Those who have talked to me about it know that I have been stewing for a few weeks now about the vote of Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack in support of the national energy tax bill ("cap and trade") that narrowly passed through the House of Representatives. Astonishingly and in a most disappointing development, Republican Members of the House provided the margin of passage for what was hailed as Nancy Pelosi’s most important legislative achievement as Speaker. Because my brain is hard-wired to California politics, my angst is largely directed to Bono Mack, the only California Republican to vote for this terrible piece of legislation. The state budget crisis has provided me with a little bit of a distraction, and spared Rep. Bono Mack, thus far, of a pretty hard-hitting commentary from this website publisher.
That said, this morning I was perusing the Red County website, and came across what I would call a "must read" column from FR friend Chip Hanlon. Chip, a conservative who "gets it" has been providing solid leadership in my home county of Orange for many years, and I am pleased to say that he has started to provide some leadership for the GOP on a national level.
Hanlon’s piece, Even A Big Tent Can Only Stretch So Far, begins thusly…
As we’re told so often, the Republican Party strives to be the big tent. Yet, even the strongest swath of canvass will rip if stretched too far, precisely the risk GOP leaders should be worried about today.Most rational members of both major parties understand their side’s leaders won’t vote how they would like 100% of the time. However, after years of Republican failures on so many key fiscal issues, the GOP rank-and-file long ago passed the point where we can excuse votes like the one eight House members cast in support of cap-and-trade three weeks ago. Prescription Medicare, No Child Left Behind, an explosion of the corrupt earmark system, runaway spending, Bush stimulus plans (which endorse the idea government spending can and should be used this way), booming deficits— these critical failings by a GOP-controlled Congress and administration shattered our faith in the GOP’s promise of delivering limited government.
It’s time for action on that promise, not words, and the cap-and-trade supporters highlight the challenge.
Do Republican leaders look at, say, the defection of Arlen Specter and think they have to do whatever it takes to prevent members like Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe from making the same move? If so, they’d be making a gross miscalculation.
I encourage you to click here and read the rest of Hanlon’s well thought out column.