House Leadership Race: Restoring the Spirit of 1994
Arizona Republican John Shadegg, a dark horse candidate for House Majority Leader, has an op-ed in today’s OpinionJournal arguing, as many of us have, that the GOP needs to govern under the principles that got them elected in the first place, those of the 1994 Contract with America.
Republicans promised the American people two things in 1994. First, we promised to rein in the size and scope of the federal government. Second, we promised to clean up Washington. In recent years, we have fallen short on both counts. Total federal spending has grown by 33% since 1995, in inflation-adjusted dollars. Worse, we have permitted some of the same backroom practices that flourished in the old Democrat-controlled House. Powerful members of Congress are able to insert provisions giving away millions–even tens of millions–of dollars in the dead of night. The recent scandals involving Duke Cunningham and Jack Abramoff have highlighted the problem, but this is not just a case of a few bad apples. The system itself needs structural reforms.This has been clear for some time. I did not discover reform as an issue–like Saul on the road to Damascus–when I entered the majority leader race. It has been an integral part of my record, not at one time a decade ago, but constantly, year in and year out since 1994. Yesterday John Boehner wrote on this page about a proposal to reform the earmark process offered by Rep. Jeff Flake. While Mr. Boehner is suddenly talking about this idea, I was one of the first co-sponsors when it was introduced last spring.
We need sunshine in the earmark process, and an end to secret, backroom deals. According to Citizens Against Government Waste, the total number of earmarks in 2005 was nearly 14,000–compared with only 1,439 in 1995. Earmarked money is often spent without the oversight and consideration in the regular appropriations process, so waste, abuse or even fraud is more likely. Congress should base decisions on what is good for America, not what is good for the lobbyist friends of a few.
It should be noted that Boehner’s record on earmarks is actually quite good. Nonetheless, both Boehner and Blunt, especially the latter, have unfortunate ties with the K-Street Project. Whether Shadegg would, too, were he in a position of greater prominence is hard to say.
The good news is that this leadership race is forcing the three candidates to one-up each other one how much they would clean up the House. That’s a very good thing. The fact that they dirtied the place up so much after only a few years in power? Not so much.
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Previously:
- Bob Ney to Resign Chairmanship
Boehner vs. Blunt: The E-Mail Wars II
An Appeal from Center-Right Bloggers
Shadegg Enters Majority Leader Race
Boehner Pledges End to K-Street Project
Blunt v. Boehner: Blunt̢۪s Lead Grows
Blunt vs. Boehner: The K-Street Connection
Boehner vs. Blunt: The E-Mail Wars
Fixing Congress by Restoring Conservatism
Tom DeLay Resigns Leadership Post
Judge Throws Out Tom Delay Conspiracy Charges
Leadership Thwarted in Attempt to Impose DeLay Successor
Bloggers React to DeLay Indictment
Tom Delay Indicted by Texas Grand Jury
Tom DeLay: Liar or Fool? (Stotch)
Republicans to Reverse Ethics Rules Changes: Hastert
Bush Not Seeking DeLay̢۪s Ouster
Newt Gingrich Criticizes Tom DeLay on Ethics
Is the Cover-Up Worse than the Crime?
Democrats to Make “Ethics†Key to 2006 Campaign
Conduct Unbecoming a Congressman
DeLay Appears To Be Off The Hook
GOP Pushes Rule Change To Protect DeLay̢۪s Post
Ethics Truce Frays in House
HOT PINK LEISURE SUITS
POLITICIANS BEING POLITICAL?!
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Abramoff Scandal Backfiring of Republican Strategy?
Abramoff Scandal Brings New Scrutiny to Lobbying
Abramoff Bought Cato Columnist Doug Bandow
Scandals Heighten Public Concerns about Corruption
