NoGOPLeadership

Lack of leadership showing in GOP again

Dave Whitaker, the Twiggs Tribune

While Libertarians like myself don't see the GOP as the party of less government and more freedom, most of know at least one person who is a Republican, and honestly does want to get the government out of people's lives. Some of them may even have some Libertarian tendencies. However, they are not the ones making the laws, and making our government even bigger and unconstitutional.

It's the lack of leadership in the GOP that has been leading that party toward the left, and making our government bigger and more unconstitutional. The so-called "GOP Leadership" in Congress allowed the assault weapons ban to pass in 1994. They've allowed the budgets over the last several years to grow bigger and bigger. They supported our unconstitutional involvement in Bosnia in 1999.

Particularly bad has been the lack of leadership in the Senate. Trent Lott has done everything possible to acquiesce to demands of Democrats. Lott gave in to Democrats and helped them to have an embarrassing sham of an impeachment trial in 1998. They passed the so-called "Juvenile Justice Bill" after the Columbine shooting which would have done nothing to stop that or any other shooting. Lott is also allowing liberal Republican Senators to damage what is a best a moderate tax cut proposal by George W. Bush.

The most recent example of the lack of GOP leadership again comes from the Senate. This time, the issue is Senator John McCain's campaign finance reform bill that is co-sponsored by Democrat Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin. For some reason, despite the fact it will most likely be ruled unconstitutional, it's being bought to the floor for a debate. Sure there are amendments being added on to water it down, but the bill shouldn't even be an issue.

Because the bill is unconstitutional. It violates free speech. It does nothing but restrict people from expressing themselves through campaign contributions. It also allows the media to become more powerful than it is now. Because if this bill is passed, it would allow the media to put whomever it wanted on TV to give the liberal perspective, and opposition couldn't do anything, or buy any air time to rebut what the liberal said.

Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska has also produced a bill which isn't as far-reaching as McCain's. But it still restricts free speech, and is still just as unconstitutional. Either bill would most likely be struck down by the Supreme Court. And given how the First Amendment says "Congress shall make no law restricting freedom of speech," one has to wonder why either bill is even being debated?

The answer has got to be that the GOP has no leadership. For all its talk of being a party of limited government and more freedom, it lacks the leadership to actually put its money where its mouth is. The leadership of the GOP lacks the courage and fortitude to stand up for freedom, and is scared of losing its own power. Thus, we have unconstitutional bills such as the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Act coming to the floor of the Senate for debate.

Without a rudder of leadership, the GOP will continue to drift aimlessly toward the left. And the country will be the one to suffer.



	home Lack of leadership showing in GOP again Dave Whitaker, the Twiggs Tribune While Libertarians like myself don't see the GOP as the party of less government and more freedom, most of know at least one person who is a Republican, and honestly does want to get the government out of people's lives. Some of them may even have some Libertarian tendencies. However, they are not the ones making the laws, and making our government even bigger and unconstitutional. It's the lack of leadership in the GOP that has been leading that party toward the left, and making our government bigger and more unconstitutional. The so-called "GOP Leadership" in Congress allowed the assault weapons ban to pass in 1994. They've allowed the budgets over the last several years to grow bigger and bigger. They supported our unconstitutional involvement in Bosnia in 1999. Particularly bad has been the lack of leadership in the Senate. Trent Lott has done everything possible to acquiesce to demands of Democrats. Lott gave in to Democrats and helped them to have an embarrassing sham of an impeachment trial in 1998. They passed the so-called "Juvenile Justice Bill" after the Columbine shooting which would have done nothing to stop that or any other shooting. Lott is also allowing liberal Republican Senators to damage what is a best a moderate tax cut proposal by George W. Bush. The most recent example of the lack of GOP leadership again comes from the Senate. This time, the issue is Senator John McCain's campaign finance reform bill that is co-sponsored by Democrat Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin. For some reason, despite the fact it will most likely be ruled unconstitutional, it's being bought to the floor for a debate. Sure there are amendments being added on to water it down, but the bill shouldn't even be an issue. Because the bill is unconstitutional. It violates free speech. It does nothing but restrict people from expressing themselves through campaign contributions. It also allows the media to become more powerful than it is now. Because if this bill is passed, it would allow the media to put whomever it wanted on TV to give the liberal perspective, and opposition couldn't do anything, or buy any air time to rebut what the liberal said. Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska has also produced a bill which isn't as far-reaching as McCain's. But it still restricts free speech, and is still just as unconstitutional. Either bill would most likely be struck down by the Supreme Court. And given how the First Amendment says "Congress shall make no law restricting freedom of speech," one has to wonder why either bill is even being debated? The answer has got to be that the GOP has no leadership. For all its talk of being a party of limited government and more freedom, it lacks the leadership to actually put its money where its mouth is. The leadership of the GOP lacks the courage and fortitude to stand up for freedom, and is scared of losing its own power. Thus, we have unconstitutional bills such as the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Act coming to the floor of the Senate for debate. Without a rudder of leadership, the GOP will continue to drift aimlessly toward the left. And the country will be the one to suffer.