George Will On The Post-DeLay House Reps

George Will writes on life after DeLay:

Anyway, catalyzed by DeLay's decision to recede, House Republicans, perhaps emboldened by the examples of Afghanistan and Iraq, are going to risk elections.

Mr. Will delivers a baseball reference to help carry us through until springtime:

The national pastime is no longer baseball, it is rent-seeking -- bending public power for private advantage. There are two reasons why rent-seeking has become so lurid, but those reasons for today's dystopian politics are reasons why most suggested cures seem utopian.

And he concludes with an early pick for House Majority Leader:

Roy Blunt of Missouri, the man who was selected, not elected, to replace DeLay, is a champion of earmarks as a form of constituent service. If, as one member says, "the problem is not just DeLay but 'DeLay Inc.' " Blunt is not the solution. So far -- the field may expand -- the choice for majority leader is between Blunt and John Boehner of Ohio. A salient fact: In 15 years in the House, Boehner has never put an earmark in an appropriations or transportation bill.

Comments

[Lew Clark]

As a lifelong Republican I would love to see something done about the pork spending and spending in general. But how do you solve this problem that is as old as the nation. To run for national office you need lots of money. To get that money you have to be very independently wealthy or attract a lot of contributors. A very wealthy person driven by love of nation is very hard to find. And deep pocket contributors who want nothing personal in return, just an honest dedicated public servant is even harder to find. So how do you get independent elected officials into office with a concern for the well-being of all Americans. Government funded campaigns result in a worse problem than the problem they try to correct. Trading politicians controlled by "special interests" for untouchable incumbents.
Every time they have tried to address the problem (can you say Campaign Finance Reform?) it has only been made worse.

So I don't hold out much hope for a solution. The Republicans will make some effort to clean up their house. The Democrats will offer their solution. "Throw out the bums controlled by dirty Halliburton and Enron money and replace them with we the pure ones supported by good honest communist Chinese and Al Queda money“.

[Geek, Esq.]

Boehner was the guy who handed out checks from the tobacco industry on the floor of the House of Representatives, wasn't he?

[Jeff]

You missed my fave graf:

Liberals practice "K Street liberalism" with an easy conscience because they believe government should do as much as possible for as many interests as possible. But "K Street conservatism" compounds unseemliness with hypocrisy. Until the Bush administration, with its incontinent spending, unleashed an especially conscienceless Republican control of both political branches, conservatives pretended to believe in limited government. The past five years, during which the number of registered lobbyists more than doubled, have proved that, for some Republicans, conservative virtue was merely the absence of opportunity for vice.

I'm just pulling up a seat with a tub of popcorn for what promises to be a fine show. I wonder, though--for real conservatives in Tom's audience: are you willing to sacrifice power for principle? That appears to be the equation in front of you. One or the other, but not both.

Thoughts?

[marianna]

Will is furthering cementing his reputation as the Democrats' favorite conservative. Figures he'd stab DeLay in the back.

[Geek, Esq.]

Are you DougJ's sister?

[Jeff]

As a Dem, let me say he is definitely NOT our favorite conservative. I guess I'd go with Joe Biden on that score. ;-)

[maryrose]

Biden's been a hoot at the Alito hearings. The master bloviator.

[gomez]

The Example that you has been mentioned about the Afghanistan and Iraq are exactly correct.it correctly suits here.
***************
Gomez

MLS

[gomez]

the baseball is a good game i like that.
*************
Gomez
MLS