GOP Poised To Eat Its Own After Climate Bill's Passage

[babylonsister]

Sam Stein
GOP Poised To Eat Its Own After Climate Bill's Passage
First Posted: 06-30-09 12:22 PM | Updated: 06-30-09 04:44 PM


The passage of historic climate change legislation by the House of Representatives last Friday has thrust to the forefront a sharp debate within the Republican Party over how much ideological and political orthodoxy should be demanded of its members.

In the immediate aftermath of the passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, otherwise known as Waxman-Markey, attention within conservative circles turned to the eight Republican lawmakers who supported the measure. The bill had passed by a margin of 219 to 212. Even the most mathematically challenged would understood that had four of those Republicans switched their votes, the legislation might have died on the House floor.

And so the GOP began the process of, what one Democratic strategist called, "eating its own." A classic western "Wanted" posted was sent around the web accusing the eight Republicans -- Reps. Mary Bono Mack (Calif.), Mike Castle (Del.), Mark Kirk (Ill.), John McHugh (N.Y.), Frank LoBiondo (N.J.), Leonard Lance (N.J.), Dave Reichert (Wash.), and Chris Smith (N.J.) -- of "selling out taxpayers." Rush Limbaugh, in the process of ridiculing the bill's sponsor, Rep. Henry Waxman, damned the Republican Party for facilitating the legislation's passage.

Michelle Malkin, the prominent conservative commentator and writer, mocked the those Republicans who "helped the Democrats pass a junk science-based, massive national energy tax." Another conservative blogger, Stacy McCain, demanded that the movement cut off donations to the National Republican Congressional Committee in retaliation for the betrayal.

"What's the point of giving money to the national party if, on key votes, Republican members of the House are indistinguishable from Nancy Pelosi?" she asked. McCain went on to suggest that John Sullivan, a GOP lawmaker from Oklahoma should have left rehab for alcohol treatment in order to cast a vote, much like Rep. Patrick Kennedy did for the Democrats.

more...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/30/gop-poised-to-eat-its-own_n_223164.html

[monmouth]

1. I was glad to see the three reps. from NJ voted for it. They know...n/t

[damntexdem]

2. Oh no! If they eat their own, their belches will add to greenhouse gasses.

Well, at any rate, the heat will be on the GOP.