Congressman Tom Cole (R, OK-4) Unaware That He Is A Congressman
Written by ChemistryDave on May 27th, 2008
Courtesy of Fox News Sunday on May 25:
WALLACE: Congressman Cole, it’s not my position to give you advice, but let me suggest one idea that you — that the Republican Party could embrace that would send a message, “We’re going to do things differently.”
COLE: I think your advice is good, and we’ve actually taken that position as a conference and offered that to our Democratic colleagues.
WALLACE: You’re saying the position — wait a minute. You’re saying the position — you’re saying the position of the Republican Party in the House is no earmarks?
COLE: We have taken that position. There’s actually a piece of legislation — and we’ve said — we’ve challenged the Democrats to join us in that. That is, let’s have a ban on all earmarks, let’s have a special committee set up to examine the problem and then let’s come to a common agreement on it.
WALLACE: And I want to bring Congressman Van Hollen in. But you could unilaterally decide each Republican member of Congress not to put in any earmarks.
COLE: You don’t unilaterally decide anything. That’s like unilaterally deciding on term limits or something of that nature. Congress has to work together on common solutions.
This is yet another example of the “woe is me” caucus in the House. No sir, the Republican party could not stop inserting earmarks without Democrat approval. Yes Congressman, we know that you would legislate in a principled way, if only Speaker Pelosi would respond to your letter.
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I think Cole is trying to see how far he can push the envelope and still get conservatives to vote for him this year. If that’s not it, let’s check his head for lobotomy scars. If that’s not it either, then I can’t even imagine what’s causing this man to be so thick.
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Seriously, this man is so wrapped up in his own little world in Washington, D.C, on the taxpayer’s dime, is so overcome by Potomac Fever, that he can’t see the truth when it is smacking him in the face.
The Republicans don’t need the cooperation of the Democrats to take it upon their own caucus to put a moratorium on earmarks, Congressman! In fact, let me spell this out for you - if the Republican Caucus does it without the Democrats, all the better for you! Hell, it could make your caucus look better, push you back into the majority within a few elections, then its back on the gravy train for you! Just imagine how many earmarks you can gobble up then!
Goddamn the GOP really does earn the “Stupid Party” label almost every day.
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Ah, yes, my own esteemed representative, god love him.
This is the guy that supports the death penalty for abortion providers, and says homosexuality is the single biggest threat to American freedom. He’s an odd cookie.
Cole is in a great position because coming from this district, with his record as straight-and-narrow on the social issues as it is, they’ll keep voting for him no matter what else he does.
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The Republicans do not need to cooperate with the Democrats on this or most things. Remember the Republicans still have 49 Senators. They can tie up the Democrats in the Senate through the filibuster. Fight the Dems in the House and when they pass it, defeat it on the floor in the Senate.
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Ryan, you are right. But the whole point is, with a voluntary earmark moratorium, it’s not something that needs to “pass” a chamber of Congress - just quit requesting all the wasteful pork. Then talk about it. Yell it from the mountaintops and paint the Democrats into a corner. Make ‘em sweat. Forget all this “bipartisanship” crap that gets the Republicans nowhere but pushed left.
I swear, the mainstream Republican squishes really do not get that by acting like true conservatives they could easily take Congress back.
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I mentioned this post in a comment I made on a post about “branding” the GOP at TheNextRight here: http://www.thenextright.com/heath/all-this-branding-talk#comment-174