Congressman Conyers: Republican Cannibalism

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The opinion pages of the Washington Post today had some very interesting stories about conflict within the Republican party. In particular, Joe Scarborough, of Fox News, and formerly a Republican congressman from Florida, had this scathing indictment of his own party:

(After Clinton left office) Republicans on the Hill would do little more than rubber-stamp Bush's domestic and international agenda because lawmakers were intimidated by his power and his popularity with the Republican base.

Even when the administration would not give generals the troops they needed to win the war in Iraq, Republican leaders did nothing. When the president refused to veto a single spending bill while the deficit spiraled upward, Republican leaders looked away. And when chaos was reigning in the streets of New Orleans and across the Gulf Coast in Katrina's horrific aftermath, Republican leaders remained mute.

It's hard to deny his point. It's what Democrats have been saying for some time now.

This is a telling moment in the campaign. It will be very interesting to see how House Republicans will try to spin their way out of their history of having voted in lockstep with the President these past 6 years.

http://www.conyersblog.us/archives/00000549.htm#comments

Save Yourself, Blame Bush
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/15/AR2006091500996.html