I really hate it when I have to do this. I know I will probably regret it by the end of the day. But when the Republican Spin Machine gets something right, no matter how rarely that happens, you’ve got to recognize the milestone.
In his Saturday commentary, FlashReport proprietor Jon Fleischman calls out Congressman Jerry Lewis for his failure “to support a policy agenda that limits the size and scope of federal authority and spending.”
Then he says…
But I will tell you this — Jerry Lewis SHOULD NOT be in Congress anymore. This is something that I have said to FR readers before — and I will say it again. The Republican Party need only look in the mirror if we are unable to ‘police ourselves’ when it comes to understanding how we could have a majority in both Houses of Congress, and hold the Presidency, and still preside over unprecedented growth in federal government spending.
Of course the blame can be shared by many, but still it seems appropriate, as part of an acknowledgement that things were done wrong, that there be a “house cleaning” of sorts (pardon the pun). Of course, right after the November losses, many of us were shocked and dismayed to see the Republicans in the House simply vote to re-elect the current leadership. This really creates a challenge because while GOP donors and activists are motivated to see the Democrats OUT of power because of how heinous they truly are, of course we want to be excited about what the GOP WILL DO with a renewed majority.
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Frankly, the mere fact that Jerry Lewis, who was the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee when the S.S. Titanic hit the iceberg last November, is still the RANKING REPUBLICAN on this important committee is testament to the fact that the GOP still doesn’t get it.
Okay, Jon misssed the real point that it is the culture of corruption that is the true blight on the Republicans, but I will applaud his call to dump Jerry Lewis.ÂÂ
But come on Jon, what about the corruption? You’ve got Doolittle, Miller, Calvert, Dreier, and of course Crazy Dana who also need to go. Stick to the principles of the 1994 Republican “Contract with America” and dump the whole lot of them.
“The Republican Party need only look in the mirror if we are unable to ‘police ourselves’ when it comes to understanding how we could have a majority in both Houses of Congress, and hold the Presidency, and still preside over unprecedented growth in federal government spending.”
“while GOP donors and activists are motivated to see the Democrats OUT of power because of ***how heinous they truly are***, of course we want to be excited about what the GOP WILL DO with a renewed majority.”
Very brave to come out against Jerry Lewis. What about Gonzo, Cheney, Dreier, and the like?
How truly heinous Democrats are? Well kiss my heinous heiney (sic deliberately).
You still don’t get it. A GOP with a renewed majority will be more of the same. Lining the pockets of your supporters on the taxpayers dime. More corruption. More politicizing non-partisan government offices and functions to favor Republicans. Deeper into Iraq. More money to a failed miltary effort and no real progress in the War of Terror. More erosion of personal liberty and the rights of all. More debt. Lots more debt. Bigger decifits.
Look at your own national party’s record for the last six years if you want to see the face of heinous.
Liberals take notes. Republicans are often critics of other Republicans. I have seen it on many occasions that Republicans will even step down from office if they’ve done something wrong.
I wish the Democrats would do the same. I know the arguments are a tad dated, but President Clinton lied under oath, potentially causing an injustice to Paula Jones, and Senator Ted Kennedy Pleaded guilty to the Chappaquiddick incident, where a human life could have been saved.
Can you really value human life, or the human spirit if you allow your leaders to keep their jobs after such injustice and atrocities?
I have no beef with Congressman Lewis, and I’m currently not informed enough to take a stance with him or against him, but I applaud Jon Fleischman for standing up.
BTW, I like your site, I wish you much success.