After all the scandals and corruption-related difficulties congressional Republicans have experienced the past few years, you’d think they’d eventually learn a few lessons. They haven't.
Take the House Appropriations Committee, for example. Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) was forced to give up his seat on the powerful committee after the FBI raided his home as part of the Abramoff scandal. To replace him, the GOP leadership tapped Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), who was himself recently named one of Congress’ most corrupt lawmakers.
“Clearly the House Republicans have decided that ethics simply do not count in Congress,” CREW’s Melanie Sloan said. “Why would the minority choose to replace one member under federal investigation with another member also under federal investigation?”
Even some conservatives are starting to ask the same question.
I noticed this striking post from Erick at RedState, one of the leading far-right blogs, under the headline, “An Open Declaration of War Against The House Republican Leadership.”
The House Republican Leadership just does not get it and they will not take us seriously until we flex our muscle against them. We must fight the House GOP and we must fight today.
Today, I declare war on the Republican Leadership of the United States House of Representatives. We must scalp one member. That member’s name is Ken Calvert.
This is the man House Republicans chose to replace John Doolittle. They just don’t get it. So now I declare war. Who is with me?
So far, some other conservative heavy-hitters are with him. James Joyner isn’t fond of the “declaration of war” rhetoric, but he nevertheless concluded, “I do, however, concur that the House Republican leadership continues not to ‘get it’ and find Calvert a worthy target of scorn, for reasons Erick’s posts details.” The American Mind linked to the RS piece approvingly, as did the Jawa Report. Patrick Hynes added, “I am not personally in a place to declare war on House Republican leadership, but I am deeply troubled that the GOP still does not appear to get it with respect to the corrupting influence of pork. I’m sick of it. Sick and tired. We are either the party or small, clean government or we are the party that merely rewards a different set of friends than the other party.”
Kudos to all of these guys for recognizing the failings of the House GOP’s bankrupt leadership. The only way to fix the Republican Party is for its supporters to say, “Enough.”
RedState’s “declaration” is a good start.
