Republican “Austerity”

    So, let me get this straight… After all the back and forth, pledges, promises, tough fiscal talk and discussions of shutdown… Republicans have agreed to pass another short term CR with a few billion dollars in cuts – all being jammed through tonight by voice vote and basically sight-unseen (classic Washington transparency). This to get us to next week. Then, Republicans are likely going to | Read More »

    The Republican Message on Spending Matters

    Rumor has it that House GOP freshmen and the conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC) led by Jim Jordan beat the snot out of House Republican leadership and that the leadership is working on getting to $100 billion in cuts. If that happens, it is great news – but there remains a big problem. The problem is that by being so timid, Republicans are making their | Read More »

    “Right Now, Not Next Year, But Now”

    Congressional Republicans are breaking their pledge to cut spending “right now, not next year, but now.” Yet, the editors of National Review today, while swooning over the latest budget proposal of Paul Ryan (R-WI), lauded the House GOP for an “actual honest-to-God reduction in federal outlays of $32 billion.” How about we take a look at this with an honest-to-God perspective and the ability to | Read More »

    Just Cut It Already

    Many of us didn’t even like the Republican “Pledge” to America. But there they were, those bastions of Republican leadership promising this and that (because what we need from politicians are more promises). Well, they promised to save $100 billion in spending in the first year. But suddenly, they’re debating what the definiton of the word “year” is, and whether we should “annualize” the cuts | Read More »

    Ted Cruz Makes it a New Game for U.S. Senate in Texas

    This morning, former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz announced via a blogger conference call that he is a candidate for the United States Senate. This is great news. Really great news. It is great news for those of us who recognize the need for new leadership in our nation, and the need to elect actual, proven, limited government, Constitution-respecting conservatives – especially from states like | Read More »

    The Establishment vs. the People, Texas Style

    We often focus our frustration on the Washington establishment – and for good reason. But state and local establishment is also very much alive and well. Texas, notwithstanding its generally conservative environment, is no exception. The race for Texas Speaker of the House is a key test for newly elected Republicans in the state. Will they stand with the people of Texas or will they | Read More »

    Will House Republicans Grow a Pair And Oppose The Tax “Deal?”

    In the wake of yesterday’s indefensible 81-19 vote in the Senate to spend hundreds of billions of dollars that we do not have in exchange for temporary tax rate extensions we could have achieved anyway or the lapsing of which could have been plopped in the lap of the President, we are left hoping that Republicans in the House of Representatives will stand up and | Read More »

    The Point – Doubling Down on Freedom

    Much will be made about last night’s election. Massive Republican gains across the board will properly be celebrated by some, but countered by others who think those gains might have been more if we’d just chosen the “right” candidates. You see, to some in the Washington establishment – only they are smart enough to know who the right candidate is. We must have candidates who | Read More »

    What Better Way to Signal the World You “Get It?” – Hire Washington Insiders!

    So, expecting to pick up a number of seats by “newbies,” what do GOP leaders in Washington want to ensure? They want “GOP insiders to staff outsiders,” according to Roll Call. Eric Cantor’s staff added, “There’s a lot of important work to get done right out of the gate, so it’s important that newly elected Republicans have access to experienced, competent staff so that they | Read More »

    The Pledge to Nowhere

    I want Republicans to win. But not just for the sake of it. It is not enough simply to get power. Republicans must demonstrate that they actually understand why they were sent home in 2006 and 2008, and that they are 100% committed to changing the direction of Washington now that America seems poised to give them another chance. Fail to do that and the | Read More »