Tuesday, April 19, 2005
As Their Resolve Hardens, Cracks Begin To Show
It's not very often that I do this, but tonight I'm going to give credit to a Republican senator for doing the right thing. During today's Senate Foreign Relations Committee meeting, Ohio's Republican Senator George Voinovich said "I've heard enough today that I don't feel comfortable about voting for [John] Bolton [nominee for UN Ambassador]." This would have produced a committee vote of 9-9, thereby killing the nomination in committee. To avoid defeat, the Republican dominated committee decided to call for a three week delay before taking the vote. Presumably to kick the shit out of Voinovich for going against the family. It takes balls to stand up to your party, and apparently Voinovich has got a pretty large pair. Much more so than Chuck Hagel (R-NEB) who said he would vote to send Bolton's nomination to the full Senate but couldn't guarantee that he would vote to approve. That's a chickenshit's way out. He knows that if it goes to the full Senate that the nomination will be approved even without his vote. Then he'll be able to save face with his constituents back home. What a cop-out!
Meanwhile, the White House has hitched its cart to Tom DeLay's wagon.
Naturally, this means that there will be no true investigation. With Rove and the White House on board, the evidence will be "inconclusive" and no blame will be assigned. Key witnesses will not be allowed to testify, vital documents will be lost and Tom DeLay will be exonnerated of any wrong doing leaving the impression that it was all a "desperate" attempt by the Democrats and the "seedy liberal media."
But the cracks are showing. Voinovich is the first, but there will be more. As the Republicans continue to over-reach in their lust for power, the cracks will grow. More and more, we will begin to see moderate Republicans forced out of the party's ever-tightening, noose-like circle as they grow drunk with power. They'll attempt to hide their corruption and their under-the-table dealings, but it will be their own party that hangs them. People like Voinovich will begin to step forward and call bullshit. With help from the Democrats, it will be the moderates on the Republican side that eventually bring the Republican party to its knees.
While we have probably lost the fight over Tom DeLay, we have taken our first step toward a stronger party. I know it seems small, but it was big in other ways. You have to win the battles in order to win the war. This was the first of many battles that await the Democratic party and this was a good start. So kudos to the Democrats on the Senate Foriegn Relations Committee and a big pat on the back to Senator Voinovich. One down, hundreds more to go.
Meanwhile, the White House has hitched its cart to Tom DeLay's wagon.
- The White House stands "strongly" behind Tom DeLay amid ethical questions over the House majority leader's fund- raising and overseas trips, deputy chief of staff Karl Rove said Monday.
Rove, the strategist who ran President Bush's two presidential campaigns, said DeLay, a Texas Republican, has been the target of partisan attacks by "desperate" Democrats.
"Tom DeLay is going to continue to be a strong and effective majority leader for the Republicans in the House," he said on CNN's "Inside Politics."
Naturally, this means that there will be no true investigation. With Rove and the White House on board, the evidence will be "inconclusive" and no blame will be assigned. Key witnesses will not be allowed to testify, vital documents will be lost and Tom DeLay will be exonnerated of any wrong doing leaving the impression that it was all a "desperate" attempt by the Democrats and the "seedy liberal media."
But the cracks are showing. Voinovich is the first, but there will be more. As the Republicans continue to over-reach in their lust for power, the cracks will grow. More and more, we will begin to see moderate Republicans forced out of the party's ever-tightening, noose-like circle as they grow drunk with power. They'll attempt to hide their corruption and their under-the-table dealings, but it will be their own party that hangs them. People like Voinovich will begin to step forward and call bullshit. With help from the Democrats, it will be the moderates on the Republican side that eventually bring the Republican party to its knees.
While we have probably lost the fight over Tom DeLay, we have taken our first step toward a stronger party. I know it seems small, but it was big in other ways. You have to win the battles in order to win the war. This was the first of many battles that await the Democratic party and this was a good start. So kudos to the Democrats on the Senate Foriegn Relations Committee and a big pat on the back to Senator Voinovich. One down, hundreds more to go.
