CQ TODAY PRINT EDITION
– CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS
Feb. 6, 2009 – 6:53 p.m.
GOP Moderates See Political Benefits in Opposing Obama’s Economic Agenda
By Alan K. Ota, CQ Staff
President Obama’s enviable poll numbers have yet to persuade moderate House Republicans to back key parts of the new administration’s economic agenda.
The moderates are more worried about the pressures from their right, where the Republican Study Committee is taking names and conservatives are raising the prospect of primary challenges, than about potential fallout from opposing a popular president.
No Republican voted for the Obama-backed economic stimulus package (
GOP leaders say they are less worried about defections now than they were during the departed Bush administration. And they see moderate Republicans as offering a good chance of unseating Democrats in marginal districts.
Having failed so far to draw moderate Republicans into the fold on major economic initiatives, and facing possible defections by fiscally conservative “Blue Dog” Democrats, Obama pivoted last week away from offering carrots like White House invitations or opportunities to offer amendments. During a Feb. 5 speech to House Democrats at their retreat in Williamsburg, Va., the president reverted to campaign-style rhetoric.
Rep. Charlie Dent , R-Pa., was unmoved by such warnings. “In this environment, both parties seem to be appealing to their bases. Centrists must carefully weigh each issue,” he said. “I’m more fiscally conservative than most Democrats. That reflects my district.”
Dent and Rep. Fred Upton , R-Mich., were guests at Obama’s Super Bowl party at the White House on Feb. 1, and they were among a dozen moderates hosted last month by Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel .
So far, Obama has little to show for his charm offensive. Dent, Upton and their allies in the 33-member, moderate Republican Main Street Partnership opposed the House-passed stimulus legislation, disagreed with the release of an additional $350 billion in bailout funding for the finance industry and are signaling possible opposition to other big pieces of his agenda.
David King, a lecturer in public policy at Harvard University, said Obama is forcing GOP centrists to perform a balancing act. “They know they are most likely to face challenges from the right. So they must protect their right flank, especially on economic issues,” King said.
But there may still be room for cooperation on other issues. “There’s areas for collaboration on education, on health care and embryonic stem cell research,” Dent said.
GOP Leaders Confident
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GOP leaders say they are confident that moderate Republicans will be less likely to defect as members of the opposition party. “We no longer have to worry about being blamed for all of the problems of the president and his administration. Now, it’s the moderate Democrats who have to worry about that,’’ said Rep. Mark Steven Kirk , R-Ill.
In firming up the party line against Democratic spending bills, a new financial rescue package and administration budget priorities, GOP leaders invite their troops to consider the example of moderate freshman Lynn Jenkins , R-Kan. She defeated former Rep. Jim Ryun (1996-2007) in a GOP primary, then ousted Democratic incumbent Nancy Boyda (2007-09), a Blue Dog ally, by labeling her a big spender.
“I promised I would be tight-fisted,’’ Jenkins said. “The bills I’m seeing from Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats are not tight-fisted at all.”
Kevin McCarthy of California, the House GOP’s chief deputy whip, has led a push to recruit tough-minded moderates like Jenkins to oppose Democrats in divided districts. “We’re going to find the best candidates that represent their districts. There won’t be a litmus test,’’ he said.
But while McCarthy hunts for moderate candidates, the conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC) — which includes more than 100 of the 178 House Republicans — has called for enforcing party unity on big issues and has hinted at retribution against defectors.
Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas, a former RSC chairman, fired a warning shot of sorts by ousting moderate Judy Biggert of Illinois from the top GOP slot on the Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit. Hensarling denied that his move was part of an RSC campaign to nudge moderates aside. “I just wanted one of the subcommittees. That’s all,” he said.
But another senior GOP lawmaker said, “The change shows who is running things in our caucus. It’s not the centrists.”
Biggert, who was given the top GOP seat on another Financial Services subcommittee, declined to comment on the shift but said her later vote against the stimulus package was not the result of RSC pressure.
Party leaders say they want to give moderates high-profile jobs and will allow them to defect on some issues. They point to the recent choice of Jo Ann Emerson of Missouri as the top Republican on the Financial Services Appropriations Subcommittee.
“We in our party are working on a strategy of inclusion, not exclusion,” said Minority Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia, an RSC member. “Not anyone is disqualified from getting any job because of their position on an issue.”
Comments
obama is More like a Copperhead to me than Lincoln
NO I do not think the Republicans are gaining benefits from their garbage about Democrats spending--- there is egg on their face they NEVER spoke up to Bush about spending and with a governing voice they put our country in this mess. anyone who backs their sick comments (as usual) are not patriotic or a chirstian-- that's what they spued about Democrats who didn't kiss up to them--
I agree with Jim. I don't consider conservative Republicans patriotic or Christian. They constantly spew venom and blame, and all they care about right now is protecting themselves instead of doing what the country needs. Even the moderate Republicans forced $40 billion in aid to the states to be cut from the Senate version of the bill, aid that the states are going to need to keep from cutting services right when they are needed most. They also cut money for builiding and modernizing schools, money that would keep construction workers busy and give our kids the environment they need to learn. When the auto industry needed loans from the government, it was o.k. to put all sorts of restraints and demands on the companies in order for them to qualify for the loans. Now that restraints on executives' compensation is being considered for banks before they get more money from the government, the conservatives are crying "foul." It's no surprise, though. Bank executives are not "little" people like auto workers. It's not surprise, either, that they are threatening retribution against moderates. This is why they have earned the label "Rethuglicans." And now the Republicans are trying to redefine "trickle down" economics. They've got a lot of nerve. When are the people who support these unfeeling, uncaring people going to wake up to the fact that they don't care about us? All they care about are the people at the top of the heap.
The GOP continues to talk about tax cuts and how families can benefit from keeping more of their money. They don't address a fundamental flaw in their argument...What good is a tax cut when you are unemployed!!! In addition, their tax cuts are not targeted to help middle America. I'm disappointment that the Democratic leadership gave in on infrastructure, education and health care.three of the important areas for our economic survival. But I am repulsed that the GOP would even consider cutting those critical items in a stimulus package. It seems that the GOP is for weak infrastructure, an illiterate public and an unhealthy population. And according to the RNC Chairmen they believe that government work is not really a job!! I pray that people will wake up and understand that the GOP is strong on rhetorical comments and weak on action.
We can thank three moderate republicans for the stimulus bill. They are paying a high price (thanks to their conservative constituents) for their support. While I wish the republicans would have had to filibuster their position, I applaud those three senators who seem to 'care' about the needs of people who have lost their jobs, homes, and health care. The republicans 'you're with us or against us' mentality has poisoned the discourse in Washington. While I oppose my own senator, Arlen Specter, more than I support his positions, I take my hat off to him on this one.
RINO Rebublicans who vote for this bill are toast politically. Snowe and Collins do not support their constituents,but rather test the wind.Spector has never supported his constituents and votes for himself. He's toast, and should consider retirement. He won by a 1% margin this last time,and no doubt this will be remembered when/if he should try again.Collins won in Maine because her opponents agenda was on the far left,thus the voters of Maine held their noses and voted. Snowe should consider retirement,the voters of Maine will remember. There are better ways to produce "stimulus". An $800+ billion pork package is not it.
"See 'ya Later Arlen" campaign starts here. This will be the last time he sells out his contituency. Arlen Specter is up for relection in 2010. He won't get my vote and I urge all of PA citizens to oust this career politician once and for all. Arlen has admitted an overwhelming majority of calls to his office are against this stimulus bill, yet he has decided against his constituency and will vote yes on the stimulus bill. It will be his own fault when he looses office in 2010.
Republicans are dumed!! They are party of no. They are old men with no more ideas left. How do you not help Americans in this situation. It's ok to build schools & roads in Iraq, but not here in America. By the way, all of you against Spector, If he lose the primary a conservative will never win PA. Thanks for another seat. Can't wait for immagration to come up. I feel bad for the Mexicans. Repubs hate Mexicans
We need Sarah Palin in 2012 to clean up this mess!
Don't count Arlen Specter out in PA. I'm a lifetime Democrat and I've voted for him in every election. He's an outstanding Senator and a man of great integrity. And I am not the only one who crosses party lines to cast their vote for him. He doesn't have to rely only on Conservative Republican votes.
Creepublicans are going over the cliff like their lemming ancestors.
Ileen, you gotta be kidding, right? I mean, sure, she's a nice lady, attractive, and she may be a leader. A leader , as in, PTA president, or head of a church committee, but she's just Quayle in a ponytail. ....and that's an overstatement.
I don't understand what is going on in the GOP leadership. For decades it's been about small government. From 2001-2006 the GOP leadership in Congress failed miserably in this goal. They used the same agenda as Reagan (tax cuts and military spending), but failed to balance budgets and monitor greedy CEOs. They stood united against the Stimulus package. However, the same day the Stimulus package is signed into law, Senator Lindsey Graham comes out talking about exploding the size of the Federal Government by taking over the banks. Today, Greenspan also advocates increasing the size of the Government by taking over the banks. Greenspan said it was a mistake to trust the greedy leaders of these corporations. I proudly voted for Reagan, but am sad to say I have not seen any great Republican leader since. Standing up against the Stimulus and then turning around and proposing this just proves the point that the GOP stood against the stimulus for power reasons. I proudly voted for Reagan. What I liked best about him is that he ridiculed those who opposed him. Desperate times call for a united Washington. Not one that is clearly opposing things in hopes of regaining power.
The only thing a unified House Republican opposition can achieve is irrelevance.
What good is a tax cut,if you don't have a paycheck,job, to deduct the tax?REPUBLICANS,think every thing is settled with cutting taxes,there version of small government.
The GOP's have ZERO credibility. They have no philosophy (other than "traditional marriage" and "ban abortion" - funny how the "small government party likes to interfere in the private lives of individuals...) They doubled the debt, spent almost a trillion dollars on a cruel and illiegal war, bottomed out the housing industry (and everything else toppled down like dominoes). How is it that they are not all hanging their heads in shame???? If they had ANY dignity at all they would shut up. I think evangelical christians should make a huge apology to the world for helping Bush get elected (or sort of elected).
This is why I recently switched parties - the bozos are driving the bus?
Somebody said we need Sarah Palin to clean up this mess???? This is a woman who has apparently never read a book on economics or politics? What world do you live in? If the idea were not so terrifying, I'd be laughing my damn head off. I know other walmart moms much more qualified because they READ, they THINK, and they ANALYZE.
RepubliCANTS always choose party over country. They're in it for the money. Unfortunately, there's a good share of Dems like them. The two-party system is totally corrupted. Corporate America owns Congress, not the people.
Arlen IS voting what his constituents desire. PA is a BLUE state, same with the senators from Maine. As a republican, you best hope Arlen wins his primary or else there will be 1 more solid D vote in the next senate.
Ileen, you may want to include a smiley-face, etc. in your comment to let people know you're joking. You are joking, right??
I trust you're kidding Ileen.
It's kind of hard to believe that any of the republicans suddenly found religion on economics and spending - their transparent attempts only emphasize their negligence over the last 8 years. Their chosing to play political games over getting involved and leading is disgusting. I don't think voters will forget which presidential administration landed us in this mess and they were all willing participants.
The Repubs have been in perpetual campaign mode since the early '90s. If they would direct some of that energy towards good governance instead of all this B.S., winning elections would take care of itself.
Of course it makes sense to spend 200 billion on the reconstruction of Iraq because it is a matter of National Security. But spending money here in the USA ? NO WAY that is socialism
The republican party sees its allegiance to Grover Norquest and the no tax part of its party rather than to the constitution or to the country as a whole. Its inability to see beyond its narrow vision leaves it impotent in the demands needed to fix the large issues that this country faces after 30 or more years of conservative rule has left us. P.S. Illeen Palin is out in 2012 remember according too conservatives
Republicans once again are misreading the tea leaves. Let them continue down their myopic path of NO to everything including helping their country. The Democrats will reap the rewards of Republican short sightedness in the long run.
It's time for the moderates of the Republican party and Independents to come together and form another political party and let history repeat itself here... as with the Republican party bumping the Whigs, the new party needs to bump the Republicans out of the picture. We are now at the crossroad, and ironically... the Democratic party remains as ever!
The vast majority of Republicans are alcoholics. In the book Buyology, they make the point that a conservative Republican's room is likely to have flags, sports pennants etc. and beer / alcohol bottles. Liberal / progressive's rooms have a wide variety of books, art supplies and magazines. In case you haven't been paying attention for the last 8 years, the role call of "former" alcoholics (whatever that is) reads like a who's who of the Republican party. And ask yourself this question- do the Republicans I know drink every day, say a cocktail at dinner (functional alcoholic) and use holidays as an excuse to tie one on? To a person (about 30 of them), I can answer this question "yes" with a single, highly religious exception. It's important to understand that ANY amount of alcohol kills brains cells. A small amount kills a few, a larger amount kills a larger amount. There is no "small, safe" level of alcohol consumption to the brain cells that encounter that alcohol. You can pour water over a rock and it seems like nothing's happened to the rock. But if you do it everyday for 30 years, you can see the rock is really being worn away by the water. So also with brains and alcohol. The parts of your brain that go are the centers dedicated to high-level information processing- the neo-cortex, amongst others. So over time the brains of alcoholics are less able to process complex situations, to understand and react to vital nuances, to formulate realistic plans and even to think that such activity is worthwhile. Moreover, alcoholics secretly know or suspect that they're unable to control this basic part of their lives, and hate themselves for that failure. A common reaction is to project the chaos and moral (as they feel it) failure onto "others" and thereby assume the role of moral superiority. They also experience the world as more dangerous and chaotic than it really is. They feel inadequate to deal with this dangerous world, and can't engage with the world in any authentic way or any way which requires trust. All because they themselves are unable to trust their own behavior, and they project that. They themselves feel overwhelmed by so much (internal) confusion and (their own) inability to deal with the complex, and many faceted nature of reality. This makes them drink even more, which compromises their ability to reason about a complex world even further. It's a downward spiral and one which is often only broken by "conversion" to a fundamentalist religion which, by definition, substitutes dogma for thought. In one shot, the alcoholic is relieved of having to think about the world in any authentic way, given the false gift of absolute certainty and security and is also handed the ultimate weapon of moral rectitude and superiority - the absolute, unchanging "truth" and "reality" of a Bronze Age belief system, impervious to reason. That's what conservatives ARE. That's why all the conservatives you know are alcoholics.
Yeah, run Pat Toomey in PA. I dare ya! Talk about road kill! Toomey'd be DOA!!
As a progressive Democrat, I would LOVE for Plain to be the GOP candidate in 2012. Heck, I'll borrow a page from the GOP manual - I'll cross parties to vote for her in the primary!
Republicans should run Sarah Palin in 2012. As a Democrat I'm all for it. Go for it..
Well, if Republicans want to keep losing elections - more power to them! I personally look forward to adding to our Democratic majority in both houses in 2010. Honestly, I don't know who is more out of touch - the traditional media, or the GOP. It's getting to the point where I actually feel embarrassed FOR these people - how out of touch can you be?! Are they not reading any polls? Are they not listening to their constituents calling, emailing, faxing, etc.?
Ileen is off her rocker. Our leaders at that level should have some litmus test they go through in regard to intelligence as well as panel reviews of their goals.
From Maine, and a Democrat: While I voted against Collins, I've voted for her twice. This time, I held her accountable for supporting the Iraq invasion. But LBC is wrong. Collins/Snowe don't just follow the wind. They are the only Republican senators in the Northeast, trying to hold their seats when the majority of voters are of the other party, so they have to be truly moderate and cross over occasionally or they will be replaced. If the Reps ran a Limbaugh conservative against either one in the primary and won, that would ensure a landslide for the Democrat.
LBC is just another right winger who spouts off and knows nothing. Neither Collins or Snow in Maine is in any danger of losing their seats and certainly not over the stimulus vote. Both appeal to moderates unlike LBC who thinks the radical right wing has tons of votes they just got lost going to the polls in November. As to Specter if he loses it will not be to a right winger but to a centrist democrat giving the GOP one less vote. Yep keep moving to the right and then wonder why you have fewer and fewer votes.
Pat Toomey wants to run for guv. In the last 2 statewides, Lynn Swann and Santorum got the snot beat outta them. Toomey is your basic Club for Growth/Supply side kinda guy. But we do tend to swap parties every 8 years here in PA. Not sure folks here want to here that message anymore.
I agree with all comments about Republicans being the ultimate hypocrites. They supported George Bush in wrecking the US economy and now want to try to crucify Obama for trying to fix their mess.
This bit about the hard-core conservatives routing out moderates who they see as RINOs reminds me of what happened (on a smaller scale) in a state Senate race in Virginia, and that story is perhaps instructive here. The incumbent was a moderate Republican who was vilified in a nasty 4-way primary by his opponents, each trying to be the most extreme candidate. Finally the lowest form of pond scum won the Republican primary. The incumbent Republican's supporters were so disgusted by what happened that many of them stayed home. Some even voted for the Democrat, and the Republican incumbent even endorsed the Democrat. Needless to say, the Democrat won, the first time in decades. What the GOP is doing now is the same process, writ large. Moderate Republicans are becoming no longer welcome in their own party (they haven't been for a while, actually). They will leave. They may not cross the aisle, but their sitting out on future elections is almost the same thing. The GOP runs the risk of veering sharply away from where most Americans are and becoming irrelevant. The dead-enders in their party are banking on Obama's failure. Besides the fact that hoping for a massive worldwide catastrophe is just non-patriotic and of questionable sanity, they can't see that Obama bar is set pretty low. All he has to do is to demonstrate competence and be perceived as making the situation as better, and he wins the public perception game (and the GOP loses). To which I say, good riddance to the GOP! They will be doing it to themselves...
Ileen..take your meds. WE ARE IN A CRISIS. The last thing this US needs is a Palin for crying out loud! OMG..just the thought that you even mentioned that as a solution says volumes about your mental state. She's a complete moron. This is the woman with so much hate filled rhetoric that it has caused Obama to spend millions on security to protect himself because she riled up the KKK crowds..they were in heaven when she spoke. OMG..our goddess! First of all she does not accept all people and frankly doesn't give a dam! So that in itself makes her ineligible to be a leader. Then again, we did have Bush for 8 years and people supposedly voted for him! Yeah..okay. ... there's no way he won BOTH TERMS legally. This woman does not accept nor associate with people of color of which this nation has millions of. I'm not black but I am brown. You honestly think she'd have a beer with me after her DEVISIVE and racially slurred comments she made at her rallies? OR worse..that I or anyone would want to elect such a person after spewing such bigotted statements and feeding hate to her crowds ...which opened the doors of racism to a new level? This is what you admired? Those are not leadership qualities. Those are ignorant qualities. So that only left the bigots and narrow minded folks to vote for the likes of her and McSane. And you wonder why they didn't win? BECAUSE SHE WASN'T FOR THE PEOPLE!! NOT EVEN YOU! ITS ALL ABOUT POWER AND MONEY WITH NO BRAINS....JUST LIKE BUSH. geez! what is it with repubs that they don't mind being abused and neglected by their leaders???? She could no more cure this quagmire than your precious Bush left us in ..or than she could ever tell the truth. SHE truly is BUSH with lipstick on..and yet I truly believe she would have been ten times worse than him..meaner and greedier than him too--she would have made even more disastrous decisions than BUSH. This is a woman who believes that if she or you or me were to be viciously raped not only should we have the child....we should pay for the rape kit so the cops can investigate the crime. You admire this? and now Alaska has the largest case of rapes --thanks to Ms. Palin. Unfortunately, Palin came a tad too late because Bush and his republican party already raped our country. And we have the scars to prove it and the tab ..so we'll can buy the kit to investigate and fix the mess he lefts us in ...and maybe just maybe we can restore our country and dignity in the world. CHANGE IS GONNA COME. With or without the repub obstructionists and folks like those who refuse to accept an intelligent man over a madman..because that's all they repbus are. MADMEN! What have they done for you most recently..or better yet..what did they do for you in the last 8 years? NOTHING! I REST MY CASE. Take your meds.
I don't know what world these Repubs live in....but now is not the time to oppose and stand up for your beleifs.....where were you the last 8 yrs? 1.1 trillion dollar defeict.....what happened? the fact that your party has LIMPBOY as a leader.....what happened? the fact tht you claim to be conservative but yet one of your elected leaders daughter is unwed, and had an illegimate baby....what happened? the fact that you oppose gays and Lesibians but yet your own Senate Leader has an openly gay daughter.....what happened?the fact that you have elected a TOKEN BLACK MAN TO LEAD YOUR PARTY.......what happened? Anyone who is a GOP follower wish to answer that?....oh, and also that ya'll claim to love this Ctry but your idiotic leader LIMPBOY HOPES THE PRESIDENT FAILS......what happened? i would be shamed to be a Repub......thankgod I am not!!! BUZZARDSKORNER
If the wingnuts are serious about these primary challenges, I can't wait for the 2010 midterms. Talk about shooting yourselves in the foot.
Then moderate Republicans, drop your party. It is no longer the party of Eisenhower, let alone Lincoln. Form your own party, coalition. Caucus with the Dems. Don't let these smarmy yokels dictate your conscience.
ileen, God help us ....Sarah Palin clean up this mess....good one, darn good one
In the mid-19th century the Whig Party split, and from one of its factions arose the Republican Party, which back then was indeed pro-business, but it was also the radical party of liberalism. Well, the liberalism thing sure has changed, but I sense the GOP has started another split. The Eisenhower/Goldwater Republicans that are still left are going to leave the party. You heard it here first. All that has to happen is that Obama look competent and manage to get credit for making things better, while the GOP veers to the hard right and becomes the Hooverian Party of "NO". Like someone else said here, I can hardly wait for 2010...
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