Wall Street Journal Turns on Republicans.
---Gee that only took 5 or 6 YEARS...---
THE JOURNAL BALKS
Wall Street Journal rebukes Republican Congress
RAW STORY
America's largest newspaper and quintessential conservative editorial page blasted Republicans in Congress on Friday in an editorial titled "Republicans at Bay," RAW STORY has learned.
The editorial (paid-restricted), which hammers Republicans for failing to produce anything of substance in the 2005 session of Congress, may be a troubling sign for Republicans, as the Journal's editorial page leans heavily to the right.
The Journal also recently turned on House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX), who has been mired in ethics scandals; while they noted that they believe DeLay has faced unfair criticism from Democrats, they said he was tainted with the odor of the Beltway.
"Americans have learned to expect little from Congress, and by that standard the 109th version controlled by Republicans has met expectations," the editorial begins. "On the other hand, anyone who hoped that the GOP would make something of its historic governing opportunity is bound to be disappointed so far."
"Five months in, Congress can point to the following achievements: a bankruptcy bill 10 years in the making, and a class-action reform watered down essentially to a jurisdictional change to federal from state courts," it continues. "That's about it. Among the 2004 campaign promises that aren't close to being fulfilled are making the Bush tax cuts permanent, reforming Social Security and expanding the market for private health care. Instead of any of those big three, Congress next seems poised to pass a subsidy-laden energy bill and a highway bill with some 4,000 earmarks for individual Members. For this we elected Republicans?"
While the editorial takes pains to note that it doesn't endorse the Democrats' idea that Republicans are "overreaching," it blasts the Republican Congress for a failure of leadership.
"The Democratic/media explanation for this performance is that Republicans are "overreaching" and trying to "govern from the right," the Journal's editorial board writes. "We should be so lucky. The fact is that they are governing from nowhere at all. Far from pushing their agenda, they seem cowed by their opposition into playing it safe and attempting too little."
Both the House and Senate faced the Journal's ire.
"The House lost precious time recovering from its blunder of changing ethics rules to protect Tom DeLay, while the Senate wasted weeks tiptoeing to the edge of changing the filibuster rule only to back down this week as seven Republicans undercut Majority Leader Bill Frist," they write. "GOP Senators also created the messy distraction over John Bolton's nomination, preening their ambivalence for media applause rather than confirming their President's man."
On Social Security, they caution: "Individual Democrats are not going to break with their party leadership when they can see that Republicans are divided."
Ultimately, the Journal's board writes, the test of the Republicans' mettle will be in their ability to confirm Bush Supreme Court nominations.
"Above all, the fight over Mr. Bush's Supreme Court nominations will determine whether the GOP's Senate majority counts for anything at all," they pen. "The voters don't expect miracles, but they do expect better than what Republicans have so far been able to produce."
Via.. www.rawstory.com
THE JOURNAL BALKS
Wall Street Journal rebukes Republican Congress
RAW STORY
America's largest newspaper and quintessential conservative editorial page blasted Republicans in Congress on Friday in an editorial titled "Republicans at Bay," RAW STORY has learned.
The editorial (paid-restricted), which hammers Republicans for failing to produce anything of substance in the 2005 session of Congress, may be a troubling sign for Republicans, as the Journal's editorial page leans heavily to the right.
The Journal also recently turned on House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX), who has been mired in ethics scandals; while they noted that they believe DeLay has faced unfair criticism from Democrats, they said he was tainted with the odor of the Beltway.
"Americans have learned to expect little from Congress, and by that standard the 109th version controlled by Republicans has met expectations," the editorial begins. "On the other hand, anyone who hoped that the GOP would make something of its historic governing opportunity is bound to be disappointed so far."
"Five months in, Congress can point to the following achievements: a bankruptcy bill 10 years in the making, and a class-action reform watered down essentially to a jurisdictional change to federal from state courts," it continues. "That's about it. Among the 2004 campaign promises that aren't close to being fulfilled are making the Bush tax cuts permanent, reforming Social Security and expanding the market for private health care. Instead of any of those big three, Congress next seems poised to pass a subsidy-laden energy bill and a highway bill with some 4,000 earmarks for individual Members. For this we elected Republicans?"
While the editorial takes pains to note that it doesn't endorse the Democrats' idea that Republicans are "overreaching," it blasts the Republican Congress for a failure of leadership.
"The Democratic/media explanation for this performance is that Republicans are "overreaching" and trying to "govern from the right," the Journal's editorial board writes. "We should be so lucky. The fact is that they are governing from nowhere at all. Far from pushing their agenda, they seem cowed by their opposition into playing it safe and attempting too little."
Both the House and Senate faced the Journal's ire.
"The House lost precious time recovering from its blunder of changing ethics rules to protect Tom DeLay, while the Senate wasted weeks tiptoeing to the edge of changing the filibuster rule only to back down this week as seven Republicans undercut Majority Leader Bill Frist," they write. "GOP Senators also created the messy distraction over John Bolton's nomination, preening their ambivalence for media applause rather than confirming their President's man."
On Social Security, they caution: "Individual Democrats are not going to break with their party leadership when they can see that Republicans are divided."
Ultimately, the Journal's board writes, the test of the Republicans' mettle will be in their ability to confirm Bush Supreme Court nominations.
"Above all, the fight over Mr. Bush's Supreme Court nominations will determine whether the GOP's Senate majority counts for anything at all," they pen. "The voters don't expect miracles, but they do expect better than what Republicans have so far been able to produce."
Via.. www.rawstory.com
posted by Christy at 9:51 AM
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