Conservative Crackdown
posted at 2:05 pm on May 18, 2006 by Bryan
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The Republican Party isn’t cracking up–conservatives are cracking down. That was Rush Limbaugh’s assessment of the conservative reaction to the Harriet Miers nomination. It was true then and it’s even more true now.
We’re seeing it everywhere–country club elitist Republicans are facing challenges and defeat from true conservative candidates. John Fund highlights a couple of these crackdowns, in which Republicans who pushed for pay raises and lifetime perks for themselves in Pannsylvania and Indiana got ousted in primaries. These incumbents were beaten by real conservatives.
But Mr. Fund left the most important one out, which is the one that took place in Herndon, VA. The WSJ being an open borders paper, it’s no surprise that its top political guy would omit this story. It doesn’t bode well for the open borders lobby, at all.
Herndon voters yesterday unseated the mayor and Town Council members who supported a bitterly debated day-labor center for immigrant workers in a contest that emerged as a mini-referendum on the turbulent national issue of illegal immigration.
Residents replaced the incumbents with a group of challengers who immediately called for significant changes at the center. Some want to bar public funds from being spent on the facility or restrict it to workers residing in the country legally. Others want it moved to an industrial site away from the residential neighborhood where it is located.
The voters didn’t want to reward illegal aliens, the town council of Herndon decided to do it anyway, and lost their jobs.
This is good. President Bush has been right on many issues, from the war to judges (other than Miers) to tax cuts. But he is in the country club Republicans’ camp on immigration. So is the Senate, which just voted for yet another travesty, reportedly killing the Ensign Amendment that would have barred illegals who become legal from collecting Social Security payments based on funds they paid in while they were working illegally. Several Senate Republicans have again decided to reward illegal aliens. The voters and especially the party’s law and order base won’t like that. So the conservative crackdown–not crack-up–will continue. Some Senate RINOs will regret their recent choices, as will President Bush if he remains on his present course.
Viva la revolucion!
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Major kudos to the residents of Herndon for holding their representatives accountable. We’ve seen too little of that for too long.
I don’t understand whythat is, it is the most effective tactic citizens can use!
Abigail Adams on May 18, 2006 at 2:17 PM
Will the real Slim GOParty please stand up, please stand up! Oh, man… sorry. I had a Jodie Foster moment there.
y2church on May 18, 2006 at 2:34 PM
Senate just voted to give Illegals Social Security for work done illegally and with no real proof of wages or taxes paid(because no valid SSn).The insanity continues. The deconstruction of America culturally and financially. Meanwhile Bush goes to Arizona to applaud the border jumpers.
pat on May 18, 2006 at 2:37 PM
These middle of the road Republicans should understand that if it can happen in Penn or Ind then it can happen in places like Neb, Ariz or SC. We ARE cracking down and will continue to do so. These fake Republicans will feel the pain at the polls if they face candidates with a little backbone.
Bic on May 18, 2006 at 2:39 PM
Well said, Bryan. I also believe President Bush has been right on many issues. True conservatives, though, will not allow our own sovereignty to be dictated by ANYONE from any other nation. Mexicans telling us what our National Guard can and cannot do is ludicrous. Threatening to sue us? You kidding me?
I had decided to be a one issue voter in the next election, that issue being illegal immigration. But I cannot bring myself to sacrifice all of my other conservative principles when leftist socialists will lie so readily about any one or two issues just to get elected. It’s too easy to envision Teddy screaming, “Kick the M-F’n illegal scumbags out!!”, if his re-election was counting on it.
For me, it’s has to be: Whoever has the most conservative track record AND insists on NO illegals period. Is that radical? You’re dern straight!
JodyBlonde on May 18, 2006 at 2:53 PM
Precisely what we need to do on a national scale:
THROW THE BUMS OUT!
ForYourEdification on May 18, 2006 at 3:08 PM
I’m suprised Congress didn’t count the ‘alledged’ time spent in the united states illegally off the wait for citizenship.
(yes immigration officer I’ve been in the US for 25 years and deserve citizenship now… here’s the proof… in a MS-Word 2003 font and all…..).
(Damn… I hope no congresscritters read that…)
If only we here in Washington State could throw out Comrade Murry and her sidekick Cantwell….
CrazyFool on May 18, 2006 at 3:11 PM
If you cannot keep your hands out of my pockets with your uncontrolled spending, or you let criminals cross the border and steal from me though my having to support them with free education, free healthcare and paying the salaries of National Guard troops on the border when they sould be performing traditional roles like drinking coffee, playing cards and duckin’ drill, then I’m voting for someone else.
And if I can’t find a candidate who will do that, I’ll have a pen in my pocket and, if forced, I’ll write myself in! It will not, I assure you, be the first time!
But I know that these will surely be hot topics in the months to come and the problem will be separating the true believers from the RINOs! (LIKE THAT DARN ARLEN SPECTER!) How that man can put an R after his name is a disgrace and should be criminal.
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on May 18, 2006 at 3:16 PM
DreadPirateRoberts:”If you cannot keep your hands out of my pockets with your uncontrolled spending, or you let criminals cross the border and steal from me though my having to support them with free education, free healthcare…”
Amen! BTW, when you write yourself in do you use your real name, or DreadPirateRoberts?
Bellicose Muse on May 18, 2006 at 3:25 PM
Just to emphasize on the Indiana ouster, Bob Garton was the Pres Pro Tem of our State Senate. He served for 36 years and was beaten in the primary by a guy with almost NO political experience.
This is what the MSM should be focusing on, as a warning to the Dems: just because conservatives are up in arms against each other (seemingly), doesn’t mean the libs are going to win any new seats or a majority in Nov. More likely we’ll see some fresh new conservative faces.
Jezla on May 18, 2006 at 3:26 PM
That is my real name! My father was in the navy in WWII and named me that. You remember him don’t you? They made a movie about him, “Mr. Roberts!”
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on May 18, 2006 at 3:40 PM
The inside the Beltway crowd is counting on the fact that although conservatives don’t like Republicans, they absolutely despise Democrats. Hopefully there will be more primary challenges across the country so that true conservatives can start chopping wood. Just a few more of these ‘upsets’ should put the fear of God into the rest of the RINOs.
I’m hoping for Laffey to upseat Lincoln Chafee. Man would that be great.
pistolero on May 18, 2006 at 3:42 PM
First O’Reilly says “sue us and I’ll call for Mexican boycott”
NOW THIS-
“Herndon voters… unseated the mayor and Town Council…”
We are on a MINI roll.
Lets keep it up!!
Stand Up America- Do the ‘Right’ Thing.
shooter on May 18, 2006 at 3:44 PM
I live in FL. I’m pissed as hell at the way Martinez voted the other day on the immigration bill. I wish he was up for re-election in ‘06 - maybe we could boot his arse too.
Here’s to hoping someone decent will beat Bill Nelson.
venmax on May 18, 2006 at 3:47 PM
I remember Mr. Roberts liked long-legged blondes and fake scotch too. The blond was named Betsy Palmer. The scotch was made by combining shoe polish, old coffee and grain alcohol.
clyde on May 18, 2006 at 3:50 PM
Me too dittos venmax. While Katherine Harris wasn’t my first (or second) choice to run against Bill Nelson, the Bush brothers’ torpedo-ing her candidacy may actually now give her some much needed credibility.
JodyBlonde on May 18, 2006 at 4:02 PM
Protest via write-in candidates is an interesting option when you can’t hold your nose and pick any others. Maybe someone should develop a list of one willing person from each state to be put up for write-in office. Ideally an easy to remember name. The increased number of votes for the one candidate would gather attention.
MRegine on May 18, 2006 at 4:13 PM
MRegine,
Great idea. That’s the kind of grassroots conservative movement we need! Just imagine, Joe Arpaio wins by write-in, or something like it.
NTWR on May 18, 2006 at 4:24 PM
“First O’Reilly says “sue us and I’ll call for Mexican boycott””
This is something we need to be doing now in the meantime while we wait for sanity to return to the senate.
Boycott.
Boycott Mexico for starters. Don’t take vacations there anymore.
Boycott products made in Mexico. Check the labels before you buy.
Boycott U.S. businesses that hire illegals, from large to small. If you know of a business that has been fined for doing so, boycott them. If you know of a business that is employing illegals, boycott them and encourage others to do the same. Don’t hire contractors that use illegals.
Boycott businesses that promote the open borders insanity. If you have a subscription to the WSJ, Weekly Standard, or other publication that promotes illegal immigration, cancel it. If you are thinking about getting a subscription to one of those publications, don’t. And don’t visit their webistes either - when their click-thru rates drop, their advertising rates will follow.
Boycott businesses like the 7-11 Michelle highlighted in yesterday’s vent that allow illegals to congregate on their premisis.
Boycott businesses that hire illegals at day labor sites, and make sure you let others know about them.
I’m sure there’s a lot more boycott-worthy targets out there, so feel free to add them in.
We don’t have to wait until election day to start taking action.
thirteen28 on May 18, 2006 at 4:45 PM
The question is now being asked “Would a loss be good for the Republican Party in 06, or not?”. Is having the other party with congressional power the necessary wake up call? The Republican party has moved to the center from the principles that captured congress in 94 and elected a President in 00 and 04. Bush has managed to splinter the party into groups and that division must be healed prior to the 08 election. I do hope the answer is heal thy self.
im4eagles on May 18, 2006 at 4:46 PM
I nominate Michelle Malkin for Maryland write-in candidate. The border states could nominate a resident Miniteman.
MRegine on May 18, 2006 at 4:56 PM
Boycott sounds good to me. BTW, since I live in the country, grow, and can my own food, and kill my own meat, $10 artichokes holds no fear from me…(sux for some of you guys though).
ecamorg on May 18, 2006 at 4:56 PM
Spain produces a lot of artichokes, they are pretty cheap at the Trader Joe’s.
MRegine on May 18, 2006 at 5:00 PM
Crackdown is right.
Unfortunately for me, living in Indiana, I fear Senility or perhaps paint fumes have effected poor senator Lugar who seems to have voted for giving my social security to illegals and letting my children pay the fiscal and societal costs.
At this point, I would vote for Satan before Senator Lugar. At least with the father of lies, you know what you get up front.
cyberstoic on May 18, 2006 at 5:58 PM
BOYCOT MEXICO!!!
Don’t travel there, don’t buy their products( no more tequils or corona for the drinkers, look carefully on electronics, including Fender electric guitars) Do NO business with companies who hire illegal aliens (Tyson Foods, and several other meat processing plants) Tell store owners and managers that you will not buy mexican products and will advise everyone you know do do the same.
Above ALL throw the treasonous politicians who refuse to protect America OUT in the next election.
Duty, Honor, Country
(in THAT order)
Rowane
Rowane on May 18, 2006 at 7:45 PM
Note that Wal-Mart, through their super stores, sell tons of Tyson products. Did my own small boycot by not purchasing any and will never knowingly again.
rockdalian on May 18, 2006 at 8:23 PM
In Ohio, we just voted for the most conservative Republican candidate for Governor in the primary, Ken Blackwell, by a large margin. The MSM is strongly against him and already attacking him. Don’t know if he’ll win but we gotta keep plugging away to keep the conservatives in and run the RINO’s out. We need to keep “cracking down” on those that forget who put them there. I live for the day George Voinovich gets his a** booted out.
right as rain man on May 18, 2006 at 8:43 PM
Far from being dispondent about the ‘06 and ‘08 elections, I’m actually encouraged by what’s happening in the GOP lately.
The upcoming elections will hopefully be excellent opportunities for opposition candidates that will actually represent the will of the Conservative GOP base. Smart ones will get out there right now and separate themselves from the RINOs and I’ll bet the base will support such boldness. We’re hungry for it.
I can tell you that I will be paying a lot more attention to the candidates than I ever have in the past. Thank God for the access to information that the blogosphere makes possible.
Believe me, I want to punish the wayward Repubs as badly as anyone, but I will not stand by and watch power fall back into the hands of the openly seditious liberal dhimmicrats. This is much too important a point in history for that.
I’m also encouraged by the fact that the American People don’t seem to be as stupid and gullible as the libs truely believe they are.
Last week my wife and I had the very great pleasure of visiting Kansas. And I mean way out in the sticks, beautiful, peaceful, quiet, rural America. I am happy to report that things are a very lovely shade of red out there.
We’re in better shape than some people would lead you to believe. Have faith, roll with the changes and make the best of them. We need you strong out there.
techno_barbarian on May 18, 2006 at 8:50 PM
not crackdown—->Smackdown!
Federali on May 18, 2006 at 9:08 PM
My plan is to cross into mexico, become a citizen there, renounce my citizenship to the USA, cross back over the boarder and be set for life with no cost to me. anyone want to get on my bus?
skippy1 on May 18, 2006 at 10:16 PM
DreadPirateRoberts, you might think about paying that tax money you paid to support the illegals with your savings in terms of the cost of vegetables, chicken, house construction, landscape service, hotels… need I go on?
Boycott Tyson?? Did you boycott eating chicken in nearly every restaurant? Trust me; Tyson sells to them all.
Don’t get me wrong; I support a crackdown. But I realize- in the total balance of things- many things will cost more, far more overall than the tax savings. Do the rest of you realize that and will you accept it?
Mike O on May 18, 2006 at 10:49 PM
I’m going to assume that most of the commenters here have been reading at Michele’s site for awhile. Remember the philosophy behind “Nuke The Moon”? Do something so crazy, like Nuking the Moon, and the nutjobs in other countries wouldn’t dare mess with us?
Mexico only threatens to sue if our National Guard arrests illegals because they believe that we are so divided as a country that we are politically paralyzed and easy to manipulate by emotional protests. Iran is operating on the same idea.
Forget the UN with their sanctions and declare war on both Mexico and Iran. Militarize our Southern border like Fort Knox. Give Iran and Mexico one day to surrender. If they don’t believe we’re serious, make it a shooting war. Topple both regimes and set up honest representative governments.
Neither Mexico or Iran is going to listen to diplomacy.
And I don’t hate either country or their peoples. This isn’t about hate-it’s about America not being dictated to by any other country. And our rule of Law being respected from border to border, ocean to ocean. The days of our being manipulated because of our good nature and compassion have to end. Venezuela’s been acting uppity, too. Add them to the list. Nuke the Moon. 60 years after the end of WWII, our former enemies are our friends. We could do more good for Mexico with a one month war/setting up honest government than a hundred years of “diplomacy”. Knocking out the Iranian nuclear capabilities may not just be a good idea, it may imperative for our future, and the future of the Middle East.
Nuke the Moon.
Doug on May 19, 2006 at 1:51 AM
But I realize- in the total balance of things- many things will cost more, far more overall than the tax savings.
Bah. First, this is a load of rubbish. And if law enforcement results in lettuce at $2.50 a head instead of $2.00, so be it. We’re a market based economy, we should act like one.
Pablo on May 19, 2006 at 7:14 AM
Mike O! I’ll put my money where my mouth is. But I am also a realist. If every illegal went home tomorrow there would not be enough people left to fill all of the positions they would vacate.
So I, like most rational individuals, what to find a way to resolve this. But that resolution does not include amnesty, it does not include unlimited – read lifetime – guest worker status which, in actuality, relegates these people to a position of “lifetime servitude,” and it also does not include automatic citizenship for the guest worker’s children who are born in the US.
It does, however, include a secure border (not this virtual crap that POTUS & PIPS are proposing), serious enforcement of all existing immigration laws, guest workers receiving a decent salary w/benefits if available and, for the temporary guest worker who pay into the system, their dependents should receive the same educational and health benefits available to “anyone else” as long as they follow the same rules like everyone else.
However, as I mentioned previously, break one law and you and your dependents go home! After all, you are a guest in my house. If you break my stuff you leave and someone else gets the chance to come here and work!
Now I ask you Mike O, is that too much to ask?
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on May 19, 2006 at 9:00 AM
There’s a “crackdown” over another kind over at Free Republic. Not only are conservative commentators such as Ann Coulter or Michelle Malkin being pilloried with impunity, but there’s another purge of conservatives going on after the President’s speech last Monday.
It is beginning to appear that the Republican/Conservative coalition is breaking up - to the cheering of the liberals in the party who don’t understand that there are lines they can’t cross and principles they can’t betray.
Time to retake our Party from these jokers. I agree with ForYourEdification entirely.
ideas_over_party on May 19, 2006 at 8:21 PM