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To: Sully- who wrote (17153)	1/14/2006 5:41:22 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

An Appeal from Center-Right Bloggers By Captain Ed on National Politics Captain's Quarters Note: This first appeared on the Truth Laid Bear, who has headed this effort. We are bloggers with boatloads of opinions, and none of us come close to agreeing with any other one of us all of the time. But we do agree on this: The new leadership in the House of Representatives needs to be thoroughly and transparently free of the taint of the Jack Abramoff scandals, and beyond that, of undue inlfuence of K Street. We are not naive about lobbying, and we know it can and has in fact advanced crucial issues and has often served to inform rather than simply influence Members. But we are certain that the public is disgusted with excess and with privilege. We hope the Hastert-Dreier effort leads to sweeping reforms including the end of subsidized travel and other obvious influence operations. Just as importantly, we call for major changes to increase openness, transparency and accountability in Congressional operations and in the appropriations process. As for the Republican leadership elections, we hope to see more candidates who will support these goals, and we therefore welcome the entry of Congressman John Shadegg to the race for Majority Leader. We hope every Congressman who is committed to ethical and transparent conduct supports a reform agenda and a reform candidate. And we hope all would-be members of the leadership make themselves available to new media to answer questions now and on a regular basis in the future. Signed, N.Z. Bear, The Truth Laid Bear Hugh Hewitt, HughHewitt.com Glenn Reynolds, Instapundit.com Kevin Aylward, Wizbang! La Shawn Barber, La Shawn Barber's Corner Lorie Byrd, Polipundit John Hawkins, Right Wing News John Hinderaker, Power Line Jon Henke / McQ / Dale Franks, QandO James Joyner, Outside The Beltway Mike Krempasky, Redstate.org Michelle Malkin, MichelleMalkin.com Ed Morrissey, Captain's Quarters Scott Ott, Scrappleface John Donovan / Bill Tuttle, Castle Argghhh!!! captainsquartersblog.com truthlaidbear.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17153)	1/14/2006 9:33:29 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

Shadegg for Leader The Editors National Review Online Congressman John Shadegg of Arizona has jumped into the House majority-leader race. He is a decided underdog and is taking a personal risk by voluntarily giving up his leadership slot as head of the Republican Policy Committee to pursue the majority leadership. But fortune favors the bold, and so do we. At a time of an ethical crisis, when the Republican majority often seems to have lost direction, John Shadegg is the right man to clean house and restore the GOP majority to its core principles. We endorse John Shadegg for majority leader. No one doubts Shadegg's talent or his principle. While all three contenders have conservative voting records, Shadegg is a member of the class of 1994 who never lost the conservative, reformist spirit of that watershed year. He voted against No Child Left Behind, and, more recently, against the prescription-drug bill. He has warm personal relations with the conference's moderates, and is a fresh face at a moment that cries out for one. There are three imperatives for the House GOP in the current environment that threatens its majority: Can it clean up its image? Can it reform practices that have at best made for sloppy governance and at worst contributed to corruption? And can it pursue policies that restore the trust of its political base and restore a purpose to an often direction-less majority? Shadegg is the best candidate on all counts. Of the three contenders, he is the candidate least associated with the status quo, and the cozy world of K Street. That's a good thing. After his election, the next majority leader must be able to withstand withering scrutiny from a media eager to take down another top Republican on ethical grounds. Although Shadegg — along with a bipartisan majority in Congress — has minor connections to the disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, he has never been close to K Street. When it comes to reform, Shadegg wants aggressively to push to tighten lobbying rules and — most importantly — increase the transparency of the legislative process, control earmarks, and change the antiquated budget process that favors out-of-control spending. In recent days, the other candidates, Majority Whip Roy Blunt and Rep. John Boehner of Ohio (the latter who, to his credit, is a longtime scourge of earmarks), have started a minor bidding war on reform. That's all to the good. We expect Shadegg — who just joined the campaign Friday morning — to up the ante in coming days. We believe he is the candidate most credible on reform, and most likely to carry it out if elected. On policy, the Republican conference seems to have lost its way lately. Shadegg has not. He is a conviction conservative. As he told NRO earlier this week, "We need to shrink the size of government, not grow it. We need to reform government, not manage it." A majority leader can't be a purist, of course, and, as we have often noted, it's not a lack of will or conviction alone that has created limited-government conservatism's difficulties — larger forces are at play. But given the dismaying recent drift, the top of the leadership could use an infusion of Shadegg's sort of unvarnished principle. Conservatives both inside and outside the House have complained a lot recently, because there has been much to complain about. But venting and carping have their limits. Now, there is a chance to make a real difference. Now is the time for the Republican Study Committee, the caucus of House conservatives, to stand up and be counted. The future direction, and perhaps the future existence, of the House Republican majority depends on choices that will be made in coming weeks. We are ready to cast our vote — for John Shadegg. nationalreview.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17153)	1/19/2006 1:50:43 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

John Shadegg for Majority Leader Time for change in the GOP by Townhall.com Editors Jan 18, 2006 WASHINGTON -- On February 2nd the House Republican caucus will hold elections to replace fallen Majority Leader Tom DeLay. The vote may mean the difference between a renewed and reinvigorated Republican Party and a party that is content with the failing status quo. Three candidates for the position have emerged: Roy Blunt, John Boehner and John Shadegg. Shadegg, an unassuming congressman from Arizona, clearly outshines his rivals. Shadegg is a man driven by ideas and principles; he is also free of potentially disastrous lobbying connections. With congressional approval ratings at dismal lows and public disillusionment near all time highs, the party in power -- the Republicans -- can and must change course or risk deservedly losing power by the will of the American people. The recent scandals surrounding Jack Abramoff, a growing disgust with the practice of congressional earmarking and exasperation with reckless federal spending have outraged rank and file conservatives within the Republican Party. Meanwhile, the American people wonder if this is why they sent conservatives to Washington in 1994 and defied historical voting patterns by reelecting majorities in the House and Senate in 2004. They are right to wonder. These are symptoms of a party that seems to have lost its way. Fortunately for the Republicans, an opportunity for revival is just around the corner. John Shadegg would change the way things are done on Capitol Hill. He would shed light on the insidious game of congressional earmarking by requiring members to be honest with the public about the projects that they sneak into appropriations bills. Along similar lines, Shadegg wants to require the posting of all legislation three hours before a vote so that the public can finally see what their elected representatives are up to in Washington. He also wants to lead his caucus in an effort to get tough on immigration by among other things, building a fence along the Mexican border. He would repeal the unconstitutional provisions of McCain-Feingold. He supports oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and he is rock-solid in his commitment to the War on Terrorism and finishing the job in Iraq. In John Shadegg, what you see is what you get: a man devoted to conservative principles above politics. Shadegg was part of the Republican Revolution of 1994, and unlike many others in that class he has not forsaken the ideas and principles which swept that class into the halls of Congress. To the contrary, Shadegg has fought for those principles even when they were no longer en vogue. Whether it be in his capacity as Chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee from 2000-2002 or as present Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, Shadegg has carried the mantle of 1994 ably and unapologetically. Now, in 2006, Shadegg is the last member of the class of 1994 in Republican leadership. The current mess in which Republicans find themselves begs for the wisdom and clear thinking of a principle-above-politics leader. Come February 2nd, members of the House Republican caucus will have their opportunity to cast a vote for change. We hope members of the House of Representatives do vote for change. A vote for change is a vote for another Republican revolution. This revolution, however, will be in many ways more notable than that of 1994. This revolution will be an overhaul of the Republican Party while it is still in power. This revolution will signify to the American people that the Republican Party is capable of introspection; capable of recognizing and admitting where it has drifted off course and then acting to right the ship. A vote for John Shadegg is a vote against business as usual in Washington, D.C. and a vote for a return to core Republican principles. Ten years after the 1994 Republican Revolution and near the 25th anniversary of the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, it is time for Republicans to again get serious about why they came to Capitol Hill. It is time for change. It is time for John Shadegg. townhall.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17153)	1/20/2006 2:06:51 PM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

[T]he GOP can get back on track as the party of limited but competent government, the Republican realignment of the last decade could be set in stone for a generation. The right way to reform by Jonah Goldberg townhall.com Jan 20, 2006 The Republican caucus in the House of Representatives is having an election to decide who should be the new majority leader. Who among us can contain his excitement? Because large majorities of Americans cannot name the chief justice of the United States or the speaker of the House, and roughly half can't name their own congressman, my guess is: a lot of us. But that doesn't mean that it's not a big deal. Three guys are running to be Tom DeLay's replacement. DeLay Inc., battered by a fairly bogus prosecution in Texas, was finally undone by the unfolding L'Affaire Abramoff - a real scandal. There are two overlapping stories here: what's good for the country, and what's good for the GOP. They aren't necessarily the same thing, though they could be. Let's start with the GOP. Much to the chagrin of the Democrats, congressional Republicans have gotten the message that their hold on power is threatened by the perception - not entirely undeserved - that they've become a K Street escort service. Democrats are vexed for the simple reason that, lacking any other ideas, they hoped to run on GOP "corruption" in the 2006 elections. The problem, for them, is that there's time for Republicans to fix their image before November. That's why the three candidates for majority leader are in the midst of a bidding war to prove they are the most committed to "reform." All three - Roy Blunt of Missouri, John A. Boehner of Ohio and John Shadegg of Arizona - have solid conservative voting records, so each is campaigning on who will be the most effective "reformer." I am reserving my endorsement for the candidate who, like a Yakuza henchman, agrees to lop off a pinkie on "Meet the Press" in penance for GOP overspending these last few years. No doubt many Republicans are truly committed to the cause of reform on the merits. But this seems to be the only issue in the race - and that's a good sign because it means the GOP recognizes the depth of its image problem. It's nice when politicians do stuff for the right reasons, but it's more reassuring when doing the right thing actually happens to be in their self-interest. If the GOP can get back on track as the party of limited but competent government, the Republican realignment of the last decade could be set in stone for a generation. Which brings us to what's good for the nation. "Reform" is a tricky word. It means both "improvement" and "change in shape." The media tend to get this confused - a lot - treating any rearrangement of the status quo as an improvement. You can reform Silly Putty all day, but it's still Silly Putty. One broad category of reforms involves making it harder for "lobbyists" - a term that includes everyone from the American Civil Liberties Union to the American Zoo and Aquarium Association - to influence congressmen. This includes that perennial panacea, campaign finance reform. Other ideas include banning free lunches for congressmen, cutting back on privately funded travel to swanky golf resorts and ski lodges, and restricting lobbying by ex-congressmen. This is an updating of the refrain we've heard for 30 years from the "eat your spinach" good-government types. Individually and at the margins, some of these proposals may make sense. For example, reformers are "considering" revoking the pensions of congressmen convicted of a felony committed in the course of their professional duties. (Revoking the pensions of representatives who, say, rob banks in their off hours is not on the table at this time.) But at the end of the day, these reforms overlook the fact that we've been ratcheting up such rules for 30 years and yet every few years there's another "corruption crisis." Why? Because the government keeps swatting away flies rather than cleaning out the stable. Lasting reform wouldn't come up with a new obstacle course for money to find its way into politics; it would reduce the incentive to spend money on politicians in the first place. Lobbyists would have no reason to pester and bribe a government that minded its own business. Microsoft and Wal-Mart, for example, spent virtually nothing on lobbying Washington until Washington began treating them like pinatas. Republicans have an opportunity to reform politics by reforming government. If all they do is buy into the off-the-shelf rules that created this mess in the first place, they might postpone disaster past the 2006 elections. But you can be sure we'll be back at this same spot again. Jonah Goldberg is editor-at-large of National Review Online. Copyright © 2006 Tribune Media Services townhall.com

To: Sully- who wrote (17153)	2/3/2006 12:25:37 AM
From: Sully-	Respond to of 35834

The Middle Choice By Captain Ed on National Politics Captain's Quarters The House GOP held their leadership election today, and in a decision between staying with business as usual or embracing reform, the Republicans chose a path somewhere in between the two. John Boehner of Ohio becomes the new Majority Leader of the House, beating current Majority Whip and former front-runner Roy Blunt on the second ballot: <<< Rep. John Boehner of Ohio won election Thursday as House majority leader, promising a steady hand and a helping of reform for Republicans staggered by election-year scandal. Boehner, who replaces indicted Rep. Tom DeLay of Texas, said the GOP "must act swiftly to restore the trust between Congress and the American people." He defeated Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri on a vote of 122-109 by House Republicans after trailing his rival on an inconclusive first round. >>> My preference would have been John Shadegg of Arizona, the true outsider in this race. He had no connection with the Abramoff scandal and has a sterling reputation among conservatives. He's a budget-cutter and a small-government activist. However, he has little experience with party leadership and some in the GOP had concerns about Shadegg's ability to help them get re-elected. Roy Blunt has plenty of experience in both areas and clearly expected those key abilities to carry the day; he bragged for two weeks that he already had the votes for election. However, after the first ballot proved inconclusive, it showed that Blunt was already out of touch with his caucus, who apparently decided that Blunt had too many connections to Tom DeLay and to Abramoff for their taste. So in the end, they voted for John Boehner. Boehner came to Congress just before the Gingrich Revolution and has his roots in rolling back government. Boehner also has plenty of experience in helping fellow Republicans raise money and get elected. He did well among the bloggers, most of whom praised his openness while still supporting Shadegg -- including me. However, Boehner still faces some criticism over his own connections to the Abramoff scandal, including his refusal to return $30K of campaign funds from Abramoff-represented Indian tribes, all of which came to his PAC and not to his campaigns. I like Boehner better than Blunt, although except for some tin-eared interaction with QandO, I didn't dislike any of the three candidates. However, the GOP missed an opportunity to make a bold statement on reform with this election. Shadegg had no connection to Abramoff cash despite representing a state with a large Native American population, and he represented a clean break from the past. His election as Majority Leader could have put the Democrats on the defensive and created a bullet-proof, media-friendly face to the GOP caucus. Instead, the Republicans decided on a moderate gesture towards reform, at least in terms of public relations. My congratulations still go out to Rep. Boehner. Hopefully he will pursue reform and lead the Republican caucus towards arresting the reach of government, which causes the corruption in the first place. captainsquartersblog.com news.yahoo.com