CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
– CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS
Jan. 31, 2009 – 2:45 p.m.
Stick to Your Guns, Steele Tells Republicans Who Opposed Stimulus
By Alan K. Ota, CQ Staff
HOT SPRINGS, Va. — Michael Steele, the new national GOP chairman, urged House Republicans at the end of their three-day retreat to stick to their stand against the $819 billion stimulus measure as they plot their strategy for the 111th Congress.
A day after he won election as RNC chairman, Steele told the gathering at the Homestead resort that the minority party had sent a strong message to President Obama by joining together to oppose the version of the stimulus passed by the House (
“This week the emphasis will shift to the Senate, and I am hoping they listen and learn from the very important message that you sent this week,” Steele told the GOP lawmakers, who had closed ranks and cast 177 “no” votes when the bill was before the House.
The bill passed, 244-188, on Jan. 28.
There are 178 members of the GOP caucus. The last remaining Republican, Ginny Brown-Waite of Florida, missed the vote while attending to a family medical emergency, but said later that she would have voted against the bill.
“I thought it was very, very important that you sent a signal, and you sent it loudly and very clearly,” Steele told the House members. “This party, the leadership of this Congress will stand first and foremost with the American people.
“And you made it very clear that in order to grow through this recession that you would not redistribute the wealth of the people of this nation, but that you would empower them to earn it, invest it, save it, and just spend it on their terms. And that is such a powerful message,” Steele said.
House GOP leaders dropped plans for making their own speeches at the end of their caucus retreat, and instead handed the rostrum over to Steele to give a pep talk.
He used the opportunity to frame an argument for new ideas that stay true to bedrock conservative principles.
“Take some bold initiatives and bold steps,” Steele told them.
“Do not be afraid. We are the conservative party of this county. And as such we’re going to stand very firmly and very squarely on that foundation of principles. But it does not mean that in order to reach out . . . to new voters and new ideas that we’re going to give up any ground in what we believe or what we stand for,” Steele said.
Steele made only a passing reference to his own family background and his new role as the African-American face of a party that opposes many of the policies of the nation’s first African American president.
“My mom was a sharecropper’s daughter with a fifth-grade education. If my mother knew how to balance budget without taking money out of my pocket, I’m sure that the rest of the folks out here on the other side should know how to do that as well,” Steele said.
Republicans are hoping Steele will inject a dose of style and energy into a party that suffered big losses last November.
Steele joked with party leaders as he worked his way through his remarks, at one point good-naturedly admonishing Pete Sessions of Texas, the new chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, to move closer to the front of the room.
“I don’t need you in back, Bro,” Steele called to him. “I need you up here because we got money to raise.”
Comments
No surprise here Republican policies trash the economy and the GOP is against ANYTHING to help the PEOPLE. Any one see any objections by the GOP when $700 billion went to Wall Street?
Why is it okay to bailout large companies and not acceptable to bailout average americans? I'm not saying (and I doubt) that the Dems. bill does much in way of helping average americans, but let's not be hypocritical.
One wonders why the Limbaugh leaning Republicans want Obama and America to fail. Do they suppose that the voters will reward them with the opportunity to pick up the pieces of our shattered dreams? They used to say, "A rising tide lifts all boats." Don't own a boat? Tough luck there.
THis guy steele is an idiot. What a TOm if I have ever seen one. He is a jerk to the 10th power. What do republicans want from america.. They have ruined the worlds economy and they want people to listen to them and what they think.. I think they should all be removed and go live with Bush and Cheney. This is a joke.. What reasons are they standing on to refuse anything opposite of their disasters. Go away GOP and Mike Steele
I believe this Steele person is crazy. Does he know that we are in this mess because of the Republicans. Republicans don't listen to him, we need to work together to get this country back together. Hopefully Republicans can relize we have some very smart people is charge now and things will definitely change for the better.
The Republican party will be the end of America as we know it. They are the ones that will destory this country.
As a resident from Maryland and an African America, I'm truely embarrased when it comes to Michael Steele. Is he the GOP's answer to Obama? They should have looked again. Sarah Palin, as a woman did nothing for the party, as will Michael Steele. He did NOTHING for the State of Maryland. The Republican party neede to get over thier sour grapes. The US is not Democrate mor Republican, its United. If we dont come together the US will slowly become a 3rd world country.
You know what! This is the very reason this country is in the shape that it's in right now, because of IGNANT (he is pass Ignorant) People Like this Steele Person and a few more others I might add.....Is he really that stupid! !!!!! Amazing!
It doesn't matter if you black or white. If you are a democrat, the republicans want to see you fail. Like many of you have said the Republicans are the reason the united states is in turmoil. Not one time did you hear any of these fools say anthing about the people that are struggling and losing their jobs. Funny because they feel that way because they're not in our shoes. They're making six figure salaries a year with no worries. So basically, you can do whatever you want to the democrats. Just don't mess up what we (Republicans) got going on. Oh yeah, that Steele dude is ignorant obviously always had things given to him.
"And you made it very clear that in order to grow through this recession that you would not redistribute the wealth of the people of this nation, but that you would empower them to earn it, invest it, save it, and just spend it on their terms. And that is such a powerful message," Steele said." What? How do you earn it with no job, How do you invest it when the market is a mess? How do you save it when you don't have enough to pay the basics? Spend what on our terms? This is a mess!
John 8:32- And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. www.TheHolyConceptionUnit.org www.TheComforter.info
what steele dosnt understand is that he dosent reprsent evey american in the u.s. and that if the gop dosent get it together then they can kiss 2016 goodbye.. and this stimulus plan dosnt have anything to do with your mother and what she did
Come on people. At least the $700 to Wall street was 1) not a giveaway, most went to buy equities and some to loans, and 2) was intended to actually help its recipients. The Obama plan is a non-stimulating give-away, a treasury raid for those with Democratic connections, a stake in the green economy, etc. 3% for transportation. 3%!!! Most of its items won't even help add jobs in the next 18 months! This is no immediate stimulus, it's pure BS. And most of you seem impressed simply because Obama is trying to do something...anything. If he's trying to do anything, it's pay off his allies and grow the power of the Federal Government. That deserves nothing but the strongest resistance. I don't want unity on the path to serfdom, I want to fight to get off of this path. Finally, a Republican leader with the willingness to publicly defend the principles that this country cannot sustain itself without.
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