhelming and growing to have that many new future voters in one batch of immunities from deportation. Legal immigrants are far fewer and wait in line for years. Not Mexicans or Hispanics.

    From what I hear among pundits the only way to win Hispanics is do what the Democrats do. Rubio is that man.

  • celador2

    If Sen Rubio is not crowned VP and remains in US Senate to finish his first term his tea party challenger has my full support.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    describe any work permits issued to young illegals as not worth the paper they are written on.

  • celador2

    Andrew Hurwitz ‘s confimationwas worthy of a top priority filibuster. As a mouthliece and framer of abotion on demand he has designed the abortion-life debate legal line that has been front and center for forty years.

    Any Republican who would not put up a fight to stop progress on the Hurwitz nomination is unworthy to serve as a Republican. Has the party platform no meaning anymore? It is all we the people have to express our strong feelings and views to which we aspire.

    My feelings are that if the Republican collaborators who let Hurwitz move on when they could have stopped him, will not stand their ground on life they should get out of the way.

    There are many on the front lines of conservatism who want to step up.

    .

  • rizkymom

    I can see how the GOP would consider this appointment – I am sure the 9th circuit could not get any further left. It is maintaining the status quo. There is not much damage that could be done by another leftist nut job on that court!

  • ironmike76

    In a nation where one fiery speech in 2004 can result in a presidency; why not The Rube? He learned an important lesson about the superficiality of the American people – and ran with it. As a popular well-spoken TEA Party (Catholic, Hispanic) Republican; all the doors were open to him. Apparently, the Repubs aren’t any better at vetting their candidates than the Dems. Anybody with a line and a look can be President of the United States and “leader of the free world” within 5 years.

    Ain’t Amerika GREAT?

  • rabun1016

    If you are not trying to find good candidates – not student politicians who revel in popularity – you are part of the problem.

    Guys like McConnell and Boehner get elected because people of greater depth and character are not persuaded to run for office. It’s rare for a GOOD CANDIDATE to willingly run for office with first receiving strong outside encouragement. Most good candidates have friends and family and who wants to give that up for Wash DC unless you are a megalomaniac? But, without good people, our nation suffers mightily.

    It took me a while to realize that poor politicians result from the absence of healthy competition, same as any business. And then republicans like McConnell get in and they become as entrenched as any Teamster boss. Now I spend a lot of time trying to talk good people into running for office, and helping those who do have character get their message across, usually in local contests. We have met the enemy and he is us.

  • rabun1016

    line five, poor editing. sorry.

  • Common_Cents

    It doesn’t take many people to take over the party from the ground up, recruiting local, state, national candidates. The local parties, state/national delegates is where it’s at. You wonder why the establishment doesn’t tell you about it? They don’t want to be challenged, they just want your money and your vote, they don’t want you to get involved. Which is precisely what we all need to do. Read everything COLDWARRIOR has posted.

  • celador2

    The Senate had fallen into a trap of accepting judicial hereditary dynasty as an excuse to confirm Mr Roe v Wade. There is a general agreement that uber liberals are entitled to sit upon that bench. That status quo need to be shaken.
    .

    I disagree with entitlement. No court has its own anything. They are appointed as openings arise seat by seat. A Circuit is not a fraternity or sorority or supper club at Harvard.

    The 9th is vast and it covers a coservative land as large as any circuit in US. I want to see conservatives and moderates placed on that bench for the good of the states who must endure the jurisdiction and to show the current ideological judical legislators do not own that bench. If a judge is appointed and does not get along with 9th judges in place, GOOD NEWS! The 9th need more mainstream federal judges.

    Fallout—

    Hurwitz is now moved up a notch in legitimacy and credibility. And he is in the radar for Supreme court material. He made it there by a bipartisan vote to the 9 th Circuit court of Appeals June, 2012.

    That seat could sit vacant until ……

  • rightlane1111

    “Of his proposal Rubio said, “I think I’ve found significant support for it, both in my own party and hopefully with some Democrats, that allows us to address the issue of these kids in a humanitarian way, that allows us to recognize that what we want to do is give these kids a chance to get right what their parents got wrong, but not do it in a way that incentivizes people to do this in the future, and doesn’t undermine our legacy as a nation of laws.”

    “Will your plan give amnesty?” asked O’Donnell.

    “No, it’s not an amnesty plan,” Rubio replied. “The plan basically would award the kids who meet a certain criteria – they got here by a certain age, have lived here, graduated from high school, don’t have a criminal record, want to go to college – they get what, in essence, is a student visa, and thereafter, a work visa.

    “And after some period of time, probably 10 years, we would then allow them to access the immigration system just like any non-immigrant visa holder in the United States would. … So they’d be no worse off than anybody else, but no better off, either. No special path. Just the same path as everyone else.”
    ******************************************************************
    Why is it that when a Republican comes up with an idea…The Republicans “help” the DNC and Obama with talking points? Why?

    Rubio is a Rube? How does one come to that conclusion. Read the posts…first someone accuses him of being in the pocket of the Bushes….(that’s country club Republican…in case nobody has informed any of you), then we have him being a “rube”…a “HICK”….YES…I looked it up. Are we all taking lessons from Obama now and dividing ourselves?

    If we do not continue to unite within this party…katie bar the door with four more years of Obama.

    Look…Romney said he would put the fence up. OK…let’s push for that through our representatives when he is elected to make sure somebody does it…FINALLY.

    With the posters on the board…tell me, how do you propose to deport ALL ILLEGALS…ALL…I SAID…because you do not want them in the country…without having a verification system…whether that be applying for a VISA? Do you think that our government the way it is structured is going to allow the deportation of these people randomly. Heck..look at the problem Jan Brewer is having in Arizona…and they are suspected of a crime and Holder sues the state.

    Reality. So…if the child has to apply for the VISA…which under Rubio does not give that person amnesty…do you think…just maybe that the child is required to disclose the situation with parents? Ever fill out a HIPPA form…you know what I mean…they want everything but your “blood”.

    We have a problem, the problem is ongoing, nobody has put up the fence, we have no way of tracking the people….AND THE HICK wants to go through Congress instead of Executive Fiat…and all we can do is call him names. So…I ask…where are your solutions…and how come nobody has heard of them?

    Please copy and paste this: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jun/17/curl-obama-a-domestic-enemy-of-the-us-constitution/?page=all#pagebreak

    I read in that article that Napolatano (sp) has now decided…not the Congress to allow them to stay until they are 30.

    One of my suggestions on the above is this…THIS IS NOT AN EXECUTIVE BRANCH DECISION…This needs to go through Congress and OUR ESTEEMED LEADERS, i.e., McConnell and Boehner need to open their mouths….and it would be a little helpful if ROMNEY were more definitive….meaning clear cut and understandable.

    Rubio was at least trying to address the issue the way it should be done. What happened…Obama upstaged him. Will it have blow back…sure…but we better make sure that Illegals are not given voting rights…but then…have no fear…Eric Holder is in charge of that matter.

  • mizzou1776

    Exactly: now please back that up with a contribution to the Senate Conservative Fund that Senator DeMint started to the dismay of soft GOP go-along’s. Most are not RINO’s, just weak followers. You can make your cheque out to the campaign for Cruz but it helps the effort to add Conservatives long term if you go through the SCF. I also made an open-ended contribution to SCF as I know Jim DeMint bucked the false faced Senate culture & called out the GOP!

  • rabun1016

    Good writing.

  • mikeymike143

    and we are the ones who put him in office.