THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
An Online Journal of Political Commentary & Analysis
Volume XII, Issue # 106, June 23, 2010
Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
Government Committed to & Acting in Accord with Conservative Principles
Ensures a Nation's Strength, Progress, & Prosperity
ARE ESTABLISHMENT REPUBLICANS ALLERGIC TO LEADERSHIP?
By Christopher G. Adamo
AMERICAN POLITICS & THE SORRY STATE OF REPUBLICAN PARTY LEADERSHIP IN THE U.S. CONGRESS: FAILURE OF
HOUSE MINORITY LEADER JOHN BOEHNER & HOUSE MINORITY WHIP ERIC CANTOR TO STAND ON PRINCIPLE -- THE
REPUBLICAN LEADERS'
WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT THE JUDGEMENT OF THE LEFTWING LIBERAL POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT & ITS MEDIA ALLIES &
THEREBY UNDERMINE THE POSITION OF THEIR OWN PARTY ON CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES -- HELPING TO PUT A VENEER OF
VIRTUE ON THE POLITICKING OF BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA & THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY -- WEAKENING THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY'S POSITION IN THE UPCOMING CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS OF 2010
FULL STORY:
On January 2, 1995, after eighteen days of a budget standoff between the new
Republican congressional majorities and President Bill Clinton, Senate
Majority Leader Bob Dole uttered his infamous “Enough is enough!”
capitulation, essentially sounding the death knell of the short-lived
“Republican Revolution.” Under the leadership of Dole, along with House
Speaker Newt Gingrich (Republican - Georgia), the Republicans were on the cusp of a major
redirection in the role and scope of the federal government. But
unfortunately, they were not up to the task.
Clinton had vetoed the Republican passed 1995 budget on account of its
scaling back of government programs, and the Republicans had refused to pass
any new measure, effectively shutting down the government. Media pressure on
the Republicans was fierce, with nightly stories of the hardships and
deprivations faced by government workers and their families as a result of
the cruel Republican tactics. Eventually, the pressure got to Dole and his
minions, and they fashioned a retreat strategy. In the end, Bill Clinton got
what he wanted.
A critical aspect of that sorry episode, which is rarely ever discussed, is
that, up until the very day of Dole’s surrender, Clinton’s popularity ratings
had dropped like a rock, and were in fact at the lowest point of his entire
first term. But once the Republicans backed down, they essentially accepted
responsibility for the whole fiasco. And, from that point on, it was their
own approval ratings that took an enormous hit, while Clinton and the
congressional Democrats rebounded.
Bill Clinton made an enormous gamble, and it paid off handsomely. Though the
GOP officially retained majority status for eleven more years, the
“Republican Revolution” of 1994 was never the same, and ultimately
dissipated into bloated budgets, new entitlements, and the implementation of
unconstitutional legislation such as the McCain-Feingold campaign finance
“reform.”
The lesson of that sorry episode has apparently still not been driven home
with the GOP, as evidenced by the abominable actions of House Minority
Leader John Boehner (Republican - Ohio) and Minority Whip Eric Cantor (Republican - Virginia) this past
week. When presented with an opportunity to properly characterize the thug
tactics of the Obama political machine, Boehner and Cantor chose, instead, to
revert to the abysmal fawn and grovel strategy of the invertebrate wing of
the GOP. And, to nobody’s great surprise, it is working just as badly for
them this time around as it always has.
Congressman Joe Barton (Republican - Texas), who is the ranking member of the House
Committee on Energy and Commerce, took grave exception to Barack Obama’s
mishandling of the Gulf oil spill, and, in particular, his unconstitutional
seizure of assets from British Petroleum to the tune of $20 billion.
Recognizing the unprecedented nature of Obama’s demand for massive sums of
money, rather than focusing any effort towards how the U.S. government might
possibly work with BP to stop the leak, Barton properly derided the
situation as a “shakedown” of the corporation. He even went so far as to
apologize to BP.
Of course, the entire Leftwing political/media establishment immediately
went ballistic, which is the exact reaction to expect when their treacherous
intentions have been so clearly illustrated for the American public. While
diligently preventing workable efforts and solutions from being implemented,
and, instead, letting them smother under bureaucratic entanglements, Obama and
his cronies jumped on the catastrophe as a means of amassing more money for
who knows what purpose. Meanwhile, to the detriment of those living on the
Gulf coast, the oil continues to flow.
With America on the precipice of a major congressional shakeup this Fall,
Boehner and Cantor could have helped to properly frame this situation as yet
another example of a Democratic administration that clearly cares more about making
political gains than it does about the well-being of the American people.
But this would have required them to stay on message, stand for their
principles, and brave the manufactured media firestorm. And, once again, they
quickly revealed that they were not up to the task. Instead, they turned on
Barton with a vengeance. In so doing, they validated the claims of Barton’s
attackers, while helping to put a veneer of virtue on the politicking and
extortion by Barack Obama.
Sadly, in the face of possible retribution from the Republican leaders,
including threats of losing his committee chairmanship, Barton backed down,
instead of remaining firm and publicly daring Boehner and Cantor to punish
him for telling the truth.
Once again, Republicans who should be standing on principle are accepting
the judgment of the Liberal political establishment and its media cronies.
In their insipid attempts to limit the “damage” they were told would result
from Barton’s statements, Boehner and Cantor have maximized Democratic Party
political gain from the situation, by validating the contentions of the
political Left. Thus, the political Right needlessly loses credibility while the
“shakedown” is legitimized.
It is senseless to attempt to justify the actions of Boehner and Cantor on
the basis that public opinion polls reveal a majority of the American people
to be outraged at BP. The standard operating procedure should be no mystery
by now. At any given moment, public opinion is driven by media coverage. At
this juncture, the standard media presentation is that Obama is a saint, who
is coming to the rescue of the beleaguered coastal region. Yet, the facade is
crumbling. And when it does, all of Obama’s antics, including the shakedown
of BP, will be seen in their true light. It is appalling that Boehner and
Cantor have so completely forfeited this chance to demonstrate the ugly
nature of the Obama administration.
From a standpoint of political strategy, the situation is inexplicable. But
Washington often works in strange ways. Given the stakes in this year’s
upcoming elections, one has to wonder if Boehner, Cantor, and their kind
could possibly prefer to enjoy the perks of prominence among the minority
party, rather than to be burdened with the responsibilities and political
“lightning rod” status that comes with majority party leadership.
LINKS TO RELATED TOPICS:
American Politics, Political Competition, & the Control of
Public Policy: Elections, Political Parties, Political Factions,
Ideologies, Special Interest Groups, & Political Corruption
American Government & the U.S. Congress:
Congressional Legislative Politics & National Public Policy
The American Political System:
Politics & Government in the U.S.A.
The American Political & Cultural Left:
Liberals, Statists, Socialists, Marxists, & Other Leftists:
The Democratic Party, Academia, & the Mainstream Media
Christopher G. Adamo is a freelance writer who has been active in Wyoming politics
for many years. Contact information, along with his archives, can be found at
www.chrisadamo.com
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THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
An Online Journal of Political Commentary & Analysis
Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
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Conservative Government Ensures a Nation's Strength, Progress, & Prosperity